Steele elected RNC chairman

Former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele was elected the chairman of the Republican National Committee after six rounds of balloting. After the second round, Mike Duncan, the incumbent chair, withdrew from the race, shifting the contest to a pitched battle between Steele and South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson.

Dept of what are you thinking: RNC chair candidate passes out racist song to RNC members

Chip Saltsman, a candidate for Republican National Committee chairman, sent members of the Republican National Committee a CD that includes a racist song titled Barack the Magic Negro. When confronted about his distributing the song, Saltsman defended his distributing the song citing that it was parody.

Since news of this has broken, not one Republican National Committee member has denounced Saltsman’s actions and younger Republican staffers are quite frustrated by this. One emailed us saying, “We are trying to figure out a successful strategy to employ to counter President-elect Obama’s policies and now we have a guy who wants to be head of the Republican Party making us look like racists and not a single senior Republican has come out against this. It is like they are content destroying the Republican Party from the inside and losing more seats in the House and Senate 2010.”

Update: Current RNC Chairman Mike Duncan, who is also running to remain in his position, put out a statement blasting Saltsman’s actions.

Illinois GOP ad “People’s Seat”

The Illinois GOP is releasing this ad pushing for a special election to fill President-elect Obama’s now vacant seat in the Senate.

The future of the GOP: Steele should not become the next chair

Somewhat lost in the economic crisis and the transition goings on of President-elect Obama, is another major piece of news and some have even said crisis: the war over the future of the Republican Party. After two back to back elections where the Republican Party has suffered major defeats in the House and Senate, as well as John McCain’s thumping in the electoral college, 365 electoral votes for Obama and 173 electoral votes for McCain, where states that had not gone blue in over thirty years (Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana). Democrats gained at least twenty seats in the House of Representatives and at least seven in the Senate (there are still some races that have yet to be decided).

The one thing the Republican Party agrees on is the fact that its message is no longer resonating with Americans. However, nobody can agree on what to do about fixing the problem. Some are arguing that the problem is that Republican’s are not being conservative enough and that it should veer further to the right, especially on social issues, while others believe that it is too conservative and has strayed from its roots as the party of small government and low taxes.

At the beginning of 2009, the Republican National Committee will have to select its new chairman and there are several names being mentioned for the position. There is Katon Dawson, Michael Steele, Saul Anuzis, Mike Duncan (who currently is the RNC chair) and Al Cardenas. Whomever becomes the party’s chair will inheiret a party that is on the brink of civil war and will be tasked with rebuilding the entire party’s operation.

At this moment, former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele appears to be in the top two for the position. However, picking him as chairman of the Republican National Committee could be a grave mistake. To the general public, the move would be viewed as reactionary to Barack Obama’s being elected president, as Steele is African-American. It would look to be pandering of the highest form and send the message of, “look we have high-ranking African-Americans in our party too!” (not to mention the fact that the RNC attempted this in 2006 when they made Florida Senator Mel Martinez the chairman of the RNC in an effort to win over Hispanic voters). After Obama delivered his memorable keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the GOP selected Steele to do the same and touted him as “the Republican Obama.” His address to the Republican National Convention didn’t bomb, but it was neither good nor memorable. In 2006, Steele was soundly defeated for an open Senate seat in Maryland and he then retreated to form a PAC in the hopes that he would somehow be able to move forward with his political career. Since 2006, that career has remained in neutral, while other Republicans have moved past him (Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, Charlie Crist, Mark Sanford and Sarah Palin).

Since 2006, Steele has accomplished little for Republicans and the Republican Party. He has attended fundraisers on their behalf, but he has not helped run a political organization or do the work required to win elections (he has not been asked to). He has never run an organization as large as the Republican Party and has no experience in the type of work that goes into making it a successful operation. To put it gently: the Republican Party needs a crisis manager and Michael Steele is not that. He is telegenic and very good at working a cocktail party, but that is about the extent of it.

Michael Steele

Should Michael Steele become the chairman of the Republican Party, he will have two things going for him though: an economic crisis that becomes the sole responsibility of the Democratic Party on January 20, 2009 at noon eastern time and the Clintons. If the economy continues to go south (which all signs show that it will) throughout the first half of next year, the approval rating of the Obama administration and Congress will sink. With Clinton, there is no force greater than Hillary and Bill Clinton returning to power (assuming Senator Clinton is confirmed as secretary of state) that can help scare the Republican Party into organizing itself away from civil war and launching an all out offensive on the Clintons.

The economy and the Clintons might give Steele a helping hand, but cand he lead the Republican Party out of its dark days? As one of our GOP sources put it, “Probably not. There is a sizeable group of us in the Republican Party that would come into work every single day unhappy and we already have no confidence in Michael Steele.”

GOP sends lawyer to Alaska to get clothes back from Palin

The Republican Party has dispatched a lawyer to Alaska to get back the $150,000 plus worth of clothing that the Republican National Committee bought for Sarah Palin. When it was first revealed that the purchases had been made, Palin claimed that the majority had been given to the RNC and were no longer in her possession. However, according to two of our sources, as well as numerous media reports, the clothing is still in Palin’s possession.

Palin is reported to have outfitted her entire family in clothing, accessories and other goods. It is reported that upwards of $40,000 was spent on Todd Palin and Palin’s youngest daughter, Piper, was seen carrying a several thousand dollar designer handbag.

Said one of our sources who worked in the McCain campaign, “There is no question that Sarah Palin used this campaign for her own political and material gain. She came in with the attitude of ‘how do I make this benefit me in every way possible?’ while not focusing 100% on getting John McCain elected.”

The Daily Show examines McCain’s acceptance speech

The Daily Show takes a look at the Republican National Convention and John McCain’s acceptance speech. The most interesting part is when they show McCain’s acceptance speech with George Bush’s 2000 acceptance speech (right around 4:50).

The perils of being a reporter at a convention

Andrea Mitchell had some difficulties reporting on the conclusion of the Republican National Convention last night:

McCain’s acceptance speech

Thoughts on McCain’s & Palin’s speeches at the Republican National Convention

By his own admission, John McCain is not a great orator and it showed tonight. At the same time, Governor Palin delivered the best speech of the convention. However, neither speech was filled with much detail of McCain’s policies. In fact, Governor Palin’s speech did not address any policy at all. Senator McCain’s speech did begin to get into some policies, but it lacked even the slightest hint of their details. The most specific pledge McCain made was to cut foreign aid to “countries that don’t like us very much.” However, there was no immediate discussion of this fact by the media. The press was very focused on how this speech was the first time that John McCain has ever talked about his time in the Hanoi Hilton, where he was a POW in Vietnam.

We polled a few non-political friends, who have yet to decide between voting for Senator Obama and Senator McCain, and asked them their impressions of the speeches delivered by John McCain and Sarah Palin. They all said the same thing, “I don’t know what Senator McCain would do for the country. He hasn’t said it.”

We wish that Senator McCain and Governor Palin had talked about what a McCain presidency would look like. With sixty-one days until election day, we still have no idea as to what John McCain would do for the country as president.

GOPCon night 4: liveblogging

5:40pm: Tonight Senator McCain will accept the Republican presidential nomination. However, before that there will be other speakers including former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Cindy McCain. The stage has reconfigured to give Senator McCain’s speech more of a town hall feel.

7:05pm: Excerpts from John McCain’s speech have begun to trickle out. McCain will say that he is the person to bring change to Washington, praise Sarah Palin, focus on his life and how he constantly challenges the “Washington establishment.” Additionally, campaign officials say that McCain will not hit Barack Obama as hard as Governor Palin did last night. Instead he will “lightly say that Barack Obama does not have the experience needed to be president and that he does.”

Todd and Sarah Palin watch the Republican National Convention from the VIP box

9:30pm: The McCain family is now out on the stage.  Cindy McCain introduced John McCain’s seven children.

Cindy McCain addresses the Republican National Convention

10:03pm: The John McCain tribute video has begun.

10:11pm: Fred Thompson introduces Senator McCain by the public address system and McCain emerges. McCain says he has “the privilege of few Americans. The privilege of accepting our party’s nomination for president of the United States– and I accept it with gratitude humility and confidence.” He then says that he is grateful to George Bush for leading the country for the past eight years, although he refers to him by his title, not name. He praises his children and wife, saying that he knows “that she will make a great first lady.” He then praises his ninety-six year old mother, Roberta McCain, who is in the VIP section.

John McCain emerges to address the Republican National Convention

10:23pm: A protester has just interrupted McCain’s speech and is being physically removed from the convention hall by volunteers. McCain asks that the convention not “be diverted by the ground noise and the static.” McCain now is trying to pick up the mantle that he is the candidate of change. He said that he would like to “warn” lawmakers in Washington that “change is coming.” Says McCain on his service in the Senate “I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.”

John McCain addresses the Republican National Convention

10:38pm: McCain is now saying quick phrases about his domestic plans. The gist is: My _______ plan will help the country, while my opponent’s will hurt the country. Now he is discussing school vouchers and the education system. McCain has now said that he will cut foreign aid to countries that “don’t like us very much.” Then very awkwardly used that to say that he will begin drilling for oil in the United States. “It’s time for us to show the world again how Americans lead.”

John McCain waves to the Republican National Convention

10:49pm: Senator McCain is now speaking about the military service of his grandfather, father, himself and others who never made it back. “I hate war.” He later goes on to discuss his time as a POW in Vietnam and refers to how he was “blessed by misfortune.” McCain’s retelling of his time as a POW is the most effective part of his speech and even those watching who disagree with McCain cannot help but respect that part of his life. Saying of what he took out of being a POW at the Hanoi Hilton, “I wasn’t my own man anymore. I was my country’s.”

11:03pm: Senator McCain has just completed his speech and is joined by his wife, Cindy. A minute later, Sarah and Todd Palin join the McCains. Confetti falls from the rafers and the full McCain and Palin families join John McCain and Sarah Palin. Now the balloons are falling from the rafters.

11:07pm: McCain used the word change fifteen times in the speech and experience just three. The pundits are doing their punditry and the general election is in 61 days.

Obama campaign responds to Palin’s RNC speech

From Obama’s chief spokesman Bill Burton:

The speech that Governor Palin was well delivered, but it was written by George Bush’s speechwriter and sounds exactly like the same divisive, partisan attacks we’ve heard from George Bush for the last eight years. If Governor Palin and John McCain want to define ‘change’ as voting with George Bush 90% of the time, that’s their choice, but we don’t think the American people are ready to take a 10% chance on change.

The statement reads like one that was written before the campaign knew what Palin was going to say. Expect a more detailed response in the coming minutes or next few hours.

Obama adviser Gibbs responds to Lieberman’s speech

GOPCon night 3: liveblogging

5:45pm: We will be doing scaled back coverage tonight due to some unexpected commitments. We will be back at 10pm for Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin’s speeches to the convention. Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee will also speak tonight. There are also rumors that John McCain will make a “surprise appearance.”

6:30pm: Convention operatives are urging the delegations to move women to the front rows of each section in order to try and win women voters.

7:02pm: In his speech tonight, Mitt Romney will attack Michelle Obama with this line: “ust like you, there has never been a day when I was not proud to be an American. We inherited the greatest nation in the history of the Earth.”

7:14pm: Excerpts of Palin’s speech:

“I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion – I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.”

“Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America’s energy problems – as if we all didn’t know that already. But the fact that drilling won’t solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re going to lay more pipelines…build more nuclear plants…create jobs with clean coal…and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.”

“Here’s how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change.”

9:26pm: Mitt Romney’s speech has concluded and it was full of red meat. He referred to the “Eastern elite” and attacked Barack Obama, as well as Michelle Obama. Romney’s speech was clearly meant to carve out a place for himself in the 2012 election if McCain were to lose.

Mitt Romney addresses the Republican National Convention

9:28pm: Mike Huckabee has just said that he respects Barack Obama’s becoming the Democratic nominee “not because of his color, but because of our indifference to it.” The line received very tepid applause. Huckabee also attacked Joe Biden, saying that “she got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States.” Joe Biden actually received more votes in his presidential campaign than Sarah Palin did in any of her mayoral campaigns.

9:34pm: Sarah Palin will attack Barack Obama in her speech with the line, “Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.”

9:47pm: The Palin family has entered the VIP box and Todd Palin seems to have shaved or at least closely trimmed his goatee.

10:00pm: Rudy Giuliani has just come out and is receiving a hearty round of applause as he is preparing to deliver his keynote address. He says that given the stakes, this election is the most important in history. Giuliani says that the people get to decide who the next president is, “not the liberal media, not the Hollywood celebrities,” Giuliani attacks Obama for working as a community organizer and then says it is not a real job. He goes further to say that Obama is not experienced at all.

10:28pm: Sarah Palin has now emerged to thunderous applause. She states that victory in Iraq is within sight and then points out that her oldest son is going to be in Iraq. Palin is praising her family and now using it to move onto how she will be an advocate of families with children who have special needs. She took a thinly veiled swipe at Michelle Obama saying that the people she knows “are always proud of America.”

Sarah Palin addresses the Republican National Convention after accepting the GOP vice presidential nomination

10:53pm: Palin is pushing drilling across the country. She now is attacking Obama for not authoring a major law or reform and then says that Obama and Biden lack a plan for the country.

11:07pm: Palin has concluded her speech and is joined by her family. Now Senator McCain has joined the Palins and he is drawing very loud cheers from the crowd.

The GOP presidential ticket

11:12pm: The third night of the Republican National Convention is over and the pundits are all saying that Palin delivered a good speech. Chris Matthews is saying that Palin “is a torpedo directly aimed at Barack and Michelle Obama.”

RNC ad “Expensive Plans”

Republican National Convention has empty seats on convention floor during primetime

AmericaBlog found this telling scene from the convention floor of the Republican National Convention

GOPCon night 2: liveblogging

5:05pm: Rudy Giuliani has been bumped to tomorrow night. President Bush will address the convention via satellite tonight at 9:30pm. Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman will also address the convention tonight.

6:48pm: The majority of the networks are discussing Sarah Palin and all the news surrounding her.

8:07pm: Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman is addressing the convention.

Senator Norm Coleman addresses the Republican National Convention

8:10pm: CNN is interviewing a delegate who says that she did not support Senator McCain in the GOP presidential primaries and cites extraordinary mistrust of him, which she still feels. However, she is excited by Sarah Palin’s being chosen as John McCain’s running mate.

8:22pm: The convention feels very small and there seems to be no energy among convention goers.

8:38pm: Representative Michele Bachman is now speaking to the delegates.

Cindy McCain acknowledges the crowd

9:40pm: After a tribute video to a Navy SEAL, Michael Monsoor, who lost his life and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in Iraq, the crowd gave a three minute standing ovation to the sister of the late soldier.

Sara Monsoor, sister of Medal of Honor recipient Michael Monsoor, is hugged by Cindy McCain

She was moved to tears. Then they recognized the other Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, followed by several men who were POWs with Senator McCain.

Medal of Honor recipient & POW with John McCain sits with former President George HW Bush

9:45pm: First Lady Laura Bush is now addressing the delegates. Her speech is focusing on women and how they can accomplish many things. She says that she is “proud that the next vice president will be a Republican woman.”

9:52pm: President Bush is now addressing the delegates from a podium in the White House. He begins by praising the governors of the Gulf Coast for their response to Hurricane Gustav. Bush discusses what being president means and he believes that McCain “is ready to lead this nation.” Another quote about McCain’s time in the Hanoi Hilton “His arms had been broken, but not his honor.” Bush also referred to Democrats as “the angry left.”

Laura Bush leaves the stage as President Bush begins to address the Republican National Convention

10:01pm: President Bush’s speech is still going and it is doing what the McCain campaign had hoped it would not do, carry over into the major networks’ convention coverage. However, CBS, ABC and NBC are carrying the address (they actually started his speech from the beginning).

10:22pm: Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is now addressing the convention. “Now being a POW doesn’t qualify anyone to be president, but it does reveal character.”

Fred Thompson addresses the Republican National Convention

10:38pm: Senator Joe Lieberman is giving the last speech of the night. Lieberman said that he was a Democrat when he said, “What is a Democrat like me doing at a Republican convention?” then added “I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party.” Lieberman slipped, but caught himself calling 9/11 “that great natural disaster… that great unnatural disaster.” He then says that McCain is truly independent: “If John McCain is another partisan Republican, then I am Michael Moore’s favorite Democrat- and I’m not. I think you know that I am not.” Lieberman is now taking some light shots at Barack Obama saying that good speeches don’t produce change and that while in the Senate, Obama has not been bipartisan. Lieberman even mentioned Bill Clinton as being better than Obama and received tepid applause. Of Governor Palin: “The truth is she is a leader we can count on to help John shake up Washington. That’s why I believe that the real ticket for change this year is the McCain Palin ticket.”

Senator Joe Lieberman receives a warm welcome from the Republican National Convention

11:01pm: Lieberman has just finished his speech and the media is immediately focusing on the promise he made to Harry Reid and other Democrats that he would not tear down Barack Obama. All pundits agree that Lieberman broke that promise. David Gergen says it was very surprising how Lieberman ended up not only attacking Obama, but heaping copious amounts of praise on Sarah Palin.

Bush to address RNC

President Bush will address the Republican National Convention tonight via satellite.

Laura Bush & Cindy McCain address Republican National Convention

President Bush might still address RNC

NBC News is reporting that President Bush might still address the Republican National Convention tomorrow night. The address would be made via satellite instead of in person. The final decision will be made tomorrow morning.

GOP tones down convention; parties go forward

This is not the Republican National Convention that McCain had said would happen due to Hurricane Gustav. ABC News has the story: