Steele: Dems Want To Take Away Our Guns, Move Terrorists Into Our Communities
RNC Chairman Michael Steele addressed the National Rifle Association's "Celebration of American Values" in Phoenix today, leveling some harsh rhetoric against President Obama: That Obama could end up appointing left-wing ideological Justices to the Supreme Court -- and Dems want to away Americans' guns while moving Al Qaeda terrorists to our neighborhoods!
"It is ironic, to say the least, that at the same time Democrats in Congress are threatening to deny Americans their second amendment right to own a firearm and defend their families and homes," Steele said, "they are considering bringing terrorists like 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other Al Qaeda detainees to our communities once the President follows through on his campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay."
Steele also said that liberal groups will be pressuring Obama on the Supreme Court vacancy: "They want a young, activist, left-wing justice who will leave a liberal legacy long after the Obama administration is over. Obama is considering including politicians, not judges, among his short-list of Supreme Court nominees. We don't need a justice on the Court with an ideological agenda."
More excerpts from Steele's speech, after the jump.
"Whenever they can, wherever they can, the Democrats want to take away the rights of law abiding citizens to own and purchase a gun - a right that is guaranteed under the United States Constitution. ...
"It is ironic, to say the least, that at the same time Democrats in Congress are threatening to deny Americans their second amendment right to own a firearm and defend their families and homes, they are considering bringing terrorists like 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other Al Qaeda detainees to our communities once the President follows through on his campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay. ...
"In April, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano - former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano - approved the release of a report warning that 'rightwing extremists' concerned about government restrictions on the right to own firearms are prime candidates for conducting violent acts of domestic terrorism. Not only is this silly, it is sad. ...
"Now let's pause for a moment...Everything I've just discussed is what the liberal Democrats are able to do with control of two branches of government. Before the end of President Obama's first term it is entirely possible that liberal Democrats could control every lever of every branch of government. ...
"Supreme Court justices hold lifetime appointments. That is why it is imperative that President Obama take his time and search for a nominee with the wisdom and grounding to interpret the laws of our great nation - not one who will have a knee jerk desire to 'empathize' with the concerns of Americans. Sounds like instead of another Judge Roberts, the President is looking to put Doctor Phil on the Court. ...
"There is no doubt that the President is under extreme pressure with this decision. Liberal groups who escorted him down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day are looking for a bit of payback. ... They want a young, activist, left-wing justice who will leave a liberal legacy long after the Obama administration is over. Obama is considering including politicians, not judges, among his short-list of Supreme Court nominees. We don't need a justice on the Court with an ideological agenda."
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
I regard law as a discipline in which you have to have empathy for people you are trying to understand. - Robert Bork.
So much for the empathy card.
May 15, 2009 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good catch!
May 16, 2009 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wish the mainstream media would call Steele on his BS. For example:
Mr. Steele, are you saying that it was wrong to incarcerate Timothy McVeigh on U.S. soil pending his trial? Are you saying that George W. Bush erred by allowing Ted Kaczynski to remain incarcerated on U.S. soil?
Mr. Steele, are you saying that American employees of maximum security prisons on U.S. soil are incapable of keeping America safe by adequately guarding against the escape of their inmates?
May 15, 2009 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
You assume that the media has the depth of knowledge required to ask such questions.
May 15, 2009 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
or the [insert potentially offensive anatomical reference of your choice here] to ask them...
May 15, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
If they can't stand up to incarcerated terrorists, how are they supposed to stand up to - oh, wait...
May 15, 2009 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention the long Republicans history of standing up against prison construction because of the danger to nearby communities. Oh, wait...
May 15, 2009 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I knew that the ReThugs were incompetent but I can't say that I had realized that they had destroyed prison security also.
May 15, 2009 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Republican Sez: "Privatize the prisons. That'll work sweet, just like with that little failed jail's contract worked out with the American Police Force in Hardin, Montana...Oh, wait...."
November 14, 2009 6:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Poor, poor Mr. Steel. He has to gin up some silly complaint about guns to get the attention of media and then all he does is show the media how he is absolutely unable to make the simplest statement with finesse. Poor, poor thing always gets himself in trouble. Still, the Party continues to stand behind him because he was supposed to be Republican's answer to a black President. The strangest thing is that as a Republican I care less for the color equality but would like some equality of leadership and intelligent approach to politics. Mr, Steele is not that person. He looks dull beside Mr. Obama and in fact, his management of the party seems to have been to redecorate his office, to plan his agenda of mistakes to counter the Democratic party's agenda for getting things done. Mr. Steel just needs to go and it has nothing to do with his race. He is just plain ineffective like so many Republicans we have in office now. What a sad day for Republicans.
May 16, 2009 10:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
When this gig is up (any day now), watch for Steele at The Sands in Vegas, doing stand-up for 6-month run.
May 15, 2009 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
...with Glenn Beck, no doubt...
May 15, 2009 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Poll: What should I worry about most?
a) Alleged terrorists locked up in prison with hard core criminals
b) Hundred plus sex offenders living in my county (some may be incarcerated, but still that list is ridiculous)
http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/cgi/internet/nsor/fortecgi?ServiceName=WebNSOR&TemplateName=results.htm&RequestingHandler=WebNSORSearchResultsHandler&LastName=&County=Kings&Zip=&Submit=Search
May 15, 2009 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anybody even listen to Steele?
May 15, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The mostly old fat bald white guys at the Phoenix NRA convention gorge on this sort of hype.
May 15, 2009 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
[Democrats] "are considering bringing terrorists like 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other Al Qaeda detainees to our communities..."
If Steele has the wits of a cabbage, he knows this is false. But saying it at an NRA gathering, of course, makes it true. It's situational veracity. If you want to say it and your listeners want to hear it, go right ahead.
May 15, 2009 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. The line would work at a Palin rally.
May 15, 2009 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please, don't insult cabbage & considering that their weapon of choice is an assault rifle, they should be properly renamed the NARA.
May 16, 2009 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looks like Steele got religion and is delivering the fully-approved message. Is it enough to make the GOP base stop hating him? I doubt it. Will it lead to any broadening of the GOP base? Not a chance.
May 15, 2009 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those SuperMax prisons are notoriously leaky. Every day, another escape.
May 15, 2009 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Steele, I would tell you to kiss my backside but not with those lying lips. You know exactly where you can put your 'fire arm' son, SIUYA. Of course then you'll never see it again. Just tryin' to meet you at your own level, ya know.
May 15, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, having weapons is meant for protection against the government, as well as, enemies. Given the impressive strength of our military, we need to have personal nuclear weapons, genome specific biological weapons and binary chemical weapons. Trust me, I will use them wisely.
May 15, 2009 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I AM DAMN SICK AND TIRED OF THESE IDIOT REPUGS TALKING ABOUT TERRORISM..BUSH AND CO KEPT US SAFE?WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE INNER CITIES?I AM TIRED OF SEEING MOTHERS CRYING BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN MURDERED WITH HIGH POWERED WEAPONS.AND NOT ONLY INNER CITIES..READ THE NEWS.WHY DONT STEELE AND CO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?AINT THAT HOW HE SUPPOSED TO ROLL?
May 15, 2009 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent point.
May 17, 2009 2:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Despite Michael Steele talking smack about "That's how I roll"...he doesn't roll. He a Weeble and he wobbles, but he's not allowed to fall down.
He's stuck standing out there all on his lonesome as the Republican's lone minority fall guy.
Or is that "fail guy", Michael?
As a minority female I look at Steele and think it must sux0rz to be him.
November 14, 2009 5:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah...and the next thing you know, those Dems will have a black man,...uh...er...never mind!
May 15, 2009 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Be very afraid! Is that really all the Republicans have anymore? Geez when are they going to get that they've played the fear card for too long.
May 16, 2009 2:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, to be fair they've also got the tax cut card.
May 16, 2009 5:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm just fine as a Democrat playing Texas Hold'em holding a full hand against the Republican's two-card play.
(Gleefully raking in chips every idiot Republican ante these days....)
November 14, 2009 6:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Republicans have gone from the party of chicken hawks to the party of Chicken Little.
May 17, 2009 2:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
You might be a redneck if........I think Steele (Repug Rich Boy)is trying to arouse and take advantage of our mentally challenged WWF crowd with more "the boogyman gonna get yer momma!" bulls..t. Now mr. steele ,he probably don't do no joggin through his neighborhood at nite because him afraid a patriotic NRA boy might plug his ass.......OH the irony!
May 16, 2009 5:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's the way we roll in Guatanamo.
May 16, 2009 7:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hear Khalid Sheik Mohammed can throw one heck of a block party. I just wish he returned my hedge clippers. Maybe when we have the next community garage sale I'll ask them back.
May 16, 2009 8:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
What Steele meant to say: "We don't need a[nother] justice on the Court with an ideological agenda."
May 16, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Steele constantly reproves that he wasn't put in place for his brains. The black part was a given.
Although he may be too black by double. Black, brown or whatever doesn't bother me, I'm just stating the obvious. It also seems pretty obvious that this dude may not be as sharp as a fourth grader.
Maybe what this says, is that an IQ test would be the proper requirement for the right to bear arms & that we should have empathy for the ignorant.
May 16, 2009 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Michael Steele is the strangest looking uptight white male I've ever seen.
May 17, 2009 12:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know, Michael Steele is so awkwardly stiff he actually makes "Dancin'" Tom DeLay look like the "Godfather of Soul" in comparison.
November 14, 2009 6:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait a sec--
He says we don't need ideology on the Supreme Court...but then he talks about which side "has control" of the third branch of government, meanin g the judicial and in this direct context the SCOTUS. Which sort of begs the question, Michael: if it shouldn't be ideological, then by your logic at worst there are four liberals and five non-ideological judges. Wouldn't 'they' ALREADY control SCOTUS? And relatedly, talking about which party "controls" SCOTUS is essentially buying in to the notion that it can and should be ideologically arranged.
He's much savvier in the moment, to where you understand what he's explicitly saying, so he's better than Palin in that respect--but on the way home, you start scratching your head wondering WTF? Like same sex marriage being bad for business. Putting aside het marriage being even worse under that theory, how about wedding and marriage businesses, Michael? Idiot.
May 17, 2009 2:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
The entire concept of a life-term Supreme Court is that they are supposed to be the check and balance against political gaming tipping the scale of justice in America.
Steele has real problem defending the currently indefensible Republican dogma. He must have worn out at least a half-dozen dog-eared copies of the "Orwellian Newspeak Dictionary" about now.
November 14, 2009 5:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
The really scary part is that there are people out there who actually believe his rhetoric.
The Supreme court is going to revoke the 2nd Amendment, and all the GITMO prisoners are moving to where: Phoenix????
And the GOP wonder why their base is not growing as he continues to talk about these issues without the use of a filter...you know, a brain before they are spoken!
The GOP are just trying to keep on the airwaves irregardless of the logic...well, that part is working.
May 17, 2009 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Poor Mr. Steele: He just doesn't seem to understand that the corner post going up his butt is White Republican. Sadly, the corner post is too small to fill his over-used black butt. We have have suffered Clarence Thomas & Colin Powell & Michael Steele. When will these house n*ggers be put in their place and quit supporting their white slave owners? My spouse of 16 yrs is African-American and I am tired of seeing him cry in the face of these traitorous Uncle Toms advocating for GOP bigots. "Uncle Tom" is not the correct term, "Aunt Mary" is more appropriate. When will Michael Steele & Co cease to be self-hating African-Americans?
August 23, 2009 5:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
It must be surreal being Michael Steel.
"O noes! We Republicans must make sure we have our guns, just in case the minorities get out of line! We Republicans must have our guns...except, of course, me. I shouldn't have a gun because I'd be a minority with a gun, and Republicans know that's just plain scary!"
November 14, 2009 5:40 AM | Reply | Permalink