What's the story with Michael Steele? How could he have been the chair..

[LAS14]

... of the RNC from 2009 to 2011???? He seems smart, moral, black (doesn't just "seem", of course, he IS). What was going on with the GOP at that time?

He's a talking head on MSNBC.

tia
las

[LakeArenal]

1. Tea Party took over the party.

[hauckeye]

2. He became a never Trumper for sure

[hlthe2b]

3. Before that he was Maryland's Lt Governor. He's smart and old school R (or was)

[drray23]

4. He is also the former lt-governor of maryland.nt.

[tblue37]

5. He is an *actual* conservative. BTW: Interesting detail--he is Robin Givens' half brother.

[dixiechiken1]

9. Really?!? I didn't know that!

Interesting little bit of trivia there. 😊

[Tanuki]

16. No, although he is a former brother-in-law of Mike Tyson, it was through

Tyson's marriage to pediatrician Dr. Monica Turner, Steele's half-sister.

[tblue37]

18. You're right. I was confused by the Mike Tyson connection. I didn't realize he'd been

married before Givens.

[madaboutharry]

6. He didn't last long.

He was too normal and was pushed out. As I recall, he was treated very poorly.

[C_U_L8R]

7. That GOP is long gone. They're infested with crazies, racists and criminals now.

[melman]

13. When weren't they?

Certainly not in Michael Steele's time!

[C_U_L8R]

20. Apparently, they're mating, multiplying and mutating.

One cancer on top of another.

[melman]

21. Okay

But guys like Steele are trying to sell the idea the GOP just got terrible recently. It's not true.

[C_U_L8R]

23. Yes. They've always been shitheels. Just shittier now

[jcgoldie]

8. He says hes still a proud republican...

Obviously he hates trump but hes also said hes for higher minimum wage, universal health care, progressive taxation, believes in systematic racism and climate change... so dont ask me what he thinks he has in common with any republican.

[Bigredhunk]

12. -

This

[tblue37]

19. Fiscal conservatism.

[Mike 03]

10. Michael Steele is someone I take fairly serioiusly.

He's been saying for months this election would be far, far closer than the polls showed. He's a devout believer in the "Hidden Trump Voter."

At first I didn't want to believe him, but he turned out to be right.

[mcar]

11. The Republican party was a bit more sane then

But, IIRC, he got fired after just one cycle where Rs lost. Note that Ronna Romney is still RNC chair even after 2018.

[scarletlib]

14. A little history.

The year Obama won, he had a Democratic House. Michael Steel became Chair of the Republicans same year Obama won. He actually got the House back for his party at next election.

During this time period the “autopsy “ completed by the Reps. Was released stating party had to change, reach out to minorities.

The Tea Party rose up.

The Republicans fired Steel after his good work for them and put in Rience Priebus.

steel has remained a Republican but never adapted the extremes of current Republicans.

[brush]

15. He was the republican counter balance to Pres. Obama...

a nice, moderate, unthreatening in their minds, black man. But of course the repug party's answer to Obama was the racist, teabagger movement.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. And he acknowledged the Southern Strategy which is a no no

[Solomon]

17. He was an asshole who is using this ocassion

to rehabilitate himself much like some other republican assholes. They are legion now. Nicole Wallace, Steve Schmidt, Joe Scarborough, etc. etc. etc.

I'll give them credit for seeing the light, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't continue to be assholes were it not for Trump.