Steele: ‘My Personal Opinion Doesn’t Matter In This’ — Only Limbaugh’s Does

[stevedeshazer]

This morning, RNC Chairman Michael Steele appeared on NBC’s Today Show. Host Matt Lauer asked Steele three separate times whether he agreed with Rush Limbaugh and hoped Barack Obama fails. Steele avoided answering all three times, insisting that his own opinion was inconsequential:

LAUER: I guess I’m asking you your personal opinion. Do you agree with Rush Limbaugh when he says that it’s common sense that as a conservative he wants the policies of Barack Obama to fail?

STEELE: Well, my personal opinion doesn’t matter in this. My job as the RNC chairman is to take into account all of the various views out there within our party and try to put together a strategy and a team that’s going to help us win elections. <…>

LAUER: Mr. Steele, let me try it this way. There are many Republicans out there as well as Democrats who are unemployed right now. People are hurting across this country. Republicans like Democrats are losing their homes, they’re unable to send their kids to school. Do you think those Republicans want the policies of Barack Obama to fail right now?

STEELE: I don’t think that Republicans, Democrats or Independents or anyone wants policies that redistributes the wealth of this country…

video at link: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/04/steele-my-personal-opinion-doesnt-matter-in-this-only-limbaughs-does/

[saltpoint]

1. This is getting embarrassing.

Perhaps Mr. Steele and Mr. Limbaugh need to negotiate their relationship behind closed doors.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. When Lauer's got you on the ropes, there's something seriously wrong.

I have to admit it's pretty amusing to watch, though.

[AlinPA]

3. I saw the last part of that interview and to me it looked like Lauer was supporting Steele.

Sucking up, I guess you could call it.

[Kalyke]

4. I want policies that redistributes the wealth.

The problem is that I think the rich have stolen it from the middle class, so I want it back.

[Winterblues]

5. Republican Policies have been redistributing the wealth of this nation from day one.

Now it is time for fairness to intervene.

[lsewpershad]

6. Totallt agree

[gratuitous]

7. That was painful

And yes, when Matt Lauer sets you on your heels, hoo boy! They had a split picture thingie, with Rush ranting away on tape at CPAC in a box about half again the size of Steele, answering Lauer live. I don't know if it was intentional to make Steele look so small compared to Rush (you believe that, don't you?). But you could see the wheels turning in Steele's head: "Stay on message. Get out talking points. Avoid question at all costs."

The chairman of the Republican National Committee can not and will not say publicly whether he agrees with Rush Limbaugh or not. He is incapable of making a simple declaration.