Blue Steele

You know, I’m really glad that the Republican party picked a pro-choice Republican to serve as RNC chair:

Michael Steele: The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.

Lisa DePaulo: Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?

Steele: Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.

DePaulo:You do?

Steele: Yeah. Absolutely.

Now, I agree with this wholeheartedly, but that’s because I’m a pro-choice Democrat. The Republican Party is not, last I checked, a pro-choice party. That’s one of the reasons I’m not a part of it. Steele later in the interview seemed to try to walk his statement back (he believes abortion is a right, but that right should be left up to the states, or something), but my guess is that the damage is done here.

Up to this point, I’ve tended to think that Steele would survive this current rough spot; no matter how incompetent he is, I can’t see the GOP firing its first African-American chair. Easing him out after a year or so? Sure. But firing him? No way.

After this, though, I think Steele’s days are numbered. No matter how Steele tries to walk this back, he’s on record saying a woman should have a right to choose — a right that the GOP strongly wants to deny women (except, of course, women they know). I think that we’re going to see open rebellion in the anti-choice wing, and I think Steele is probably done for.

And it’s too bad. Because I think he’s been doing a great job. But again, I’m a Democrat.