RNC Chair Steele courts NAACP

by Jay McDonough

Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele appeared today before the NAACP's centennial convention and claimed an interest in rebuilding the tattered relationship between the GOP and black America.

�I have come here today not only to bring greetings, but also to renew our relationship with the NAACP and the African-American community,� said Steele, the RNC�s first black chairman, according to prepared remarks.

"The GOP and NAACP have very often missed real opportunities to communicate and engage each other,"  (Link)

Mr. Steele should be praised and encouraged for his efforts to "communicate and engage".  But, jeez, he's really got his work cut out for him.  Here's some example news stories from the last year.

  -  Republican Rep. Steve King, during the 2008 presidential primary season, attacked Barack Obama for his middle name:

"The radical Islamists, the al-Qaida ... would be dancing in the
streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they would
declare victory in this war on terror...His middle name does matter, it
matters because they read a meaning into that."


Yesterday, he refused to back down and apologize for his bigotry; instead he decided to dig in deeper, saying:


"(Obama will) certainly be viewed as a savior for them [the
terrorists]. That's why you will see them supporting him, encouraging
him." (Link)

  -  Michelle Obama was recently called an ape by a South Carolina Republican activist and Barack Obama characterized as a "black buck-eyed critter"  (Link)

  -  Another South Carolina GOP official recently distributed this message via Twitter:

"Just heard Obama is going to impose a 40% tax on aspirin because it's white and it works." (Link) 

  -  In Tennessee, Republican staffers distributed a "historical keepsake photo" of the U.S. presidents.  Forty three presidents were displayed by their official portraits.  There was no picture of Barack Obama, "just a spook" charicature. (Link)

  -  This past weekend Audra Shay, a 38 year old Louisianan (endorsed by Gov. Bobby Jindal), was elected chairman of the Young Republicans.  This followed the revelations of this Facebook exchange by Ms. Shay:

...initiating a political
conversation by posting that �WalMart just signed a death warrant� by
�endorsing Obama�s healthcare plan.� At 1:52, a friend named listed as
Eric S. Piker, but whose personal page says his actual name is Eric
Pike, wrote �It�s the government making us commies� can�t even smoke in
my damn car� whats next they going to issue toilet paper once a month�
tell us how to wipe our asses��


Two minutes later, Piker posted again saying �Obama Bin Lauden [sic] 
is the new terrorist� Muslim is on there side [sic]� need to take this
country back from all of these mad coons� and illegals.�


Eight minutes after that, at 2:02, Shay weighed in on Piker�s comments:  �You tell em Eric!  lol.�  (Link)

(Just a comment: When a 38 year old woman is elected to chair the "Young Republicans" they should recognize they have a real serious problem appealing to young people.  WTF is up with that?)

  -  And, finally, Michael Steele himself can't resist jumping in as well.  At the same convention Audra Shay was elected chairman of the Young Republicans, Michael Steele responded to a question about how the Republican Party could be more inclusive:

 Asked by a blogger how he would reach out to "diverse populations,"
Steele said: "My plan is to say 'Y'all come,' because a lot of you are
already here."



After someone in the audience said, "I'll bring the collard greens,"
Steele added, "I got the fried chicken and potato salad."  (Link)

Obviously, folks have right to say nearly anything they want, regardless of how batshit crazy it is.  But it strikes me as pretty naive (or just flat out stupid) if Michael Steele and the rest of the GOP leaders somehow believe the NAACP, and minorities in general, are going to ignore the fact that that kind of ugly nonsense flows routinely from representatives of the Republican Party.