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Michael Steele On Christine O’Donnell: ‘I’m Familiar With Foot In Mouth Disease’

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» 23 comments

RNC chair Michael Steele has been, unlike some members of his party, a supporter (albeit a tepid one) of Christine O’Donnell. This morning on Meet the Press David Gregory asked Steele about all the questionable attention some Tea Party candidates have been generating with some of their more flammable and/or mockable remarks.

Gregory: There’s been a lot of attention towards some of the Tea Party-backed candidates: Sharron Angle, speaking to Latinos in Nevada, or Ken Buck’s statement about gays on this program last week, or Christine O’Donnell, who has gotten so much attention, except for the fact that she’s so far behind in that senate race. She’s had misstatements or gaffes in her statements with Chris Coons.

Steele:
Folks make mistakes. Lord knows. I’m familiar with foot in mouth disease. I understand how that is sometimes. You get in the heat of the battle and you have the passion and fire in your belly and you really want to get out there and speak to the issues, speak to the people. you say things that don’t come out correctly. You create misperceptions. That happens a lot in campaigns on both sides. What really matters is how the voters receive that, how voters look at those candidates. Despite those flaws, if you will, of the misspoken word, people understand where their heart is. People understand these folks are going to go out there and fight for them. As I said a little bit earlier, David, this reality right now for people is that we want a leadership that’s going to listen to us. we want someone that’s going to take the fight to congress and not fight against us. whether it’s Christine O’Donnell, Sharron Angle, whoever it happens to be, who has this ground swell of energy behind them, that’s what matters to the people right now.

The “reality” of this is also that O’Donnell is 11 points behind in the polls and Jerry Brown has doubled his lead over Whitman. Harry Reid, meanwhile, is reportedly already preparing for a possible recount with Sharron Angle. Watch below.

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  • Thelonious Funk

    What they stick into their mouths is their own business. I’m more frightened by what they spit out.

  • BatBoy

    Good job Chairman Steele.

  • The Real Royal King

    I have to say this was the best MTP I have seen Gregory moderate. Of course, most of his efforts have been terrible. Steele, as usual, added nothing but a bit of self-professed ignorance and comic relief, but the Panel was excellent. The discussion was substantive, informative, articulate and polite.What a most welcome change.

  • mallikasherawat

    Meg Whitman nanny scandal handling and expense records that cost him support among women, Hispanics and independents. Barbara Boxer holds a lead of 8 percentage points from Carly Fiorina.
    mallika sherawat hot photos

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Antony-Dupuy/1194612935 Antony Dupuy

    1. The L.A. Times poll isn’t worth the paper its printed on.
    2. Early voters (older and angrier) are clearly swaying for Angle, and even if the race was close, Angle would be flooded with tons of money and every Republican lawyer in the country. Plus, I think you wildly overestimate the esteem democrats, especially “moderate” democrats have for Reid. If they are swept in the House and republicans get 50+ in the senate, the democrats would blame his leadership for their losses, and while in public supportive of him, would privately do everything in their power to push him out.

    Even without Angle, republicans pick up CO, WA, AR, IL, WV, CA, IN, ND, PA, and WI, 10 seats (51) (this is according to the Daily Beast, a left leaning site, and other polls). NV makes 52 and a CT miracle makes 53

  • The Real Royal King

    Antony Dupuy said:
    1. The L.A. Times poll isn’t worth the paper its printed on.2. Early voters (older and angrier) are clearly swaying for Angle, and even if the race was close, Angle would be flooded with tons of money and every Republican lawyer in the country. Plus, I think you wildly overestimate the esteem democrats, especially “moderate” democrats have for Reid. If they are swept in the House and republicans get 50+ in the senate, the democrats would blame his leadership for their losses, and while in public supportive of him, would privately do everything in their power to push him out. Even without Angle, republicans pick up CO, WA, AR, IL, WV, CA, IN, ND, PA, and WI, 10 seats (51) (this is according to the Daily Beast, a left leaning site, and other polls). NV makes 52 and a CT miracle makes 53

    That is very amusing. Thank you for the chortle, indeed, the chuckle.

  • writer

    After the election, King, we will all be joining in the chuckle with you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lars-Svensen/100001028197161 Lars Svensen

    This guy David Gregory: Why does he sit there with a dead ‘possum on his head?

  • teabagging rulz

    Oh oh – Does Christine want herself compared to Steele? Me thinks he likes hurting her chances. Establishment Republicans need to show more support.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Noa-Napoleon/100000196522640 Noa Napoleon

    Mockable remarks can be heard on both sides, but we excuse liberals for them because we expect it from them! Whereas when Conservatives are caught saying something out of Character it is portrayed as a mind set rather than a blunder. I’m a conservative who always says stuff I regret but my misstatements are not deliberate whereas some have no problem outright misrepresent an issue they know to be false. Mediaite managers won’t let readers vote on my comments anymore and this means they are too sophisticated for simple folk like me!

  • BlackWidow

    writer said:
    After the election, King, we will all be joining in the chuckle with you.

    Actually if all your tea baggers win it will be good for a laugh for the next two years. I am sure the comedians just can’t wait.

  • Ted-

    BlackWidow said:
    Actually if all your tea baggers win it will be good for a laugh for the next two years. I am sure the comedians just can’t wait.

    You got it, The tea-baggers have a very short shelf life. People will catch on that they are nothing more than a bunch of numb nuts. Over time, they will go buh bye, And that will be good for America.

  • lazzzlo

    To the best of my personal knowledge; I’ve never “tea-bagged”.

    It is possible; I have had an active life.

    However, I certainly have made mistakes before and have said something incorrect that I would like to take back.

    As a voter, I recognize that fact and a lot of other people do as well.

    Basically, people want change and most of us can recognize what that change may do for us.

    That is the appeal.

    If we are dumb douchebags because we don’t follow what the establishment tells us too follow…”Oh well”.

    That is our choice.

  • Nahu Tuk

    http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/47006/

    Unlike some others who get money when people click on a site they post, I do not. This one is a story of how Politico posted an interview attributed to Glenn Beck, but it was NOT Glenn Beck. Has Politico stepped over the line? You decide.

  • Nahu Tuk

    It would seem that the Republican Party, in its appointment of Michael Steele to the chairmanship was the quid pro quo in stupidity for the Democrat Party appointing Howard Dean as its chairman. While Michael Steele might be a nice person, he is one of the weak links in the Republican organization.

    Another utterly stupid thing the Republicans did was to nominate John McCain. I say this while also saying that I admire Mr. McCain for having what it took to survive 6 years in the Hanoi Hilton, but McCain is a RINO, he didn’t have a message, and he couldn’t take the fight to Barack 0bama as he well should have.

    If the Republicans are going to EARN my support in 2012, they are going to have to show me they have learned from their numerous mistakes in the past. (There is a difference between “support” and “vote.”) I wouldn’t vote for 0bama unless he pulled a golden monkey out of his arse.

  • lazzzlo

    It would seem that the Republican Party, in its appointment of Michael Steele to the chairmanship was the quid pro quo in stupidity for the Democrat Party appointing Howard Dean as its chairman./

    A voice of intelligence.

    I f we are going to be sorta “partisan” at least let’s talk realistically.

    If the Republicans are going to EARN my support in 2012, they are going to have to show me they have learned from their numerous mistakes in the past.

    .

    I’m waiting as well…I’m sick and tired of people lying to me.

  • lazzzlo

    As a voter’ I’m not as much angry as the fact that people assume they speak for me.

  • TfT

    Christine O’Donnel was 100% accurate with her first amendment statement, yet the media excoriated her anyway while ignoring the gaffes of Coons….it is just what the media does, target the conservative, give a pass to the liberal.

    None-the-less, everyone makes gaffes….it’s just like NPR as far as reporting them go. NPR fires Juan for opinionating, but maintains contracts with Cokie and Nina, and others who tow their approved line.

    O’Donnel has moved up in the polls, from 21 points behind, to 11 points behind, now to 6 points behind. The people are a whole lot smarter than the media.

    Howie made a clymer of himself on his (un)reliable sources yesterday by openly laughing at SE Cupp when she defended O’Donnell for her factual remarks, making Howie look exactly like the partisan hack he is.

  • NORBIT

    …and then there were NINE!!

    FOX should blare “Eye Of The Tiger” all day as the masses go to the polls to Purge Democratic Intolerance from the political system!!

    THANK YOU NPR!!

    ps) Would it be asking too much to fire Mara Liasson before next Tuesday?
    LMAO!!!
    LMFAO!!!

    THANK YOU NPR!!!!!

  • Some_Dude

    It’s was refreshing the see Steele being humble for once. Or in the least honestly self reflective. He’s just not up to the job. He has the type of attitude Republicans enjoy, but he’s frankly a bit too aggressive and ignorant of the facts. Always fighting from the ropes, even when he’s in a position of strength on a topic.

    Apparently, he also sucks at fund raising.

  • shandler

    Speaking of gaffes, did anyone notice how in answering the question Steele called Gregory “Chris,” Matthews on his brain?

  • The Real Royal King

    TfT said:
    O’Donnel has moved up in the polls, from 21 points behind, to 11 points behind, now to 6 points behind.

    What poll would that be? Today’s RCP Average is -17.2%, and the only poll that I can find even beginning to approximate your fictional numbers if Rasmussen at -11%. In the usual course of such matters, Rasmussen shows the Republican narrowing at this point, then the Sunday before election, Rasmussen will repoll with something close to the RCP Average then tout how accurate he is. So, I’d day -15% to -18% is pretty much on target. I’d like to see your -6%.

    TfT said:
    Christine O’Donnel was 100% accurate with her first amendment statement,

    Absolutely, and I intend to push hard for the Congress to declare the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, our official national religion. There is obviously nothing in the Constitution which would render that illegal. At least according to the O’Donnell Revised Irregular Version of the Constitution.

    Thanks for the chortle.

  • The Real Royal King

    Some_Dude said:
    It’s was refreshing the see Steele being humble for once. Or in the least honestly self reflective. He’s just not up to the job. He has the type of attitude Republicans enjoy, but he’s frankly a bit too aggressive and ignorant of the facts. Always fighting from the ropes, even when he’s in a position of strength on a topic.

    Apparently, he also sucks at fund raising.

    Yes, he is disastrous at his job.

    Affable enough. Decent. In fact, he may be too decent for that job.

    The Republicans created a problem for themselves. The only thing worse than keeping Steele is firing Steele. I imagine the next RNC chair will not be an African-American. Just my guess.

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