Has the Republican National Committee Ever Fired its Chairman? You betcha!
by Michael ZakIn 1864, the GOP relabeled itself the “National Union Party” in an effort to attract moderate Democrats in support of President Lincoln’s re-election. To reach out even further to Democrats, the convention dumped the Republican vice president, Hannibal Hamlin, from the ticket and replaced him with a Democrat, Andrew Johnson. The man most responsible for this tragedy was the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Henry Raymond.
A former lieutenant governor, Raymond had founded The New York Times. He won the chairmanship by arguing that Republicans should shift toward the Democrats. To that end, he convinced the national convention to nominate a Democrat as Abraham Lincoln’s running mate. Like his namesake, Andrew Jackson Johnson rose to prominence in Tennessee. The only southern senator not to go with the Confederacy, Johnson seemed a good prospect for postwar reconciliation, but instead of being a moderate, President Johnson turned out to be a hard-line Democrat. And, one of his strongest supports was the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Henry Raymond.
In August 1866, Johnson tried to divide Republicans by setting up his own party, using the “National Union” name. The effort failed, because at what was supposed to be the founding convention, nearly all the delegates were Democrats. One of the few Republicans to attend was the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Henry Raymond.
Republicans knew they had to act quickly. On September 3, in what amounted to a national convention, delegates from both northern and southern states met in Philadelphia to retake the party. Charging him with “abandonment of the principles” of the party, the RNC ousted Henry Raymond and elected the governor of New Jersey, Marcus Ward, as the new chairman.
With the midterm elections just two months away, Republicans decided to take a hard-line stance of their own. They would offer voters a clear alternate to President Johnson and congressional Democrats. Republican candidates vowed to block and even reverse the Democrat policy agenda. As a result, Republicans increased their majorities in both houses of Congress and President Johnson would be a lame duck for the remainder of his term.
The Republican Party won big-time by getting back to basics.
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186 Comments
But if they fire Michael Steele it just proves that all Republicans are racist. It could not be because the party feels he's not giving the message competently enough, it could only be because he's black, because we all know that being a person not white makes you automatically competent. Right?
It doesn't matter who runs the RNC; FoxNews runs the Republican Party.
he's out in January anyway — his job is to raise money for the RNC / who cares if he's a black man ? He said that to throw gas on the fire and piss them off
Such a shame there are so many intelligent scrupulous people who qualify as minorities…
This should NOT have anything to do with race!! Of course as far as the left goes, it will! Steele is NOT the right person for the job…not real sure if he just doesn't want to be seen as the one going up against the first black president or not…probably. On that note…if he is NOT doing the job he should have enough dignity to step down!
Yes, and your a$$ runs your mouth.
That fiasco in the NY 23rd District,………….showed me that this was not the right man for this job at this time,……….
He has been a huge disappointment.
The Republican Party needed a huge "make-over" and the only thing I sense from Steele's guidance,……
has been more of the same.
better than mr wacko dean that ran the democrat party…
mr steele is as useless as a nipple on a bull…if he were white, he still would be useless…if he were asian he still would be useless…
our president falls into the same catagory…
USELESS…not because he is black…he doesn't know his southern most orifice from a hole in the ground…similar to most that are in office today….
Do not play the race card….shows ignorance….
You are such a putz…littlle boi…
Accept this platform or perish as a party – we will start a new one.
Raise tariffs and employ Americans and spur American industrial growth
Stop giving money and support to Israel – put America first for a change
Kick out the illegals
End the wars for Israel in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan
End the Fed – bring back legal, legitimate money as called for in the Constitution
Increase energy independence (drill, nukes, everything.)
Steele was one of the big advocates of adopting a "bipartanship" (I.E. Become more progressive/socialist) agenda to attract more members to the party after Obama's election. I am a member of the party, and have not contributed as much as years past because I get no answers from them. My main question is what will make the Republican party different from the Demos. I was disappointed when the term, and the party leadership, started to called NeoCon, I always thought the right term was Progressive Light. Lets stop electing Neo Cons, Compassionate Conservatives, BiPartinship advocates, and start electing an old fashion American who shares the love of the Constitution, republican values (not the party, but the republicanism advocated by those founding father dudes), and American values!!!!
they're starting to come apart
http://www.breitbart.tv/insulting-liberal-head-of...
23 hours ago @ Big Government – Tuesday Open Thread: E… · 0 replies · +1 points
Since Steele is acting like the RINO that he is ….
We need to force him out and put Palin in asap before the November elections get rolling.
Who can make this happen ?
Can Limbaugh make this happen ?
Sounds good to me!
January? Way too late.
"who cares if he's a black man"?
Well, that was why he was chosen and this transparent pandering is doing more harm than good.
No, Israel and the Council on Foreign Relations does, though.
I agree Michael Steele seems to be a nice guy, which I am sure he is. As far as someone who can champion the cause of freedom for the party, I just do not see the skills available to accomplish what we need in a champion for freedom. I think a change is appropriate for the times. We need a fire and passion reminiscence of a Ronald Reagan, also someone who can articulate the goals of prosperity as Ronald Reagan did, and also be able to connect with all voters in plain simple words.
God Bless America
Put Col. ALLEN WEST in charge – He'll get the 'troops" FIRED UP and FEELING STRONG….!…
fraid we are stuck with him Mom…one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't deals….
I agree with you Kona, it was a bait and switch if there ever was one!
true
"FoxNews runs the Republican Party. . .. "
Nah, the Republican Party would be doing better and making more money if Rupert Murdoch ran it.
Murdoch for RNC chair!
MOVE STEELE ! Kick him upstairs, or sideways, into a position where he can't do anymore damage. __Get someone in there who is tuned into TEA Party concerns (aka,real life) and is concerned more about MERIT, and less about his own enrichment. __ 'Color' shouldn't trump actual management and marketing skills. __So far, Mr. Steele has been ineffective, to say the least.
Was Henry Raymond Black?
Was Shirley Temple Black ?
Steele should NOT be fired…
He is talented man and a good communicator. That he should have been put in an administrative position in the first place can be questioned, sure. But when the RNC needs to reachout to others of conservative principle other than white males this kerfluffle needs to be resolved.
Peacefully. With no body count…
When are we going to learn that the accomplishments and or shortcomings,…….
which are clearly measurable, should not be increased nor diminished,………….
based on one's motifs,..be they right or wrong.
Steele's level of incompetence should be our only concern because of the importance of this coming election.
The man should be handed his hat,………..
the racist, bigoted, KKK ish, Jim Crowish, person doing the handing, if so,…NOT WITH STANDING.
That's a tall order, isn't it? As time goes by, and we watch and listen to clips of President Reagan…we see how 'easy' President Reagan made his job look. In comparision…his successors have raised the 'doofus' level to new heights.
I think all this came out on purpose to get the fight going inside so the slime on the left can f up so more while we b**%tch about Steel — don't really care for the guy – but that makes me a racist I guess
Typical lefty cry baby – the unraveling will continue and hey, who ever said they don't know how to 'entertain' the masses?!
I don't trust him. During the primaries, he threw a lavish party for Obungle and his moochelle. Money men only do whats good for their wallets.
you're hired FK, now get busy, work day & night to write your book, so you will be able to
'pimp' it simultaneously with your travels for RNC business.
seriously? wow, Zionist conspiracy-theorist.
You must be joking.
But when the RNC needs to reach out to others of conservative principle other than white males this kerfluffle needs to be resolved.
And how does Steele accomplish this?
We need Pat Buchanan!
We need a coach, not a cheerleader. I was once hopeful for a future for Palin, however
have begun to realize she makes a good speech, she rallies the troops, but I now wonder
if she is a 'deep thinker', a chess player. We need someone LIKE Dick Morris or Carl Rove,
please note I did not say we need these guys, but a big picture guy in their mold.
That is a great idea Famous – it would be inspiring to say the least
Never, never, never trust a democrat! Never lean to the left and never think that votes are more important than principles!
I agree with almost everything that Steele has said, the problem is that he's too nice. He needs to toughen up.
Don't fire Michael Steele. Change his responsibilities. The RNC should now be a group to facilitate donations to excellent Republican candidates at the local and, perhaps, state level. The era of "top down" is over for the RNC. Let the RNC identify the local/state candidates where donations — especially small donations — can help the most. I'm through donating to the RNC in "off" years — but I've been opening my checkbook regularly to individual candidates around the country. If I don't give the RNC my cash to re-allocate (isn't that what we criticize the Federal government for doing?), then my funds cannot be spent in seamy places on the Left Coast. The RNC needs a new business model.
Sarah Palin is the cure. That is why the left hates her. They know that she sees through their attempts to fool the majority of the people in this country. She is nobody's fool.
Former Lt Gov of NY? Extremely unlikely.
they don't have the "kahonies" – no disrespect to my name of course !!!
I agree with you …………..what does this have to do about race?? If a person is not doing a good job at any task….that is it, pure and simple, they are not doing the job and it has NOTHING to do with their race or gender.
But then again, in todays world and with the race-bater-in-chief at the helm, everything has to do about race and equality and all the other BS he has surrounded himself with all his life. He has heard the supposed disparity of this country towards the minorities all his life, he believes it to his core. All the while forgetting if it weren't for his minority status he just may have not made it into the halls of those "elite" schools that he so loves to remind us of.
You know he is a Constitutional scholar (NOT, only a second rate part-time lecturer at a liberal university), afraid to divulge the particulars of his grades or how he was admitted to these universities. Well guess what, just because you can do good TelePrompTer reading, it does not make one a genius. But the koolaide drinkers will continue to listen to the dribble and fall for the race baiting tactics of the left, all the while being played the fool merely for their vote at the cost of more "social justice handouts" stripping them all of the human dignity of self reliance .
You don't have to look far in South Chicago, Detroit, LA, San Francisco, NYC to see the outcomes of the continual use of the race card and the plight of our poor to see the failed social programs of the left.
It is absolutely pathetic in this day that so much progress has been made to end the prejudices that in fact have been a sad part of our history, and how they are being resurrected by the left to again enslave the poor to their failed ideology and cradle to grave care of those that need real help so desperately.
I can think of fewer crimes against humanity, other than genocide, that continue to do more harm, than the Al Sharpton and Jesse Jacksons of the world.
When will they wake up and see that forty plus years and trillions of dollars that are supposed to save the masses have done nothing other than to further impoverish and enslave them to these race pimps for their handouts. It is just so obvious and such a crime!!
Yes, I know it is, but I am an American and think anything is possible if we put our collective minds together.
God Bless America
LMAO!!! As black as the African-American Actress Chalize Theron. ;0)
The only way for the GOP to get around this dilemma is to find a wise latina.
Nah…I'm going with David Horowitz…
Palin has woken up the sleeping giant that is conservatism.
I think she can lead the troops and fix the party.
She will not stand for and deal with the moderates and RINO's
The party has been asleep at the wheel for too long.
And all Palin has done is remind people what being an American means.
I'm thinking Joseph McCarthy;)
…I agree – but who cares if he's a nice man — none of these washington idiots are NICE people – none
and being nice does not get you anywhere in this cruel world – brains do
Michael Steele is a mole of the Democrat Party and Rockefeller Republicans. Be gone, pretender!
When one is chosen to be the boss, one is expected to act and perform like one. Michael has failed. NEXT!
I'm voting for my dog in 2012
I am for Haley Barber.
IMO we need to find a very YOUNG conservative, a self-motivated, warrior, who has the mind of
a chess player. I would love to see a recently retired Vet in the position, just because these guys
can think on their feet. The RHINO's will never go with it though, & I suspect they speak for the 'big
donor' side of the party.
My $25 donations will go to the candidates own orgs, not the RNC, Sorry! ;>}
Thank goodness the web allows us to do so easily.
Fire Steele he's bad for the party.
Thank You for your service
You're killing me. Would it be too much for you to realize that your one line drive-by utterance is typical of someone who drinks the DNC swill at MSNBC or CNN. Do you have any self-awareness at all?
I disagree. Ronald Reagan proved all you need is a sense of humor, and be able to kill them with kindness to show everybody who they really are. Then they will reveal their true colors, and intentions.
God Bless America
All I have to say is I WILL NOT vote republican unless I see a commitment toward investigations of what has happened in the last year. If republicans gain control and DO NOTHING about this corrupt administration I promise they will never have my vote.
……….."critics point to the fact that the RNC has raised about $120 million since the 2008 election but now has just $9.5 million in cash on hand."
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/b...
Sure the Republicans will make gains in the mid-term elections, but, with this lousy feckless RNC leadership in place the long-term after that isn't very promising.
Fire. Steele. Now.
I stopped donating to the RNC about the same time as you. I now give money to individual candidates and the Republican Governor's Assn.
I, too, thank you for your service and hope you find work soon. With the RNC is fine with me!
These folks mean business and SERIOUS crap to our Nation – it's not the 80's anymore
not picking a fight – but they won't reveal shi$%^&& – it's up to us to pull the curtain back every day
some were asleep then
not now – different place and different times – different battle
no screwing around with theses people in power – they are PURE EVIL
The qualities you state are patriotic and moral and I whish we could fight thay way but it ain't gonna be that way this time around – we need someone STRONG and ARTICULATE to fight a large GLOBAL takeover – REAGAN on steriods is what we need
Your dog would be an improvement.
Ok Thank you both for the first good laugh today…
Ditto OCG and rckmom's vote!
I'd follow that man into battle, he truly cared for his troops.
Yes, but it was his money.
Wow, he needs an anger management class – and he heads an organization that deals in conflict resolution???
You go FreeKirk!
Take no prisoners!
in the military- and in the public services the result is…
Kick him upstairs. A congressional run would suffice; we would even contribute to such an endeavor. One suspects that may be in the works…
The GOP should have given the job to the far more experienced and conservative Kenneth Blackwell.
Excellent! As always!
Yo NAZI butthead!
If you would simply advocate shutting down ALL foreign aid, maybe, just maybe someone would listen to you.
But you are such a skinheaded biggot that you cant stop basing Israel.
Do you know you are simply a tool and a fool and those above you in your "group" are using you just like the islamofasists use suicide bombers?
You are simply a "dumb bomb" dropped by your "handler" to "pump up the volume" and spew stupid hate.
How does it feel to be a tool?
JimmyG,
His ass IS mouth… That is why every time he opens it sh!t spews forth in great volume…
Wow! That's a thought! He is a communicator that would know how to run it with ethics and an Alinsky edge….by that I mean using the parts of Alinsky like repetition only using truths. It could be very effective. ;^)
Replace Steele with a Cheney (Dick or Liz). Then sit back and laugh your a$$ off as the Democrats run over each other trying to get in front of a TV camera to show their outrage!
Ken Blackwell should replace Steele. He was in the running for the position for it originally and the RNC chose Steele.
I don't think Steele is personally a bad guy, and his mistakes don't concern me that much. He is, however, not really inspirational.
Food for thought.
Was justice Hugo Black?
LOL
Actually, I'm sure you can imagine my initial line of reasoning here…
But now you mention it, he would be great! I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
There is one name that comes to mind when I think of who that person might be, Paul Ryan of Minnesota. I think he has what we are looking for. He has allot of the same similarities in philosophy.
God Bless America
Wow I use to he a Republican. I was a Demo to. I am an indepentant today I just want my country to care about the people that make it a great nation. As for "Tea Party" if it was about the country and not all this socialist, communist crap I could get behind. But its not its just more hate! Dam what happen to us as a people when did we stop caring about one another! This isn't the wild, wild west. We are suppose to be a civilized God fearing society?
yes – agree 100%
When are you going to get yourself a seat on your local Republican committee? That'd be a good start.
I would be surprised if Steele cried racist…he would look the fool if he did. He is not right for this job and like you said Ralph…."should be handed his hat." There is plenty of reasons that he could be sent out the door with….we as conservatives should not let this scare us and send him with his walking papers.
You are hardly a blind squirrel! And not to mention the Anti-Semites caterwauling…..
"But when the RNC needs to reach out to others of conservative principle other than white males this kerfluffle needs to be resolved."
Well there YOU go dragging race into it. Can you please look at a man's QUALIFICATIONS and not RACE? Let's get a person who will bring the GOP back to it's core principles, OK? I don't want people focusing on gender, or race, or anything other than QUALIFICATIONS, and MERIT.
"A congressional run would suffice; we would even contribute to such an endeavor. One suspects that may be in the works… "
Great. Let's put another RINOesque person in Congress. Just what we need.
we did no such thing…
He happens to be the first man of color to head the Republican party. THAT's a fact. To publicly disparage the man makes absolutely no sense, and if one ever hopes to broaden the appeal a true mix of America is needed. While not an arch-conservative he is not a RINO, either. He has merit, and talent.
Wise up…
Ok I am a racist Your FIRED!!
Pat is a wonderful guy and a very smart man…
But not a politician. A conservative (some would say isolationist) theorist, intellectually honest to a high degree, and someone with whom we stay in contact with. Certainly can understand why you like him…
This assclown should have never been hired in the first place.
End of story.
Hannibal Hamlin wasn't dumped. He refused to run with Lincoln. And the GOP didn't change their name. Lincoln left the party.
The "Radical Republicans" were going to run their own candidate but made a deal with Lincoln. All he had to do was make a Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery.
Yeah, we don't have enough "Israel First" neocons in the party, right? This is why you people lose.
Do you have your own house?
Are you an "isolationist" for not wanting to live in a commune?
So true.
Wow, I can't believe this comment is getting thumbed down. I guess people on this site are in favor of illegal immigration and are opposed to an America-first foreign policy. Very disturbing. What exactly do you people stand for?
There are a bunch of "volunteers" from Tel Aviv that post here.
Video of Pia Varma as she grabs Michael Steele by the collar and tries to shake some sense into him.
http://www.popmodal.com/video/2577/Pia-and-Tom-Ta...
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