The Steele thing baffles me with regard to how this plays out. I think they appointed him as GOP head as a clear response to Obama's election. But then the party elders, mostly old white guys, cut him off at the knees early on with the Limbaugh stuff.

I don't think for one moment the Rep. party has long term plans for Steele to retain his leadership post. I think he was short term "window dressing" and if the Obama Administration/Dems looks to do well in the mid term elections then he's an easy guy to kick to the curb. I predict they will then bring in a fire breathing, bible banging ass kicker of the enth degree to whip up the right.

I don't view as credible any serious attempt to court minority votes from the Right. Its easier to expand the base of the Republican party that to grow around the edges.

The party of inclusion? Room for everybody under our tent? I haven't seen anything that suggest those are anything more than cheap phrases. Blacks, Hispanics, GLBT's, etc. imo, are too much trouble to court when the GOP can just rustle up some good old fashioned fear to expand their base. Which I think is the exact wrong thing to do.

If I was head of the GOP I would appeal to the Indy voters, many in traditional conservative areas and woo them back into the fold. The attacks on Obama are too shrill, too crass for many mainstream people's taste. Calm the message down, focus on spending and the budget and actually come up with some good plans. That would bring many of the Indies back into the fold next election cycle.

There is precedent for Congressmen to heckle, boo, etc the President during congressional speeches. Where the Joe Wilson thing does differ from anything before it was his outward name calling. To mumble as part of a group with little actual verbage is one thing, to shout "You Lie" loud enough for everyone to hear is a different thing.

The Carter thing-I'm conflicted on. While a much better human than a president, he's been around long enough to know what his comments would do. He knows Obama doesn't need the distraction, yet he did it anyway. Sometimes I think Carter, almost shrewdly, positions and inserts himself into current events as they suit, in his mind, his needs.

He should probably be quiet for now...

Thank you for your service...


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Bill in Dayton


[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 09-20-2009).]