Among other tone deaf offenses rooted in self-aggrandizement, RNC Chairman Michael Steele recently decided to collect speaking fees when out on the hustings on the rubber-chicken circuit.
This is highly unusual, unseemly, and unprecedented for a chairman of either party.
Now, in his new book offering a blueprint for the GOP’s resurgence, Steele offers a simple explanation for why the GOP all too often lost touch with typical Americans since the Ronald Reagan era” — “we screwed up.”
Unfortunately, that’s true.
Steele’s book also directly or indirectly criticizes George H.W. Bush “for raising taxes two years after” Reagan left office; George W. Bush “for not vetoing any spending bills during his first five years in office;” and Sen. John McCain for “backing censorship of political speech through the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.”
That, too, is true. But speaking one’s mind candidly and assigning blame for various political and policy faux pas is not the role of RNC Chairman.
But Steele’s entire modus operandi is all about him; his opinion, his thoughts; the extra marginal dough he can raise for himself by leveraging his position as RNC Chairman.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was the best RNC Chair in memory because he always remembered the job was about building the local state parties from the ground up — not about him; and not running your mouth in Washington, unless it has something to do with positively building the GOP brand or positioning.
The Hotline reports today that “GOP House members and top GOP aides are livid with Steele’s latest comments” and are weighing retribution, but fearful since “Steele controls the RNC’s purse strings.”
Michael Steele is well past the point of being a liability as opposed to an asset, and continues to provide his critics with ammo to dump him in the New Year.
Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer was just forced out legitimately by his critics; so, too, should Michael Steele.