Another Dispatch From The GOP Braintrust
This is probably what you would consider a classic political gaffe:
It’s been a couple of weeks since the RNC’s Michael Steele said something foolish and had to walk it back, so I suppose we were due for another gem.
Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Michael Steele, who is known for making controversial statements, on Sunday said that white Republicans are afraid of him. […]
The Republican chairman appeared on NewsOne’s “Washington Watch” this weekend, a new Sunday political talk show aimed at a black audience. The host, Roland Martin, asked Steele how Republicans could reach out to black voters.
Roland Martin noted that he’s long believed that white Republicans “have been scared of black folks.”
Steele replied, “You’re absolutely right. I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me.”
Remember, Steele was the best choice at the time among the losers running for RNC chair. Perhaps they would have been better off with the guy who sent out “Barack the Magic Negro” to his email list or the guy who belonged to the all-white country club.
Tags: Michael Steele, National Republicans, NRC
The full quote, in context:
MARTIN: But your candidates got to talk to them. One of the criticisms I’ve always had is Republicans — white Republicans — have been scared of black folks.
STEELE: “You’re absolutely right. I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me. I’m like, “I’m on your side” and so I can imagine going out there and talking to someone like you, you know, [say] “I’ll listen.” And they’re like “Well.” Let me tell you. You saw in Christie and you saw in McDonnell a door open because they went in and engaged. McDonnell was very deliberate about spending…”
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Steele misunderstood. The white Republicans weren’t scared of him. They were looking at him in disbelief that any grown man could be as inarticulate as Michael Steele.
Is he channeling Valley Girl Speak now?
they aren’t scared of him, they are amused by him.
At the risk of being offensive, Steele is a 20’s cartoon of a black man. He smiles for massa, dances for massa, says dumb things to show massa how uneducated and unrefined he is….. but dont touch massa’s daughter. I’m not black, but Ive seen Jews in the same context as Steele and it is humiliating that one of my own would be such a blatant token fool (for not wanting to use a more offensive word) Michael Steele might as well be Sarah Palin in blackface.
I think they’re probably scared that he’s going to say something stupid. Those fears are completely justified.
they just ignore him. Picking steele was like a hail marry pass with no one down field. you KNOW it Isn’t going to work… i.e attract black people… but why not take a chance, any other move would have been far far worse. I hope Steele doesnt think anyone actually respects his dumbass.
I disagree. Mysterious as it is to me that any gay person, for example, would support Republicans, we have the Log Cabin Republicans to show that there are some.
I think Michael Steele is sincere in his belief that the Republican cause supports him personally, and maybe that’s what matters to him. I think he’s wrong, of course, but I think the women and working class R’s are deluded, too.
But maybe they’re all signed on for a different world than I am. 🙁
Michael Steele strikes me as that “black friend” that comes up in conversation with conservatives; “I’m not racist! Some of my friends are black!”