Michael Steele

Michael Steele, we're gonna miss you. 

On this afternoon of Steele's flushing, we remember this exchange with Springfield-area radio personality Vincent David Jericho in which he prophesied: "When stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out."

UPDATE: Ann Wagner has dropped out. 

Here are the vote totals for the RNC Chairman's race as they come in... this could take a bit...

• Sixth ballot:  Priebus 80, Anuzis 37, Cino 34, Wagner 17
• Fifth ballot: Priebus 67, Cino 40, Anuzis 32, Wagner 28, 1 write-in
• Fourth ballot: Priebus 58, Cino 29, Wagner 28, Steele 28, Anuzis 24
• Third ballot: Priebus 54, Steele 33, Wagner 32, Cino 28, Anuzis 21
• Second ballot: Priebus 52, Steele 37, Cino 30, Wagner 27, Anuzis 22
  
• First ballot: Priebus 45, Steele 44, Cino 32, Anuzis 24, Wagner 23

Watch it here.

From the AP: "Former ambassador Ann Wagner, of Missouri, has set up a fundraising committee for a possible campaign to head the Republican National Committee...Republican consultant John Hancock, who organized Wagner's fundraising committee, said Friday that she is very seriously considering a bid for RNC chairwoman."

Politico's Dave Catanese: "Former U.S. ambassador and Missouri GOP chair Ann Wagner is preparing to announce within days her candidacy to head the Republican National Committee, according to several Missouri Republicans familiar with her plans."

The correct answer is, "No."  But Michael Steele somehow can't muster the strength to say that Republicans aren't interested in reducing the minimum wage.  Given Steele's nack for telling whoever he happens to be talking to whatever they want to hear, his self-restraint on this issue is notable. 

I see that RNC Chair Michael Steele is in Kansas City today, asking voters to "hire Roy Blunt."  This is not an entirely unexpected position from the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, but it is quite different from Steele's previous position regarding Mr. Blunt and the need for reform in Washington.

"When stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out."

This just in: Michael Steele is a "disaster."

Talking Points Memo has an amusing new Top 10 list of Michael Steele gaffes that you should definitely check out.  The most recent flub, of course, was Steele's speech to a Connecticut fundraiser in which he said that the U.S. had not been prosecuting a war in Afghanistan before Barry Soetoro usurped the presidency.

Coming in at #8 on the TPM list are Steele's comments with Vincent David Jericho about Roy Blunt, first reported here last August.  After a long screed from Jericho about Blunt's straying from conservative principles, Steele said "Look, now don’t, don’t – I mean, I agree with you. And when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out."

Peter Kinder's call for the resignation of his "friend" Michael Steele follows yet another round of controversial statements made by the Chairman, this time to a Connecticut fundraiser last night. The Hotline summarizes:

RNC chair Michael Steele suggested history stands against the U.S. in the war in Afghanistan, a gaffe caught on camera during a fundraiser last night in CT.

"This was a war of Obama's choosing," Steele says in remarks captured on what appears to be a hidden camera. Steele blasted Obama for "demonizing Iraq while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan."

"If he's such a student of history has he not understood that, you know, that's the one thing you don't do is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? Because everyone who's tried, over a thousand years of history has failed," Steele says.

Steele's spokesman walked back the comments, slamming Obama for criticizing George W. Bush and blaming Congress for playing politics.

The Beacon: "Two prominent area Republicans -- businessman Sam Fox and lawyer Jack Oliver -- have co-signed a letter that implores major GOP donors to focus primarily on helping the party's candidates for the U.S. Senate...The letter's unsaid implication is that the 10 co-signers -- all major Republican donors or activists nationally -- have more faith in the RSCC than in the Republican National Committee, headed by beleaguered chairman Michael Steele."

As Steele knows well, "when stuff gets in the crapper, you gotta clean it out."

These guys deserve each other. Watch all the way to the end if you can -- it's worth it.

It is my opinion that Michael Steele's honesty -- not his poor strategery or management skills -- will be his downfall.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele told a group of students that African-Americans “don’t have a reason” to vote for Republicans.

Steele was asked Tuesday night during a speech to roughly 200 students at DePaul University why African-Americans should vote for GOP candidates.

UPDATE: Greg Sargent notes that Steele also stated that the GOP has had "Southern Strategy" for "the last 40-plus years."

“For the last 40-plus years we had a ‘Southern Strategy’ that alienated many minority voters by focusing on the white male vote in the South. Well, guess what happened in 1992, folks, ‘Bubba’ went back home to the Democratic Party and voted for Bill Clinton.”

The Beacon:

Prominent Republican donor Sam Fox, founder of Clayton-based Harbour Group and former ambassador to Belgium, is generating a lot of internet buzz over a report that he has lost faith in national GOP chairman Michael Steele.

The report was published today in Politico , the national web-based political news site. It cites sources who say that Fox has resigned from an unpaid post as co-chair of the Republican Regents — the RNC's top fundraising board.

UPDATE: Jason Rosenbaum correctly points out that the RNC document does not list any open seats currently held by Republicans. I feel silly.

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The same Republican National Committee presentation that outlines a fundraising plan to capitalize on fear and the promise to save America from Barack Obama's alleged socialism makes no mention of the U.S. Senate race in Missouri in its list of key targets.  Check out slide 21 of the RNC Finance Leadership Meeting presentation:

Perhaps the RNC is simply following through on Michael Steele's promise to flush bad candidates down "the crapper."

Politico's Ben Smith:

The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on "fear" of President Barack Obama and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism."

The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how “ego-driven” wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and "tchochkes."

The fringe and the mainstream have become one.

Check out the full presentation here.

The Chairman of the Republican Party totally understands what it's like to struggle through a rough economy.  Regarding President Obama’s long-stated plan to let income tax rates return to higher levels for families making more than $250,000 a year, Steele said: 

"Trust me, after taxes, a million dollars is not a lot of money." 

I don't know 'bout you, but banking a million dollars in one year seems like a lot of money to me.

Looking to reconnect with the common man, Michael Steele and the Republican National Committee are gathering at a beachfront resort in Waikiki today for their winter meeting.

Michael Steele is no doubt looking to Roy Blunt for guidance on how to entertain corporate donors on the beach, while still asking for votes from the folks who couldn't afford to set foot on their resorts.  Blunt, of course, has a long history of meeting with moneyed supporters under the cabana.

US News & World Report's Washington Whispers blog:

"He's become our Howard Dean," says a top Republican leadership aide. Steele's latest remarks that the party won't take control of the House in the November midterm elections—a prediction he later backed away from—have revived talk of replacing him. But senior party officials say they plan something worse: just ignoring Steele. "It's going to be out of sight, out of mind," says one aide. And firing him won't work. "That would just expedite the talk show where he bashes us all the time," he says.

So said the St. Louis Tea Party leader and 97.1 FM radio host Dana Loesch after the RNC Chairman cancelled a scheduled interview with her.

You can watch video of a "fake interview" Loesch conducted with Steele after the cancellation (she plays both herself and Steele) -- it's actually pretty funny. 

h/t St. Louis Pushes Back