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Steele to GOP-ers Who Support Health Care, Stimulus: 'We'll Come After You'
Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2009, 2:41PM
RNC Chairman Michael Steele
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Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele told ABCNews.com today that he'll "come after" Republicans who support the stimulus or health care reform. He also said "we want to partner as much as possible" with tea partiers.
Steele was asked if it would be OK to have 2010 candidates who've supported the stimulus or health care reform.
"That's where the line gets a little bit tricky ... Candidates who live in moderate to slightly liberal districts have got to walk a little bit carefully here, because you do not want to put yourself in a position where you're crossing that line on conservative principles, fiscal principles," Steele said.
"Because we'll come after you. You're gonna find yourself in a very tough hole if you're arguing for the president's stimulus plan or Nancy Pelosi's health plan. There's no justification for growing the size of government the way this administration and this Congress wants to do it," he continued.
Watch the video here.
He also hinted that the RNC will move further right and try to capture the support of tea partiers.
"We still are and remain the conservative party," he said.
"The challenge now, as you see the emergence of the 9/12 movement and the tea parties and so forth, [is to] help them appreciate that we're with them, we're walking that walk with them," he said. "We're making the same arguments they're making about government intrusion into health care and the economy, stripping our freedoms, and that is a very difficult walk.
"We want to partner as much as possible," Steele said.
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Shrubbit
November 5, 2009 3:35 PM
How can you report on this story without including THIS:
"We're with them, were walking this walk with them," Steele said of the "tea partyers."
"I don't need you to identify as a Republican. I need you to identify as a conservative. We are the conservative party."
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mans_best_friend
November 5, 2009 3:58 PM in reply to Shrubbit
They're not the conservative party and never were. They're the Limbaugh party.
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Shrubbit
November 5, 2009 4:16 PM in reply to mans_best_friend
Agreed. I think it is borderline silly at this point to call them Republicans (unless it is done in jest or to stick it to them). But that brand is truly, imho, dead.
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Icon
November 5, 2009 3:42 PM
"Because we'll come after you. You're gonna find yourself in a very tough hole if you're arguing for the president's stimulus plan or Nancy Pelosi's health plan."
And that, Mr. Steele, is why your party will not gain control of either chamber of Congress in 2010. If you push your moderates out of the party, you concede the middle to the Democrats, who will eagerly pick up all of the seats from the districts which are not already dominated by the far right.
I'm sure, Mr. Steele, that you are aware that your party is in a tunnel right now, trying to find its way out. You believe you see the light; embracing strictly conservative values and denying any moderate or liberal voices a place in your party. The problem is that's extremely bad political strategy; the light you believe you see is a train. If the Republican party makes its core base the fringe, only the fringe will vote for it.
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mJJ
November 5, 2009 8:27 PM in reply to Icon
Steele's comment sounds like he is some thug threatening anyone who does not toe his line. Frankly Mr. Steele, as a Republican I still believe in the concept that every person is responsible to God for their behavior so threaten away. But I still intend to vote for the person who is planning to do the best for our country and frankly, Mr. Steele, it has been ages since I felt like that person would be part of this silly anti Obama whiner group of Republicans. In all my years as a Republican, I am now the most discouraged with the way our party is running. On rare occasions I did not agree with Mr. Reagan but I could count on him to uphold freedom in our country and to lead with integrity. Frankly the absence of integrity in Republicans for nearly a decade is what worries me so much now. I struggle to know exactly what to do. I often feel like just re-registering but I hate to turn the party over to hate mongers like you, Mr. Steele. I do credit you that you do not let party hacks such as Limbaugh and Hannity control our Party's agenda. But please, examine yourself and put forth a fair and balanced program and not just a cute little jingo like the TV Republicans blat about.
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Homefries
November 5, 2009 9:28 PM in reply to Icon
Never underestimate your opponent, especially the impassioned ones. Roughly one third of our society buys into this rhetoric without question. They might be loco, but that doesn't mean they can't be effective when it's time to bring out the votes.
Back when Reagan first announced he was running for President, nobody on the liberal side took him seriously. The GOP moderates thought he was a joke--they figured they'd harness the enthusiasm of the wingers of the day and that was that. Except it wasn't. And the Republicans--hand in hand with the wingers--went on to dominate our politics for the next 25 years. Heck, they talk about Reagan like he was some kind of Saint.
Progressives need to go back to their 50 state strategy. Go back to focusing on recruiting credible candidates at local levels and up to rebuild the Democrat Party. This fight is long from over. We start getting overconfident now and we're going to get spanked. This country really, really, doesn't need another period of Republican/winger domination right now.
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revjmike
November 6, 2009 2:21 AM in reply to Icon
And Mr. Steele, hopefully, realizes that these so-called tea baggers will have no room for the likes of him in their racist, xenophobic, hateful group.
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docrocktex
November 5, 2009 3:47 PM
you do that mr. chairman. you GOPers never learn do you?
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Corpiscator
November 5, 2009 4:29 PM
Wow, just wow...
Ok, so they win the Gov prize in two states. Now they think hey, all right this means we need to embrace the nutwing base even tighter. Seriously, its like Kanye is running their political strategy.
I guess he took nothing from NY 23rd defeat. Please Mr. Chairman continue this strategy. The GOP reminds me of an anchored ship in ever worsening turbulent waters. Eventually it capsizes.
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Corpiscator
November 5, 2009 4:35 PM
Does anyone recall what the tab was GW's 8 year frat party?
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brianm0122
November 5, 2009 4:52 PM in reply to Corpiscator
Or Saint Ronnie's before that?
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traitorjoe
November 5, 2009 4:38 PM
STEELE: How dare you try to help the People, we'll come after you!
TEA BAGGER: Yeah! How dare you try to help us!
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ClosetLuddite
November 5, 2009 4:48 PM
Yeah walk that plank with them... Good plan...
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brianm0122
November 5, 2009 4:53 PM
>"We still are and remain the conservative party,"
The Republican party hasn't been conservative since Goldwater lost.
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Matt Jones
November 5, 2009 4:55 PM
Walk with teabaggers - don't be shocked when you wake up one morning and find their nuts dangling on your forehead. For Mr. Steele, that morning may not be until November 2010. :)
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acf_ma
November 5, 2009 5:07 PM
If Steele really speaks for this gang and the ones in Congress that are the nominal leaders of the minority party, what more has to be said about what the party actually is today? They make the Gingrich class of Congress look like raging left wingers.
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Jackster
November 5, 2009 5:52 PM
Boehner: "We want moderates"
Two faced bastard.
Moderates don't want to be with you.
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Jackster
November 5, 2009 5:56 PM
Man, It;s got to be real disappointing for those TP's that there day was over shadowed by the horror of a mass slaying at a military base. I'm sure they'll find a way to blame Pelosi for that.
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Kuyleh
November 5, 2009 6:53 PM in reply to Jackster
I was stationed there til May, and can't currently contact two of my friends. I'm using this to get it off my mind. And you're a sick Fuck for using the death of people who fight for your freedom as an insult.
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mikedrevguy
November 5, 2009 6:04 PM
Maybe not how we'd have envisioned it, but could we be on our way to a 3 party system?
Wingnut/Tea Partiers
Republican
Democrat
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midnight rambler
November 5, 2009 10:34 PM in reply to mikedrevguy
I think it'd be more like:
rump Republican Party (wingnuts + Teabaggers)
Blue Dogs + business Republicans
Progressives
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dustbunny44
November 5, 2009 6:34 PM
Can't we get someone with a D by their name to tell Traitor Joe that "we'll come after you" for messing this up?
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bluesplashy
November 5, 2009 6:43 PM
So much for fried chicken under the big tent!
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Kuyleh
November 5, 2009 6:51 PM
Republicans are bad for arguing for bigger government...Is there a meaner, more serious word than hypocrite?
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Winston Smith
November 5, 2009 8:05 PM
Does the head of the DNC (who is nowadays? Dean?) make public appearances?
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Icon
November 6, 2009 9:26 AM in reply to Winston Smith
Tim Kaine, and sometimes. Dean is more visible, though.
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