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GOP Hill Aides Sound Off On Steele: 'You Really Need To Have Him Be Quiet'
RNC Chairman Michael Steele
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Republican aides in the House and Senate have had enough of RNC chair Michael Steele's big mouth, according to a new report from inside a closed GOP conference call. Aides on the Hill are upset with Steele's repeated controversial interviews in the press and his recent comments that Republicans may not be "ready to lead."
Reid Wilson gets the scoop on a tense daily press call with RNC staff, reporting that one angry aide called Steele a "fool" and another told RNC press staff, "you really need to have him be quiet." The aides told RNC staff Steele was "ruining what should be several days of glowing press for the GOP" after a string of high-profile Democratic retirements.
The RNC staff response, from Wilson's report on the call:
A senior RNC press aide admitted the shop had no control over Steele's interviews as he embarks on a book tour to sell his blueprint for a GOP comeback. Steele has hired a public relations firm, the RNC aide said, and the press shop has no control over when interviews are scheduled.
Steele's interest in the media spotlight has caused him trouble within the RNC, too. Party communications director Trevor Francis resigned the RNC in November, reportedly due to strife with Steele over the chairman's freelance media schedule.
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chimpale
January 7, 2010 4:33 PM
Oh dear, how I hate to see them bicker.
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CVille Dem
January 7, 2010 7:14 PM in reply to chimpale
And I would hate even more, to see Steele leave! He is such a valuable asset.
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texscubarat
January 7, 2010 5:00 PM
Bombs away!!! I love when they fight like little children. And they want to get back in power and run the country.
If in power, they would run the country...further into the ground than Bush Jr did...
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OxamzRazor
January 7, 2010 5:27 PM
Fire him! Fire him! Let the cannibalism begin!
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Sambam
January 7, 2010 5:35 PM
Don't fire him! I live for news about Palin and Steele. What would the daily news cycle be like without these two clowns to liven things up?
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Proud of my Bleeding Heart
January 7, 2010 5:36 PM
I just want them to get along, Honest Engine!
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Friction
January 7, 2010 5:42 PM
Steele has made the mistake of at least coming close to the truth once in awhile in his statements. "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth" seems to be the quote of the party
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runfastandwin
January 7, 2010 6:15 PM
Fear not, Steele is elected, so he can't be fired. The RNC would have to meet and vote him out, then vote someone else in. It would be a HUGE PR disaster, so it's probably not going to happen.
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runfastandwin
January 7, 2010 6:17 PM
But on the other hand they might make the calculation that even with that he is hurting them so bad they have no choice. Unlikely but possible.
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Signalman
January 8, 2010 9:26 AM in reply to runfastandwin
They didn't make that choice in 2004, but who knows what might happen today?
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runfastandwin
January 7, 2010 6:18 PM
Even better, if they do decide to meet, Steele managed to get elected last time so it's entirely possible they would not have the votes to get him out. So they might go through the whole process and end up right back where they started. Now THAT I would love to see.
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Marinus van der Lubbe
January 7, 2010 7:41 PM in reply to runfastandwin
Make up your mind!
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phalamir
January 7, 2010 7:52 PM in reply to Marinus van der Lubbe
It's the Republicans. They would meet, drag him behind a truck for a couple miles, lynch him, set fire to the body, and then rape his wife and children under the glow. It's in their genes
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mageduley
January 7, 2010 9:17 PM in reply to phalamir
Wait...you forgot the corrupt US Atty (there are bound to be many of them still there at DOJ) who will frame some poor guy who is drug addict as Steele's lover and supplier. The RNC will insist it was he who killed him in a drug/lovers quarrel then made look like a hate crime.
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Hussein Stemper
January 7, 2010 7:00 PM
The RNC made a cold political calculation that making a black man head of the org right after another black man was elected president would endear them to black voters. Given the level of barely disguised racism underlying much of the Tea Party rhetoric, I wonder how that decision is working out for them.
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CVille Dem
January 7, 2010 9:14 PM in reply to Hussein Stemper
I kinda think it was a tactical fubar.
Seriously, Steele and Blaojavic should start their own company:
"In Your Face, and In Disgrace" ...A company for assholes who love power..
Their Motto: Somehow we'll figure out a way to get rich doing crap like we do. Suckers are everywhere!
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Leftflank
January 8, 2010 12:29 AM
If he was quiet they'd complain about that too. The GOP & basically all the right are just in it for the argument. They have no real agenda, usefull at least. Take away all the bitching & complaining & they've got nadda, zilch, zero. Steele's using them right back.
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GTFOOH
January 8, 2010 12:35 AM
Questioning Steele's birth certificate, in 5, 4, 3,....
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hychka
January 8, 2010 7:57 AM
I agree with Leftflank...You'd think that the GOP elected folks and the NRC could be "bi-partisan" enough to keep it under the tent. Maybe these folks just can't get along with anyone.
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Silence
January 8, 2010 8:57 AM
Excellent piece. Nailed it.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704130904574644701673362182.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLETopOpinion
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Signalman
January 8, 2010 9:28 AM in reply to Silence
Not in the least.
You clearly haven't figured out that the liberals who don't like the health care bill don't like it because they don't think it goes far enough.
Their opposition to the bill is nothing at all like the opposition of you and your obstructionist cohort. Idiot.
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Silence
January 8, 2010 9:49 AM in reply to Signalman
I couldn't care less what liberals want.
I care about what America needs.
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Signalman
January 8, 2010 10:31 AM in reply to Silence
(laughing, pointing) :D
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Signalman
January 8, 2010 10:30 AM
"I couldn't care less what liberals want."
Right. Which is why conservatives like you are repeatedly making the false assertion that some parts of the left wing are actually siding with the GOP in opposition to health care reform.
They *aren't.*
They're opposed to it because they don't think it goes *far enough,* which is a very, very different position than the GOP is painting. But since the GOP is no more honest and trustworthy than you are, lies and misrepresentation from the right wing are the order of the day.
In other words, if y'all don't care what liberals want, then stop falsely painting them as being in agreement with you.
"I care about what America needs."
You have neither the standing nor the authority to make any pronouncements about what America needs. You are free, however, to express your opinion, regardless of how uninformed, ignorant and benighted it usually is.
You're welcome.
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Silence
January 8, 2010 5:49 PM
Many black slaves were afraid to leave their plantations and claim their freedom. They had been enslaved for so long, they feared not being able to feed and care for themselves.
Don't worry, little cotton picker. We'll show you the way.
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CVille Dem
January 8, 2010 8:28 PM in reply to Silence
Your ignorance is beyond measure. I personally would love to see you dopes have to survive on your own. You put slaves down because "They had been enslaved for so long, they feared not being able to feed and care for themselves."
Your point is this? In America, we had captured and enslaved people for so long that they had no way out, because where would they go? So they were afraid, and therefore not worthy?
I would love to see you try to survive; you are just one more chicken-hawk in every way. You couldn't take care of yourself if you had diapers and pablum delivered every day. You are pathetic, and it shows in every childish post.
Have you ever even earned a living? I doubt it.
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Silence
January 9, 2010 9:02 AM in reply to CVille Dem
To this day, many remain enslaved through the welfare system, lots of white folks too.
There's a pretty good chance we'll all become survivalists, very soon. lol
My tactical bag is packed. How about yours?
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