# Is the end near for Michael Steele? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 3, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388 "2010-07-03T03:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/1 "2010-07-03T03:20:36Z")
Earlier this week he called the Afghanistan War one of “Obama’s choosing…This is not something the United States has actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.” Now some high profile Republicans including Liz Cheney and Bill Kristol are calling for him to step down as RNC chairman. > **[Liz Cheney Joins The Michael Steele Should Resign Chorus](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/liz-cheney-michael-steele-resignation_n_634480)** > > Liz Cheney Joins The Michael Steele Should Resign Chorus So what do you think? Has he finally stepped on too many toes? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/2 "2010-07-03T03:29:35Z")
The problem isn’t him stepping on too many toes. The problem is him _chewing_ on too many toes. His own! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/3 "2010-07-03T03:37:27Z")
Hope not. He’s comedy gold! ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/4 "2010-07-03T04:30:24Z")
We do seem to have slipped into Bizarro-World today, with the GOP chairman opposing the war, and the DNC accusing him of “betting against the troops” and undermining their morale. [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/07/dems\_say\_steele\_is\_betting\_aga.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/07/dems_say_steele_is_betting_aga.html): [QUOTE=DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse] […]he is betting against our troops and rooting for failure in Afghanistan. It’s simply unconscionable that Michael Steele would undermine the morale of our troops when what they need is our support and encouragement. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/5 "2010-07-03T13:10:33Z")
Considering that he is the figurehead leader and mouthpiece of the Republican Party what he says and does starts to make sense. The Republican Party is the “party of personal responsibility” yet takes no responsibility for their bad decisions and failed policies. The Republican Party is the “party of fiscal conservatism” yet they have blown the national debt to levels previously unimaginable and stood by and let the economy go into meltdown. The Republican Party wants less government regulation so they can drive freight trains through loopholes in order to enrich themselves. The Republicans are the party of “truth and honesty” until it comes to rewriting history or skirting the law to save their sorry asses. The Republicans are the “Party of Lincoln” yet can’t remember what happened in the last 10 years. Republicans are the party of do as I say, not as I do. Republicans want to tell everyone else how to live as long as the rules don’t apply to them. They’ve got the answer for your life even if their own is a total mess. Steele is perfect for the Republican Party. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/6 "2010-07-03T14:38:28Z")
Doubt it. We’re too close to the midterm for the GOP to change horses. Most of em probably believe, in private, as Steele does, just like most of em feel BP was victimized by Obama. The newness here, that Steele pissed off a few newcons, isn’t a big enough deal to force his departure. Neocons are hardly the base of the Republican party these days. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/7 "2010-07-04T20:04:41Z")
McCain weighs in [with incomprehensible politicianspeak:](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/04/steele-scrambles-contain-fallout-war-remark-gop-criticism-mounts/) > [@](#): > > “I think those statements are wildly inaccurate, and there’s no excuse for them,” McCain said on ABC’s “This Week.” “The fact is that I think that Mr. Steele is going to have to assess as to whether he can still lead the Republican Party as chairman of the Republican National Committee and make an appropriate decision.” Dude’s a born stand-taker! Now _anything_ could happen and McCain’d be covered. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/8 "2010-07-05T02:42:57Z")
Liz Cheney is a high-level Republican? Since when? What has she ever accomplished in her life? What office has she ever been elected to? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/9 "2010-07-05T03:17:10Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Liz Cheney is a high-level Republican? Since when? What has she ever accomplished in her life? What office has she ever been elected to? She’s the daughter of the most revered and feared man in the Republican party and, as such, is accorded reverence and respect. She doesn’t have to accomplish anything. The party apparatchik may be fearful of Dick Cheney having them disappeared if they piss off his daughter. Who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/10 "2010-07-05T03:37:10Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Doubt it. We’re too close to the midterm for the GOP to change horses. Barring some personal scandal, I’d also guess that Steele is safe until November, afterward if Republicans make significant gains, gone if they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/11 "2010-07-06T17:57:36Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Liz Cheney is a high-level Republican? Since when? What has she ever accomplished in her life? What office has she ever been elected to? As has been shown, a few years as Governor of Texas and she’ll be perfectly fit for the role of President. If that nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/12 "2010-07-06T18:06:22Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > Liz Cheney is a high-level Republican? Since when? What has she ever accomplished in her life? What office has she ever been elected to? James Baker was never elected to any office, but I doubt anyone would argue that _he_ wasn’t a high-level Republican. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/13 "2010-07-06T18:10:13Z")
The Repubs have way too few black faces to dump Steele. He is an embarrassment they will have to live with. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/14 "2010-07-06T18:22:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Hope not. He’s comedy gold! Losing Steele doesn’t necessarily mean losing the comedy gold: [An Idea for the RNC: Dump Steele, Hire Palin](http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZGRmYTI0ZWVhZTA0Y2YyMGE4NGIxZGUyZDhmZThhZDE=) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/15 "2010-07-06T18:50:30Z")
From Steve’s NRO link: > [@](#): > > A Chairman Palin would help set the right tone for the Republican party without having to get herself entangled in the minutiae of policy-development, which has not been her forte. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/16 "2010-07-06T18:57:45Z")
Perfectly normal Rebublican Shit. Nothing new here. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/17 "2010-07-06T19:16:08Z")
To answer your question, joebuck, yes, the SOB should resign. Those remarks were inexcusable. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/18 "2010-07-06T19:35:50Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] The Repubs have way too few black faces to dump Steele. He is an embarrassment they will have to live with. [/QUOTE] Sometimes it’s difficult to get rid of a bad penny. -XT ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/19 "2010-07-06T19:43:47Z")
This situation reminds of the scene in season 4 of “The Wire,” where Carcetti, fresh off winning the mayoral race, tries to get Burrell to resign as police commissioner - the problem being that Carcetti can’t fire him because he’s worried about how it might look for a white mayor to fire the black police commissioner and not being being able to find a suitable black candidate in the department to replace him. Burrell just basically dares Carcetti to fire him and says that’s the only way he’s going to be able to get rid of him. Then he tells Carcetti that he’s taking the rest of the day off to play golf. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388/20 "2010-07-06T19:44:08Z")
> [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](#): > > Those remarks were inexcusable. Not just “inexcusable” but also showing a real disconnect with reality. Plus, it’s not simply a onetime slip up as he’s demonstrated an unflattering pattern of bad decisions and irresponsible comments. Get rid of him and both the Republican _and_ Democratic platforms and parties will be stronger for it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-michael-steele/545388.md?page=2)