The "Iniquity" of Michael Steele
This piece by Howard Kurtz discusses the unveiling of Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele as the source of some very critical remarks about Republicans and the Bush Administration.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm always uncomfortable with this sort of behind-the-back distancing, but sometimes it's necessary. If ever a candidate would need to do it, it's a black Republican running in a blue state. Anyone who thinks that Steele didn't "intend" to be "caught" is crazy. There are a million other ways to convince reporters that one is what they'd consider a "reasonable" Republican without getting caught (for one thing, speaking with each of them privately would be a start).
Instead, Steele gets what he wants: A discussion of his "true" views about the Administration (which can only help him in Maryland), without looking as though he was willing to flip the bird to his party in the plain light of day (which would have alienated all 100 Republicans currently living in Maryland).
What's particularly noteworthy is Kurtz's comparison:
The only other public figure who looked as bad yesterday was former Democratic congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar. Now head of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, she refused at least five times to say on the "O'Reilly Factor" whether she thinks Hezbollah is a terrorist group.
Come on. Does Howard Kurtz really intend to say that refusing to acknowledge that a terrorist group is a terrorist group -- and an enemy of America -- is on par with a Senate candidate engaging in what's become a relatively routine political ploy of "distancing" oneself from a controversial figure or party? Surely Al Gore, Tim Kaine and John Kerry -- all of whom have "distanced" themselves from someone or something in the recent past -- would disagree.
Don't get me wrong -- I'm always uncomfortable with this sort of behind-the-back distancing, but sometimes it's necessary. If ever a candidate would need to do it, it's a black Republican running in a blue state. Anyone who thinks that Steele didn't "intend" to be "caught" is crazy. There are a million other ways to convince reporters that one is what they'd consider a "reasonable" Republican without getting caught (for one thing, speaking with each of them privately would be a start).
Instead, Steele gets what he wants: A discussion of his "true" views about the Administration (which can only help him in Maryland), without looking as though he was willing to flip the bird to his party in the plain light of day (which would have alienated all 100 Republicans currently living in Maryland).
What's particularly noteworthy is Kurtz's comparison:
The only other public figure who looked as bad yesterday was former Democratic congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar. Now head of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, she refused at least five times to say on the "O'Reilly Factor" whether she thinks Hezbollah is a terrorist group.
Come on. Does Howard Kurtz really intend to say that refusing to acknowledge that a terrorist group is a terrorist group -- and an enemy of America -- is on par with a Senate candidate engaging in what's become a relatively routine political ploy of "distancing" oneself from a controversial figure or party? Surely Al Gore, Tim Kaine and John Kerry -- all of whom have "distanced" themselves from someone or something in the recent past -- would disagree.
posted by LadybugUSA at 9:29 AM
6 Comments:
Oh my gosh...that woman is a _congresswoman_??
I saw the interview - thought she was "just" the head of the group sueing the government for not doing enough to safeguard people who had gone to Lebanon inspite of multiple warnings from the State department (no, neither O'Reilly nor she made any mention of this), and is of the opinion that the US Government should be flying helicopters into a war zone to fly people out to safety. And she's a _congresswoman_??? holy moses.
Apparently you and Jill care enough to print some off-topic crap in a post about it...
Oh my gosh...that woman is a _congresswoman_??
No, not anymore, but I don't think her Arabist views would disqualify her in a Democrat primary.
Our troops are dying in vain, just like in Vietnam.
"C'mon folks! We've got a war to lose! Now whose with me?"
Great election year slogan, that. Good luck with it.
Charles Barkley: "I was a Republican, before they lost their minds."
What makes Viet Nam vets hearts ache is that they were not able to finish the job due to people like ditto and Jill. The same holds true for those who fight in the ME now.
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