What Will Change?

Posted on 01/30/2009 at 5:14 pm by JumpyPants

The election of Michael Steele as chairman of the RNC is certainly a step in the right direction for the GOP, but what will it really change about the Republican Party?

They’re still the party of racial fear-mongering and divisiveness. They’re still the party of “Magic Negro” song parodies and “Harold! Call me!” ads.

They’re still the party that mocked “community organizing” and used it as code for “he’s black” — at the Republican Convention no less, just five months ago. If Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice were unable to mask the GOP’s use of these kinds of racist tactics, I seriously doubt Michael Steele will either.

At the end of the day, Rush Limbaugh, not Michael Steele, is the true leader of the Republican Party. Rush Limbaugh: the drug addict who invented the “it’s totally about race” excuse when it came to Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama; when it came to Donovan McNabb’s success in the NFL; and when it came to current support for the president.

Adding… I absolutely agree with BooMan’s assessment of Steele himself:

I wouldn’t underestimate Steele’s abilities. He is an excellent communicator and he comes off as eminently reasonable. At the same time, he isn’t known for having any original ideas.

While it’s mistakenly credited to Sarah Palin, it was Steele who coined: “Drill, baby, Drill.” Even though it’s a ridiculous concept, no-one can argue with its efficacy as a campaign slogan.

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  • JMY

    I bet my life on it, Rush will applaud this decision and you will hear none of that talk about the GOP doing it because he is black like he did with Colin. Mark my words.

  • Ajabu
  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis D

    I am SHOCKED that Booman found something positive to say about Steele.

  • Packy

    Travis – His mom told Booman that if he couldn’t say something nice, then he shouldn’t say anything at all.Sort of the “Gee, you don’t sweat much for a fat guy” approach.

  • kansasdem

    One. Sentence.This was all about race!

  • http://www.bobcesca.com Bob Cesca

    @Travis:Yeah, this was totally complimentary:”he isn’t known for having any original ideas.”

  • kansasdem

    “While it’s mistakenly credited to Sarah Palin, it was Steele who coined: “Drill, baby, Drill.” Even though it’s a ridiculous concept, no-one can argue with its efficacy as a campaign slogan.”Although drillers in this area are laying off workers because it’s not financially feasible to drill at todays oil prices!Same old .. same old!

  • http://www.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    Marc Ambinder gets it: http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/republicans_cheer_for_chairman.php

    Did Republicans choose Steele as a token? Some RNC members will think so, as will many skeptical Democrats. But Steele won this thing by himself. The RNC is a fractious, uncooperative bunch. And Steele patiently politicked his way through six ballots. Just a few hours ago, my correspondent Will DiNovi saw Steele and Ohio’s Kenneth Blackwell face to face in the hall. “I know we’ve disagreed on a lot of things,” Steele was telling him. Blackwell waited a little — then he endorsed Steele.Steele’s election won’t help the party attrack black voters immediately, but if Steele sets the right tone, he could help the party compete for them in the (way) future. As GOP strategists have always known, and noted, somewhat dyspeptically, it’s white suburban voters, particularly women, who are responsive to a diversity message. The RNC isn’t diverse yet; only five black delegates were chosen to attend the national convention. Steele was disgusted by that. It prompted him to run.

    QT

  • gypsysoul

    it’s not a shocker republicans couldn’t agree on voting for a black guy since they are a…>>>The RNC is a fractious, uncooperative bunchyet…“Stimulus Bill Passes With 0 Republican Votes”

  • http://www.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    Stimulus passes with 0 republican votes – neatly explained by Nate Silver – everything but the zero – which looks like a calculated effort to claim some sort of conservative high ground.QT

  • MCHLTerp

    Being from Maryland, I can tell you the Steele is the biggest token of all tokens. Republicans in MD always brought him out whenever they wanted try to show minorities and democrats in MD that they were just us racially progressive as the dem candidate.

  • MCHLTerp

    Also adding if Obama hadn’t won and wasn’t so popular Steele likely wouldn’t made it passed the first round of voting.

  • eve

    They are so racist and stupid they think Obama was elected because he is black rather than because he ran a brilliant campaign. They saw the world thrilled that a man who inspires hope and optimism won and they noticed that sane people are so very happy that a race barrier was toppled and in their ignorance the gopers concluded Obama won because he is black.

  • origins

    eve, Obama is 50% black, 50% white.You could call him white and you ‘d be asaccurate as calling him black.Everyone pretty much knows this.Steele appears 100% though.

  • eve

    origins, you prove my point about racists

  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis D

    Marc Ambinder gets it

    this is almost never true

  • http://www.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    LOL! I know, Travis. Ambinder is too centrist for your tastes. :) (((((((Travis))))))eve: Let’s agree then that there are more than one definition of “token.” JC Watts was also trotted out all the time as proof of the existence of black republicans. I used to feel sorry for him and was not surprised when he stepped out of public life. But that “tokenism” doesn’t negate Steele’s own accomplishment – it just shows up Republican racism. (Ftr: I’m not saying all republicans are racist. Just that those instances demonstrate racism.)QT

  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis D

    Centrist (n): see also coward, fencesitter

  • eve

    Queen, I have not referred to anything about Steele being a token. This was not tokenism.

  • http://www.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    Gah! I apologize, eve. Sometimes on a handheld its hard to keep track of who said what. :( My comments were intended for MCHLTerp.QT