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Editorial: Steele's apology is evidence of cowardice, bipartisanship
Editorial Board
Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: Opinions
In Tuesday's edition of The Daily Eastern News, the editorial board praised Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele for taking a stand and criticizing conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh during an interview Sunday night on CNN.
At the time, it seemed Steele was taking some initiative by speaking out against Limbaugh, who is often referred to as "the voice of the Republican Party."
Tuesday's editorial called for Steele to stand by his comments and show some backbone, which has been missing from the Republican Party for some time.
It's too bad that was not the case.
On Monday's edition of "The Rush Limbaugh Show," Limbaugh blasted Steele for "taking the bait," claiming although Steele is head of the Republican National Committee, he is not head of the Republican Party.
After the show, Steele contacted Limbaugh via telephone and apologized for the comments he had made.
"I went back at that tape, and I realized words that I said weren't what I was thinking," Steele said in a telephone interview with Politico. "It was one of those things where I thinking I was saying one thing, and it came out differently. What I was trying to say was a lot of people ... want to make Rush the scapegoat, the bogeyman, and he's not."
And so, once again, we have another Republican bowing down to a radio host who in the past has made outrageous, inflammatory remarks aimed to enrage and put down those whose views differ from his.
Steele's apology is even more disturbing given Limbaugh's views on the current administration.
In January, Limbaugh notoriously said he hoped that President Barack Obama would fail. A media frenzy ensued, causing Limbaugh to address the issue in a speech broadcast on CNN and Fox News. According to Limbaugh, he meant he hoped Obama's policies would fail, not the man himself, which of course absolves the problem, because as long as Obama's policies — not Obama himself — send the nation into an even deeper hole than before, then it would be the perfect time for the Republicans to swoop in and save whatever is left.
Fast-forward to March: We now have the head of the Republican National Committee saying he has "immense respect" for Limbaugh and holds him in high regards.
Let's reiterate: Limbaugh wants the Obama administration to fail. A high-ranking Republican government official supports him.
It seems strange that a government official would suddenly be on the side that denounces the head of state, but like all things in America, it is politically motivated.
Conservatives may fight with conservatives and liberals may fight with liberals, but in the end, they'll both wind up united within the scope of their own ideologies and will go back to ignoring the other side.
Nobody will take responsibility for those who make a bad name for themselves, because if they do, suddenly they're made out to cause derision in their own political party regardless of their efforts to improve it.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at DENopinions@gmail.com.
At the time, it seemed Steele was taking some initiative by speaking out against Limbaugh, who is often referred to as "the voice of the Republican Party."
Tuesday's editorial called for Steele to stand by his comments and show some backbone, which has been missing from the Republican Party for some time.
It's too bad that was not the case.
On Monday's edition of "The Rush Limbaugh Show," Limbaugh blasted Steele for "taking the bait," claiming although Steele is head of the Republican National Committee, he is not head of the Republican Party.
After the show, Steele contacted Limbaugh via telephone and apologized for the comments he had made.
"I went back at that tape, and I realized words that I said weren't what I was thinking," Steele said in a telephone interview with Politico. "It was one of those things where I thinking I was saying one thing, and it came out differently. What I was trying to say was a lot of people ... want to make Rush the scapegoat, the bogeyman, and he's not."
And so, once again, we have another Republican bowing down to a radio host who in the past has made outrageous, inflammatory remarks aimed to enrage and put down those whose views differ from his.
Steele's apology is even more disturbing given Limbaugh's views on the current administration.
In January, Limbaugh notoriously said he hoped that President Barack Obama would fail. A media frenzy ensued, causing Limbaugh to address the issue in a speech broadcast on CNN and Fox News. According to Limbaugh, he meant he hoped Obama's policies would fail, not the man himself, which of course absolves the problem, because as long as Obama's policies — not Obama himself — send the nation into an even deeper hole than before, then it would be the perfect time for the Republicans to swoop in and save whatever is left.
Fast-forward to March: We now have the head of the Republican National Committee saying he has "immense respect" for Limbaugh and holds him in high regards.
Let's reiterate: Limbaugh wants the Obama administration to fail. A high-ranking Republican government official supports him.
It seems strange that a government official would suddenly be on the side that denounces the head of state, but like all things in America, it is politically motivated.
Conservatives may fight with conservatives and liberals may fight with liberals, but in the end, they'll both wind up united within the scope of their own ideologies and will go back to ignoring the other side.
Nobody will take responsibility for those who make a bad name for themselves, because if they do, suddenly they're made out to cause derision in their own political party regardless of their efforts to improve it.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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