What Is Michael Steele Saying About Abortion And Gays?
Did Michael Steele actually say he's pro-choice? In the GQ interview, Steele appears to agree that abortion is a right, despite his own moral opposition and desire for a state-based approach as an issue:
How much of your pro-life stance, for you, is informed not just by your Catholic faith but by the fact that you were adopted?
Oh, a lot. Absolutely. I see the power of life in that--I mean, and the power of choice! The thing to keep in mind about it... Uh, you know, I think as a country we get off on these misguided conversations that throw around terms that really misrepresent truth.
Explain that.
The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.
Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice.
This seems very odd, considering how Steele wasn't just pro-life in his Senate run in 2006 -- he compared stem-cell research to the Nazi medical experiments, while speaking to a Jewish audience, necessitating a public apology.
And he more or less accepts the scientific consensus on homosexuality:
Do you think homosexuality is a choice?
Oh, no. I don't think I've ever really subscribed to that view, that you can turn it on and off like a water tap. Um, you know, I think that there's a whole lot that goes into the makeup of an individual that, uh, you just can't simply say, oh, like, "Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being gay." It's like saying, "Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being black."
So your feeling would be that people are born one way or another.
I mean, I think that's the prevailing view at this point, and I know that there's some out there who think that you can absolutely make that choice. And maybe some people have. I don't know, I can't say. Until we can give a definitive answer one way or the other, I think we should respect that.
Of course, Steele also recently called civil unions "crazy," but here he says homosexuality is not a choice and should be respected.
How will the Family Research Council -- or dare we say it, Rush Limbaugh -- handle this one?
Advertisement
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
And our last competitor tonight in the RNC Gymnastics Exhibition is Michael Steele. He will be attempting a Reverse MittRomney, degree of difficulty 3.8.
Oh no, he flipped instead of flopping and landed on his ass.
But the East German judge gives him a 9.5!
March 11, 2009 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. It's as if he's forgotten what he is supposed to say. I almost feel sorry for him.
March 12, 2009 12:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, truth libensky. Despite exploiting the homeless for political purposes, being a bald-faced liar and sycophant, and being part of the general Rethuglican downfall of the early tewnty-first century, he's a human being. And I'm a lefty! So eventually I'm going to feel bad for him, because I care for people. It's what we do!
March 12, 2009 12:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, that caring thing is a blessing and a curse!
March 12, 2009 8:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
"You know, my mother chose life"
It's observations like this that make Michael a must-get interview. What further roads will he go down in the next few days/weeks/months?
March 12, 2009 12:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
No wonder he's been quiet the last couple of days. He knew this article was coming out!
March 12, 2009 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Would Michael Steele be a Republican if he knew what the Republican Party platform was?
March 12, 2009 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Would Michael Steele be a politician if he knew what being a public figure meant?
March 12, 2009 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm just not certain that there's ever been a politician less adept at being a politician. Call me sentimental, but I'm going to miss him.
March 12, 2009 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dead man walking!
March 12, 2009 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's these views and others that showed him to not be a full blown wingnut that had me optimistic about his election. It's unfortunate that he's such a poor politician that he won't be able to bring those sort of nuanced positions in to the Republican party. He just doesn't know when to shut up....thinks too much of himself me thinks.
March 12, 2009 12:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
He should take Meghan McCain's lead. Say what he thinks and stick with it. The future of the Republican party is moderate, not conservative--Steele should go across the country and rally the younger generations of Republicans who are actively waiting for a leader to come out against the old neocons and DC Republicans and ridiculous antics of Coulter and Hannity and yes, Rush Limbaugh.
March 12, 2009 1:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
But its the base, man, you can't give up the base of the party. I mean, that's the real america, the base of the republican party. Family values and bibles and guns and stuff, NOT gays and womens rights.
Isn't that the problem? The moderates don't speak up and they better start. Pull up their big boy and girl panties and stand up to those nastyphones Rush and Coulter. This will be interesting to watch because if the R party slams Steele for the interview and take him out they will have knocked the pole out of their 'big tent'.
March 12, 2009 8:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, they are taking him out. I really think that we may be witnessing the implosion of the republican party. Their policies are too 19th century and we are in the 21st. They have no place to go, other than into history. The south lost the cold civil war this time. Basically, the republican platform is a southern platform and its leadership is by and large southern. They lost again. O for 2.
March 12, 2009 8:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Michael, I am so hoping and when they do disappear I hope a worthy opponent takes their place. As much as I like Obama and the democrats being in power now, I just as strongly believe they need someone yapping at their heels reminding them they are replaceable. Jeez, I just figured out the spell check button on my google toolbar that has been there for ages. Now I won't look as much like a doofus. My day is complete.
March 12, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's taking the States' Rights path here. Also note the "big tent" reference. Don't get you panties twisted here...
Are you saying you don’t want to overturn Roe v. Wade?
I think Roe v. Wade—as a legal matter, Roe v. Wade was a wrongly decided matter.
Okay, but if you overturn Roe v. Wade, how do women have the choice you just said they should have?
The states should make that choice. That’s what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide.
Do pro-choicers have a place in the Republican Party?
Absolutely!
How so?
You know, Lee Atwater said it best: We are a big-tent party. We recognize that there are views that may be divergent on some issues, but our goal is to correspond, or try to respond, to some core values and principles that we can agree on.
March 12, 2009 1:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
not everything the guy says is really big news, is it? Maybe TPM is getting close to sensationalizing Michael Steele beyond what is necessary.
No need to gang up on the guy.
March 12, 2009 1:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sure there is. He's the head of the RNC, and he's barely functional.
March 12, 2009 7:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, but the head of the RNC implying that he's pro-choice? I think that's huge news.
March 12, 2009 8:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
it would be big news if the head of the RNC said he was pro-choice and he really meant it.
March 12, 2009 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
>>Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice.>>
If you don't think that's pro-choice then obviously you have no idea what being pro-choice is!
And whether or not he means it is even newsier.
This guy is the head of the RNC. He's gone on TV to lambast the president, the stimulus, the budget, stem cell research, say government has NEVER created a single job. And we're supposed to ignore him because he makes a fool of himself anew every day?
Yeah. That's gonna happen!
March 12, 2009 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Holster yourself freerider, I mean you no harm:) I'm pro-choice and I understand what that means.
Michael Steele has had to walk back from everything he's said. I wish he wouldn't wobble and think that it would be bigger news if he stuck to his guns on his pro-choice remarks.
We can all watch him fall down. I'd rather encourage him to stand up.
March 12, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's perfectly obvious he is no longer interested in working in politics. A lot of that going around.
March 12, 2009 5:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
i believe Bush2 did the same thing, only on camera in an interview - sometime around the 2000 primaries. 'twould be helpful if someone could post a link to it if they know where it is.
i seem to remember the interviewer getting him to agree that it should be a woman's choice, and that he had to backtrack later that day or somesuch. those zany republicans.
March 12, 2009 6:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.
This guy is just babbling. I mean, that is word salad.
March 12, 2009 7:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
I saw a few episodes of Bill Maher with Steele back during election season, and from the minute I heard he was chosen to be RNC chairman I knew the GOP was fucked.
Steele lacks confidence in the ideas he supposed to be espousing and is unable to defend them when he's put against tough questioners. Tries too hard to please and ends up pleasing noone. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that the GOP is doing badly, but I'm still baffled at how the "masters of electioneering" would pick someone like this to represent them.
March 12, 2009 7:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Meanwhile, the politically convenient engagement of Bristol Palin and Levi is over. Which means that Sarah "If-I-Only-Had-A-Brain" Palin will now become the grandmother of an illegitimate child. How wonderfully ironic! Love those right-wing Republican family values that don't apply to right-wing Republicans! :-)
March 12, 2009 8:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Word up dswx. Big word up. Lets hear it for those family values from the republican party. Big cheers all around.
March 12, 2009 8:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Steele is disconnecting the dots.
March 12, 2009 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
hahahahah thank you! I liked that one.
March 12, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I knew he'd have to backtrack on this one. pretty soon the repubs are going to put him on a 10-second delay, like tv and radio do.
March 12, 2009 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's the gay rights comment that's the most interesting, since it's not gibberish. That sounds quite unmistakable: He's a bright guy, and he gets it that gay folks are...gay. No doubt he's got a number of gay acquaintances. So he's basically a poor schmuck who's got too much lingering intellectual honesty to be an effective opportunist. God knows he's trying, but he can't quite pull it off.
March 12, 2009 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
>>He's a bright guy>>
I have absolutely no idea what you're basing this on since Steele has not demonstrated any such "brightness."
March 12, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink