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Subscribe to RSSEmbattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele will participate in the Jan. 3rd debate for RNC chair, the Web site The Daily Caller reports. (The Daily Caller is co-sponsoring the debate with fiscal conservative Grover Norquist's group Americans for Tax Reform and the anti-abortion-rights group Susan B. Anthony List.)
VIDEO: NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports on the RNC Chair race and that Chairman Steele will participate:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Steele suprised the political world when he announced he would seek reelection. And he lost a key backer yesterday, when California committeeman Shawn Steel defected.
Steele is also facing an Anybody but Steele campaign. Committee members are pushing a "No Deal with Steele Pledge," hoping to force the other candidates not to cut a deal with Steele that could keep him in the job.
Few believe Steele will be able to corral the 85 votes of the 168 committee members to win reelection.
Five others are running for the post, including Wisconsin GOP chair and former RNC general counsel Reince Priebus, a former staunch Steele ally; Saul Anuzis, a Michigan committeeman; former RNC political director Gentry Collins, who penned a damning letter which many think severely damaged Steele's chances at reelection; Maria Cino, a former Bush administration official; and Ann Wagner, a former Missouri party chairwoman.
Steele's participation means the forum at the National Press Club will be quite the spectacle, exactly what party committee members hoped to avoid.
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Let's hope Mikey is well stocked up on shoe polish flavored lip gloss... lol
Judging from his past performances he suffers from a serious case of foot & mouth disease!
Dat's right, dat's right, I'm sad and blue, cuz I can't do da boogaloo!
Gimme dat ding, bruh Mikey! Yo favorite Pipkin, Michelle Bachmann say you da man!
So with the defection of Steel, will Steele's spiel still steal the deal?
And after Steele's spiel, will the GOP heal or reel?
Only time will reveal.
(Okay, I'm going back to work now.....)
I realize it is news. I get that.
But with that said, why is it news that the existing RNC Chair, who is seeking reelection, would participate in the debate against those who are challenging him for the position? I mean really. Frankly, shouldn't participation be mandatory?
If it becomes a circus because of Steele's presense, shouldn't that be enough of a issue for their voting members to chose another leader...or are they just fearing having a debate otherwise seem like a schoolyard fight?
So Allen,
If someone choses to run against Obama in the primaries in 2012, then he shouldn't be involved in the primary debates?
Steele should have to stand up and defend his record, as anyone should in a debate, or their point of view.
Uhhhhh BigBear62,
I'm not certain what you initially took away from my comment, but I didn't say anything different from yourself. Perhaps you take a 2nd glance.
It was newsworthy that he will be at the debate, because it hadn't been confirmed yet if would be participating. Some thought he would participate in just the closed debate of committee members. They're the only ones who vote, so the general public doesn't matter as much. In most elections, the press plays a larger role as a medium between the candidate and voters.
Given the SC judgement allowing others to influence elections (Chamber of Commerce, Cheney's group) does the RNC Chair position really matter anymore ? Further, due to Steele's devaluing the position with his inept handling of the job, does anyone who does matter really want to run for the Chairmanship ?
Oh, this "debate" should be a real hoot. "I am the most conservative!" "No, I am!" "No, I am!" Sheesh....
This is newsworthy in the respect that it is further evidence of the crumbling of the Republican Party. The entire party is in disarray, and I look forward to seeing them self-destruct before the 2012 elections. The Republican primary will be high humor, as will this debate. The Republicans are owned by the same folks the Tea Party is so mad at. Their loyalties do not belong with the American people who sent their incoming freshmen to Congress. I suspect Boehnor and McConnell will have more problems with the zealots in their own party than they will with Obama. And I can hardly wait to see Gingrich and Palin in a debate together!