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Steele Takes Party Chairmanship
January 30, 2009 4:11 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein and Teddy Davis Report: Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee today, giving the GOP its first African-American leader as the party seeks to reframe its identity under the presidency of Barack Obama.
Steele won after five rounds of balloting, beating four other candidates who sought the chairmanship. He finished with 91 votes in the final round -- six more than the threshold required to win election -- compared with 77 for Katon Dawson, the chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
“This is awesome,” Steele told RNC members after winning the two-year term. “It’s time for something completely different. . . . We’re going to bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community. And we’re going to say to friend and foe alike, ‘We want you to be a part of us, we want you to work with us. And for those of you who are ready to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over.’ ”
The new RNC chairman faces the task of rebuilding a party that finds itself out of power on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Steele has strong conservative credentials on social and fiscal issues. But he was cast as a moderate in the chairman’s race because of his former service on the board of the Republican Leadership Council, a centrist group.
Unlike the state party chairmen who were running, he also has little experience building party infrastructure -- an area of concern for many inside the GOP.
Diversity was on the minds of several RNC members, particularly after an election in which Republicans struggled to win the support of black and Hispanic voters.
“If the party is not prepared to go in that direction, you're looking at a dinosaur. Whoever gets elected can't look like me,” said Holland Redfield, the RNC committeeman from the US Virgin Islands, who is white. “The message has got to be not because we need their votes. It has got to be because it is the right thing to do.”
Steele built a following through extensive television news appearances, including a role as a commentator on the Fox News Channel. He gave a popular speech at the Republican National Convention last year, where his chants of “Drill, baby, drill” became something of a rallying cry.
Three other candidates -- outgoing Chairman Mike Duncan, Michigan GOP chief Saul Anuzis, and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell -- dropped out after disappointing showings in earlier rounds of balloting.
January 30, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (373)
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YES We NEED someone in there who will push Sarah Palin!!!! That's the Dems best chance at keeping the Presidency in 2012!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Grissom | Jan 30, 2009 4:18:25 PM
That is good the RNC got rid of Duncan. Now
why is the GOP keeping Mitch McConnell as Senate leader and John Boehner as House leader after such sweeping Republican failures this past election cycle? What message does that send?
More of the same.?.
Posted by: Paige | Jan 30, 2009 4:21:39 PM
So the RNC has a token Black man as chair but less than 1% in the party their WHOLE history! However, with Steele the usery goes both ways!!!
Posted by: bink | Jan 30, 2009 4:27:15 PM
Well, so much for the KKKpublicans...wherever will they go now????
Posted by: NatFrankie | Jan 30, 2009 4:28:15 PM
So how long before Rush claims that the Republicans voted for Steele because of white guilt? Is Steel the new magical Negro for the Republican party?
Posted by: gammaraygus | Jan 30, 2009 4:29:33 PM
Just putting in a person of color will not drive millions of blacks and Hispanics to the party. It is their ideology that will cause the majority of these groups to never embrace them. You can't change what is ingrained, and looking at people like Rush will just push people further. It will still be a party of old white men and ann Coulter, Rove and Limbaugh. So what has changed? In effect, NOTHING. Steele will just turn out to be a lackey of the above and nothing more. He wouldn't be able to change what has been preordained. And as for those who have declared that they will never vote/support a black man, what do they have to say now that they have a black leader?
Posted by: Karen | Jan 30, 2009 4:30:43 PM
You just lost the bubba vote.
Posted by: Toyin | Jan 30, 2009 4:31:01 PM
Can I say GOP is back??? I don't think so!
Posted by: Rosie | Jan 30, 2009 4:31:45 PM
You have got to be kidding, how pathetic. Republicans just don't get it, but they should. It's not about color, it's not about black or white. It's about " MONEY ", it's about the working class against the rich elite. This B.S. is why I left the Republican Party.
Ex Republican
Posted by: RGeier | Jan 30, 2009 4:31:47 PM
Now you black people don't have to vote Democrat anymore. Can't you all see we have a black man in our party now? If you vote Democrat, you're just being racist!
Posted by: bob | Jan 30, 2009 4:32:04 PM
And it begins.....
The Nation begins it swing back to its real roots... conservative roots. The Man of Steele will show Obama for what he is... a white-guilt liberal socialist. Real Change...Really Black. Reality, not Hope, Real World, not Really a line of BS.
Ronald Reagan Lives!!!!!!!!
Posted by: mark | Jan 30, 2009 4:32:05 PM
I must admit I don't know much about Mr. Steele but this doesn't pass the smell test. It appears that they chose him as their token black man to give the appearance of inclusiveness. Do they think this is going to be their "Magic Negro"? I can see right thru this. Didn't the RNC learn anything from picking Sarah Palin as the token woman?
Posted by: Leslie | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:03 PM
The GOP is so lame, it isn't funny anymore. Steele, and one other black guy, were THE ONLY BLACKS IN THE ROOM!!!
Ray Charles can see what the republicans are trying to do, and he's blind and dead. I guess the blacks are just suppose to come running to the GOP now,huh?
HEY REPUBS, you idiots...........IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK !!!!!
Posted by: Tony | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:04 PM
Oh gosh! You mean Rush Limbaugh didn't get the nod? That paragon of virtue was turned down????
Posted by: Kitty Wilberforce's Mother | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:05 PM
Steele is no "token"... try reading up on the man.
Posted by: realnyer | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:09 PM
African-American being used so they can gain votes...To funny. Hope he was choosen because of a great person he is, not because of who he could persuade.Ironic how he's the first all of a sudden. I'm sure he's glad anyway.
Posted by: zorra | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:21 PM
Democrats should keep pushing the RNC towards Palin an Rush Limbo; The more they will be visible the better it is for the democratic party. Rush Limbo is disgusting but on the other hand you need very little to make him say or do things that can be used against the RNC on next elections; the will become the image of the RNC. In fact people like Guliany, Hannity or essential to the perpetuation of the democratic power.
Posted by: ely | Jan 30, 2009 4:33:55 PM
lol, what a joke! they think by electing a black man their chairman they will be the party of diversity? sooo hilarious!
Posted by: Leslie | Jan 30, 2009 4:34:38 PM
wow, what a bunch of racists on this board! You don't even know anything about him, but you make your judgement based on his skin color..
Tsk, tsk... libs.
Posted by: realnyer | Jan 30, 2009 4:34:41 PM
wow, what a bunch of racists on this board! You don't even know anything about him, but you make your judgement based on his skin color..
Tsk, tsk... libs.
Posted by: realnyer | Jan 30, 2009 4:34:48 PM
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