Steele: Moderates Are Welcome In The GOP As Long As They Vote Like Right Wingers
Steele: Moderates Are Welcome In The GOP As Long As They Vote Like Right Wingers
This morning on CBS’s Early Show, RNC Chairman Michael Steele strongly endorsed Rush Limbaugh’s reaction to Sen. Arlen Specter’s (PA) decision to leave the Republican party. Limbaugh had responded to Specter’s departure by calling him “dead weight” and claiming that it said “nothing about the state of the GOP.” Steele said that he agreed with Limbaugh. Asked why he wasn’t phased by Specter’s departure, Steele cited Specter’s “debilitating” vote in favor of President Obama’s economic recovery package. “It went against core principles. … I’m not weeping here. I’m sorry,” Steele remarked.
Moments later, however, Steele insisted that the GOP still remained a hospitable place for moderate conservatives:
SMITH: Is there room for moderates?
STEELE: Absolutely. There’s room for everybody who wants to be a part of a party that believes, first and foremost, in the value of the individual to make decisions that empower him or herself. … This notion that somehow, you know, because we’re conservatives, our doors are closed and we only take certain types of people is just crazy. This is not — never been the nature of this party.
Watch it:
In reality, Steele’s Republican party is increasingly inhospitable to its moderate members. Asked on NPR’s All Things Considered if other moderate Republicans with similar voting records – including former Sens. Chuck Hagel (NE), Gordon Smith (OR), and John Warner (VA), would be “left of [the] Republican Party today” – Steele suggested that was the case. “They are to the left on some very critical issues that are fundamental to our- some of our core beliefs,” Steele said.
Indeed, when Congress passed the Recovery Act with the support of Specter and Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Steele threatened to retaliate against them the next time they were up for reelection. Snowe wrote yesterday in the New York Times that in response to such threats from Steele and litmus tests imposed on them by the right wing, moderate Republicans often “get the distinct feeling that you’re no longer welcome in the tribe.”
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The GOP will continue to shrink mainly because they don’t think they have a problem – it is our problem we don’t agree with them. It would never occur to them that maybe – just maybe – it is them who are excluding moderates. It is the party of Limbaugh and with that gasbag leading the GOP charge, they will get smaller still. Maybe the GOP needs a form of Viagra to ’stand tall’ again?
April 30th, 2009 at 2:16 pmThis notion that somehow, you know, because we’re conservatives, our doors are closed and we only take certain types of people is just crazy. This is not — never been the nature of this party.
Pffft. Mikey, wake up. They are taking your wallet, tar and feathering you and still, you just dance on your puppet strings like a good marionette.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:17 pmWait till they kick your ass out the door, then tell us all about the nature of the party…
And when you do your tossed out…dead weight..for being an independent thinker.
Organized hypocrisy.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:23 pmIt’s all part of his “Master Plan” to take over the world and hold it ransom for “ONE_MILLION DOLLARS”.
The man is Brilliant, I tell you, Brilliant…
…maybe he could name his plan “Preparation_H” and have Sharks with freaking Laser beams on their heads.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:23 pmOnly Repubs could refer to someone they once cherished as “dead weight”. No class whatsoever.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:24 pmIf you’re not with us, you’re against us. Party first, America second.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:25 pmSure it is — the Greedy Obstinate Perverts have always been the party of the big tent. ROTFLMAO!!
They want you only if you march in lockstep, heed the word, and enforce their platform. If one thinks for ones self, they are not wanted.
Do they think they can continue to survive as a viable party with less than 25% of the electorate? Shhh, don’t tell them. Let them continue with that skewed thinking – the Dems will gladly embrace the 75% remaining electorate.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:25 pmWhat a big load of bullshyte. The other members of the RNC are about to neuter Steele and this is what he has to say? Steele is confused about what his own core values are. I’m confused about whether he is for the GOP or against – some of his comments are so contradictory. Then again, Steele did say why should we believe anything he says – right?
April 30th, 2009 at 2:26 pmEveryone is welcome…
As long as they are prepared to take the punishment if they don’t toe the line.
This sounds like some kind of crazy religious cult!!!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:27 pmTo Republicans, the word “principles” is just another buzz word that they think sounds good. Recently Eric Cantor said one of the Republican Party’s “core principles” was lower taxes. That means no matter how low taxes are, Republicans want them lowered further as a matter of principles. I can’t wait until they get the rate down to zero and then we’ll all be paying negative taxes. That would be a reason to vote Repub after all!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:29 pmhttp://www.counterpunch.org/martens04272009.html
The porcupines…
April 30th, 2009 at 2:29 pmuhh…then they wouldn’t be moderates Mr Steele.
:|
Kind of defeats the definition, you know?
April 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pmSteele: Moderates Are Welcome In The GOP As Long As They Vote Like Right Wingers
– - Kinda like Steele himself, who comes off as Notorious B.I.G. Lite.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:31 pmWe republicans are the Borg – you will be assimilated if you join – everyone will be assimilated. real american huh?
April 30th, 2009 at 2:32 pm.
Dear Michael Steele,
What’s a bigot?
.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:35 pmThe GOP is a Brokeback Mountain pup tent.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:36 pmThe Republicans want people who “believe in the value of the individual to make decisions that empower him or herself”. . . unless of course that empowerment involves the decision to retain for heself reproductive rights, the decision of him or herself to marry their partner no matter what gender, the decision to allow scientific research on improving human life to proceed notwithstanding the fears and superstitions of a minority of zealots or the decision to abstain from following a fundamentalist faith. Gotta read the fine print.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:38 pmPoor Rush. Pulling Steele’s puppet strings must be very tiring. I’m really, running a radio show, hate speaking everything Obama, popping Oxycotin, pulling the GOP strings, and now Steele? Maybe Rush is “doing too much.”
Well, I hope he fails!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:39 pm“They are to the left on some very critical issues that are fundamental to our- some of our core beliefs,” Steele said.
Exactly what core beliefs do the republicans have? They have consistently repudiated their core beliefs since Reagan’s “shining city on the hill” raised taxes to keep the lights on, and every time they got into power, it was the same story. About the only core conservative belief left is the belief that they need to pack the courts with conservative judges. Everything else was sacrificed for political expediency, whenever the rowing got tough.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:40 pmMike Steele, your days are numbered has the GOP Chairmen. WAKE UP dude. You were a “Knee-jerk” selection. Give J.C. Watts a call and have him fill you in.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pmJust allow the robber barons to do what they want, pollute, remove safety in the workplace, no taxation, poverty wages, and you can have more individual liberty…
In other words poor working conditions and pay so you can have more individual freedoms. Yeh, Riiiiiiiighhhttttt.
What an evil, materialist, scheme…
April 30th, 2009 at 2:44 pmThere’s room for everybody who wants to be a part of a party that believes, first and foremost, in the value of the individual to make decisions that empower him or herself
That is really stunning hypocrisy. Repubs like Specter get slammed by the right for having opinions of their own, then they claim to be for “the value of the individual.”
Does these clowns ever listen to themselves?
April 30th, 2009 at 2:46 pmthe GOP is hospitable only for rich, white people who are good little Nazis and KKKlansmen.
All others, this way to the gas chambers.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:47 pmWhat a freak show.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:49 pmI would have more respect for Steele if he just went ahead and tatooed Ditto! on his forehead.
PEACE
April 30th, 2009 at 2:50 pmfound at C&L just now:
Limbaugh: Bipartisanship occurs only after one other result, and that is victory. In other words, let’s say as conservatives liberals demand that we be bipartisan with them in Congress. What they mean is: We check our core principles at the door, come in, let them run the show and agree with them. That’s bipartisanship to them. To us, bipartisanship is them being forced to agree with us after we politically have cleaned their clocks and beaten them. And that has to be what we’re focused on.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:51 pmWAYNEBRO Says:
“Steele: Moderates Are Welcome In The GOP As Long As They Vote Like Right Wingers”
uhh…then they wouldn’t be moderates Mr Steele.
:|
Shhh, WAYNEBRO! You’re confusing Mikey.
PEACE
April 30th, 2009 at 2:52 pmWhat a pathetic humnan being, does he hear himself? Your welcome as a moderate as long as you vote right wing.WTF??
April 30th, 2009 at 2:52 pmStupid…If you are voting right wing you are right wing you are not a moderate. Holy crap.. This guy is getting dumber by the second.
I am so sick of the Republican mantra “individual freedoms” “individual decisions”, empowerment…blah blah blah….what makes them think they’re the only ones who can think for themselves? How arrogant!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:53 pmAs bad as Steele has been at trying to unite and recruit his party, I do wonder what would have happened if the RNC had elected the same-old-same-old for their head position. My guess is there would have been more attacks on Obama and even less being done by the RNC in terms of getting their party straight.
If that were the case, “Barack the Magic Negro” probably would have had a follow-up.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:57 pmPretty soon the only person left in the party will be Limbaugh. Then they can call it the Rushian Party. Maybe he’ll invite Sarah in if she can take the time out from shooting wolves from her helicopter. The helicopter she will be selling on e-bay soon.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:58 pm#323 TheLiberalMedia,
They don’t have time to listen ‘cuz they’re too busy talking.
.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:59 pmAnd in other news, a startling revelation of quid pro boobies (from Raw Story):
Controversial model Carrie Prejean is heading to Washington to support a campaign against gay marriage — and taking her paid-for breast implants along.
The reigning Miss California, who caused a sensation at the Miss USA pageant when she said she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman, will work with the National Organization for Marriage to protect “traditional” heterosexual marriage.
Prejean, who says her stance on gay marriage cost her the Miss USA title, is already starring in a commercial for the anti-same-sex marriage group.
They paid for her implants, and now she’s going to be swinging them on a commercial against same-sex marriage.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:59 pmHere, Mr. Steele. I’ve got this super nice cap for you to wear.
Yes, it does look like an upside down ice cream cone, but you just put it on. That’s right the elastic string goes under the chin so it stays on nice and straight.
Now you just go over and sit on that stool in the corner.
No, don’t face this way, turn around and look at the nice corner walls.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:04 pmMr. Steele:
The reality is ,while the defecting lanes of GOP are crowded, there is nobody is in a hurry to join your party, moderates or others.
Quit dreaming…!!
April 30th, 2009 at 3:06 pmLet’s see…to quote the hip-hop man from above ‘…a party that believes, first and foremost, in the value of the individual to make decisions that empower him or herself.”….
OK, so let’s see…IF a woman wants to be free to choose to have an abortion because it empowers her to do so, then it’s ok to be in the Republican party??
This man is so stupid it’s amazing he can find his way to his kitchen every day….what losers….
April 30th, 2009 at 3:06 pmthe times they are a chang’ing….
drip drip drip
for auld lang syne
when the consciousness is raised, the lower levels of our society decrease.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:09 pm.
STEELE Said:
Respecting individuals like this…?
http://rawstory.com/08/blog/2009/04/30/gop-leader-mocks-bald-specter-who-had-cancer/
Or like this…?
http://rawstory.com/08/blog/2009/04/30/candidate-for-georgia-governorship-says-hed-kill-his-own-son-to-secede/
.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:10 pmthen what’ the point of being in a party that will allow you in but you have to be like them?
April 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pmHow the Republicans get to be the ‘political’ party of ‘religion’? I thought ‘politics and religion’ were supposed to be separate. So why are all their issues about ‘religion‘ and mostly religious issues evangicals are concerned with? Until they get away from this religious stuff, I don’t see how they can expect their party to do anything other than diminish!
April 30th, 2009 at 3:17 pmRUCeriousMaggot! Says:
——————————————————————————–
Here, Mr. Steele. I’ve got this super nice cap for you to wear.
Yes, it does look like an upside down ice cream cone, but you just put it on. That’s right the elastic string goes under the chin so it stays on nice and straight.
Now you just go over and sit on that stool in the corner.
No, don’t face this way, turn around and look at the nice corner walls.
—————–
Too funny – thanks for the ‘belly laugh’ as I can just picture him wearing the tinfoil dunce hat and sitting in the corner like a ‘good little boy’ [he certainly can't be more than 6 or 7 years of age especially with the language he uses all the time] – my bad – he needs to grow up or grow a pair!!!!!
April 30th, 2009 at 3:23 pmSteele to Moderates;
“You are the weakest link…Goodbye.”
April 30th, 2009 at 3:27 pmYesterday, I didn’t catch the name of the person interviewed on NPR whose point/metaphor for the repub party was along the lines of “If you invite me to your house, then I have to play by your rules. I don’t insult you by criticizing the food or china.”
But exactly who does the Repub party belong to? If it means you have to represent business, I’d say it belongs to big business. If it means you have to represent far right neocons, then I’d say it belongs to neocons.
But shouldn’t the party belong to the people that elect it ?
April 30th, 2009 at 4:04 pmBefore you criticize Steele too much, remember that the only reason he is in his current position is that the “muckety mucks” of the Repub party saw his resume and past work for the party and decided that he would be the perfect person for the job.
In short, do you criticize the person hired or the person doing the hiring ?
April 30th, 2009 at 4:05 pm….
interesting thing about mike steele;
the trolls just don’t care about him.
**
it’s as if he’s invisible.
:|
:|
April 30th, 2009 at 4:11 pmThe reason Steels in his current position is because he’s black. It’s the GOP’s feeble attempt to say, “hey, we have blacks too, you know”! Dinosaurs….
April 30th, 2009 at 4:17 pmAsked why he wasn’t phased by Specter’s departure, Steele cited Specter’s “debilitating” vote in favor of President Obama’s economic recovery package. “It went against core principles.”
________________________________________________________
Following this logic, Steele should also be claiming that every Republican who voted for Bush’s bailout package last October voted “against core principles”?
Oh, silly me — the “core principle” here is “vote against what Obama wants at all times”.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:28 pmAfter his repeated gaffes, I thought Steele was going to back off from the TV and radio appearances and do his job behind the scenes like Rush told him to do. That’s ok, the more we see and hear him the better. He’s a gift that keeps on giving.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:29 pmDr. Mr. Steele
Shut up. You have the intellegence of a brick.
Thank you,
The Dems :)
April 30th, 2009 at 5:00 pm(Steele) now is in the business of (stealing) moderates.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:01 pmMapleStreet @ 44: But exactly who does the Repub party belong to? If it means you have to represent business, I’d say it belongs to big business. If it means you have to represent far right neocons, then I’d say it belongs to neocons.
But shouldn’t the party belong to the people that elect it ?
The Repucks “belong to” big oil, banks, NRA and big corporations. Then, they beat the “religious” “conservative” drum to rally the mindless religious dolts to vote “R”. Then the tout the three G’s – guns, gays and god. That gets the rest of the base rallied.
Now, people are catching on and realizing that god won’t “strike” you down for being gay or saying bad words or not eating your veggies. So, scare tactics are failing just like organized religion. That 20% base still doesn’t get it that the GOP is paid off by the big money that is selling them down the river. I’m laughing at this circus …….
April 30th, 2009 at 5:23 pm“You’re welcome here, you just can’t disagree with any part of our platform.” *yawns* Steele is just hilarious.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:52 pmSo, I am welcome as long as I am not female, African American, Hispanic, Asian, atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, college educated, a scientist, gay, legal immigrant or think that condoms are not a sin and most of all a moderate. I feel so welcome now!
April 30th, 2009 at 7:12 pmThis would be about the thousandth iteration of the GOP’s “we’re different, we’re different, we’re different, nope we’re the same.”
April 30th, 2009 at 7:18 pmrightwing-leftwing
“Then the tout the three G’s – guns, gays and god.”
It is the four G’s – guns, gays, god and greed.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:53 pmlwkite Says:
rightwing-leftwing
“Then the tout the three G’s – guns, gays and god.”
It is the four G’s – guns, gays, god and greed
Add a fifth “G”
Gone!
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