On Fox, Steele Threatens Moderate Pubs for Backing Stimulus Package

[BurtWorm]

According to Steve Benen (citing Greg Sargent) of Political Animal:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/017026.php

February 24, 2009

RNC TO CONSIDER PUNISHING SENATE CENTRISTS.... Three Senate Republicans -- Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine), and Arlen Specter (Pa.) -- were the only members of the minority party to cross party lines and vote in favor of the stimulus package. Yesterday, RNC Chairman Michael Steele suggested they'll be rewarded with primary challengers, and possibly a withdrawal of support from the national party.

Greg Sargent flagged this clip from Fox news yesterday, during which Neil Cavuto asked, "Will you, as RNC head, recommend no RNC funds being provided to help them?" Steele said he'd "talk to" state party officials in Maine and Pennsylvania about the possibility. When asked if he was at least open to withholding party support to three incumbent Republican senators, Steele added, "Oh, yes, I'm always open to everything, baby, absolutely."

Steele was probably hoping to send a message to GOP lawmakers who may be thinking about working with the White House on controversial policies, but it's an odd kind of threat. For one thing, Steele's comments probably won't mean much to Sens. Snowe and Collins. Snowe won 74% of the vote in her last campaign, and isn't up for re-election until 2012. Collins was just elected to a third term with 62% of the vote, and isn't up again until 2014. Are they going to be afraid of Michael Steele? I doubt it.

For that matter, the RNC chairman's threat is probably hollow. The Republican Party has to worry about every single seat, especially vulnerable incumbents like Specter. Steele isn't going to stand behind him next year because he endorsed a recovery plan during an economic crisis? It seems unlikely. (Note to Steele: you shouldn't promise the base one thing on Fox News, and then deliver another thing when votes are on the line.)

Post Script: In the same interview with Cavuto, Steele added that the way to improve the economy was to signal that "the state and the federal government will spend no more money."

Steele added, "e inflationary effect, the deflationary effect, all of those things are going to come to head at some point." I have no idea what this means. I'm fairly certain Steele doesn't either.
—Steve Benen 1:10 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (26)

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. "baby"??

Ok, Costanza.

[BurtWorm]

4. He's hauling out the hip-hop.

:eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

2. Boo hoo! He'll huff and he'll puff...

Ollie and Sue: We are SO scared...NOT!!!

[WillParkinson]

3. Baby....projecting Austin Powers?

Silly man.

[walkaway]

5. He is so Hip Hop!

Only the sad, old and unwanted repuglicans in the Senate could ever think this toothless tiger is cool.

[jmowreader]

6. Steele's problem in a nutshell

Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are RINOs--they'd easily fit in on the other side of the aisle. With the RNC chairman claiming that he's willing to withhold party support from them, they could simply defect to the Democratic Party.

If either one changes affiliation AND we finally seat Franken, the GOP has instantly become irrelevant for the next two years. If they both defect, they're irrelevant no matter how long Coleman keeps up his childish games.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

7. Go ahead, take down Specter.

Run some far right nutjob. It will be that much easier to pick up a seat in 2010.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. +1

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Obama won Pennsylvania by 11%

Kerry won Pennsylvania, the same year PA rejected a hardcore right wing incumbent senator.

PA is a blue state. No conservative republican can win statewide in PA, despite the ever more feeble looking protestations to the contrary.

[Johonny]

10. anti-Howard Dean?

Forget the 50 state policy, apparently Steele wants to run candidates that only appeal to 5 or so districts in the whole US.

[BurtWorm]

11. They only have to appeal to five justices of the supreme court.

:patriot:

[Rashel]

12. Swoon... he' s so HIP!!!.