Former RNC Chair: Trump's Birtherism is 'Bullshit Racism'

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Former RNC Chair Michael Steele said Trump's focus on "nonsensical" issues like birtherism was "nothing more than bullshit racism — excuse my French."

Appearing on David Axelrod's podcast "The Axe Files," Steele, whose reign as RNC chair was marred by lackluster fundraising and his own foibles, didn't hold back when it came to Trump and race.

"You cannot say to me that given the 400 plus years of this country, that at the very moment the country decides to elect the first Black man president of the United States, you going to ask for his papers? Seriously? Seriously?" said Steele. "I can go all day long about what's wrong with Syria and economic policy and foreign policy with this administration. But I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and say 'You need to show me your papers first.' That's not how this works."

Steele was Republican National Committee chairman from 2009 to 2011 and is now a political analyst for MSNBC. On the podcast, Steele and Axelrod talked about the way Trump's candidacy has exposed fractures in the Republican Party.

-snip-



Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/former-rnc-chairman-michael-steele-trump-birtherism-bullshit-racism

[TonyPDX]

1. I hope this level of honesty and clarity catches on!

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Funny watching some responsible

Rethugs speaking out. They are seeing their Party collapse and their well paying jobs going by by.

[Wednesdays]

18. Grabbing onto life preservers while the ship sinks

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. Awww that's adorable. Michael Aluminum trying to butch up now by calling water wet

after years of putting his ball in a jar above the fridge.

[Moonwalk]

4. What I was thinking. Was he crying BS on this back when it started?

I don't see to recall that he was, but maybe...

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. He might have paid lip service to sanity, at most. But I certainly

don't remember him saying dick, 'Captain Zinger' himself Mitt Romney said "Nobody ever asked to see my birth certificate!" (Paraphrasing here but I'm sure not by much.)

[47of74]

5. That's nice Michael. Where the fuck were you in 2009 to 2011?

When your party was passing that bullshit around like a bottle of Jack at a Bob Seger concert?

[rurallib]

10. maybe some Trump supporters told him he was black this year.

[Hekate]

7. I enjoy watching Steele on MSNBC. He's in the wrong party, but will never be an apologist for Trump.

This is the real Steele:

"You cannot say to me that given the 400 plus years of this country, that at the very moment the country decides to elect the first Black man president of the United States, you going to ask for his papers? Seriously? Seriously?" said Steele. "I can go all day long about what's wrong with Syria and economic policy and foreign policy with this administration. But I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and say 'You need to show me your papers first.' That's not how this works."

[Mike Daniels]

8. Steele went on a tear regarding the police shootings last night on MSNBC

Can't remember if it was on "With All Due Respect" or Tweety's show but he was livid and saying that all the stuff one tells their children vis a vis interacting with the police seems pointless since you can do everything right and still end up getting shot.

[George II]

9. He's a conservative republican, but there are a lot of things about Steele that I like, at least....

....he knows how to call out bullshit and has a much bigger sense of reality than most over there.

[NewJeffCT]

11. if Michael Steele and Tim Scott from South Carolina

are calling out racism, it might make something of an impact on Republicans. When Democrats do it, most Republicans tune it out. Granted, since 50% of the GOP is openly racist, it won't affect them... but, for the few remaining moderates and the few conservatives with principal, it might.

[still_one]

12. That is why Michael Steele is not RNC chairman, he doesn't have the prerequsite

being a racist

[Third Doctor]

13. Soooo

If he knows that half of his party is racist why does he still support the GOP?

[calimary]

14. Does kinda make one wonder, doesn't it.

The GOP has NOTHING for you, Michael Steele. NOTHING. They have nothing to offer you, they don't have your back, they WON'T have your back. You're not the right color.

Beats me why he'd want to support the GOP. They sure don't have anything for him.

[matt819]

15. Not good enough

Fuck you, Michael Steele. This has been going on for five years. But you choose 7 weeks before the election to speak up. You are a coward and a tool.

[czarjak]

16. Too little, too late...

Michael, when Rushbo pushed you out, did you stay hooked on the sugar? Only explanation I'll accept.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. Only NOW does Steele admit the racism in the ReTHUG party? This is the same guy who wouldn't

stand up to the Tea Party's explicit acts of racism.

[sofa king]

19. Now he can return to his new job...

... Pasting google-eyes on freeze-dried cat turds and selling them on Ebay.