# Start Here > Ron Paul Forum >  Former RNC Chair Michael Steele: RNC treated Ron Paul with Rudeness and Stupidity.

## IndianaPolitico

"They are afraid of that which they cannot control, and to the extent that they feel that they cannot control him in those moments, the whole idea of freedom of speech is sort of like, "Well it's a good idea, BUT..." 

“What the Republican National Committee did to Ron Paul was the height of rudeness and stupidity for this reason: Why would you alienate an individual who has the ability to attract a new generation of voters, who are already skeptical of your institution but are willing to at least listen through the vehicle of this individual and the words that he is saying? Why would you alienate them, get on the floor and not let them speak? Not have his name go up on the board and see the number of electoral votes that he receives? This is crazy!” - Michael Steele

http://iroots.org/2012/08/31/michael...and-stupidity/



Wow...



tube:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MPcTWCoBTM

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## July

Wow. A lot of sympathy coming from interesting places.

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## specsaregood

> Wow. A lot of sympathy coming from interesting places.


Before he was ousted; many RP supporters vocally supported him and urged the GOP to not fire him.  He has been sympathetic to RP for awhile now.

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## radiofriendly

Michael Steele had some strong words for the GOP during his interview on the Daily Show.

"What the Republican National Committee did to Ron Paul was the height of rudeness and stupidity for this reason: Why would 
you alienate an individual who has the ability to attract a new generation of voters, who are already skeptical of your institution 
but are willing to at least listen through the vehicle of this individual and the words that he is saying? Why would you alienate 
them, get on the floor and not let them speak? Not have his name go up on the board and see the number of electoral votes 
that he receives? This is crazy!" (He goes on...)

-Michael Steele, Former RNC Chairman

Gotta see this: http://iroots.org/2012/08/31/michael...and-stupidity/

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## specsaregood

for future reference, a search for steele would have turned up an identical thread posted 12 minutes earlier.

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## jkr

OUST THE NEOCON TRASH!

BACK TO THE DONKEY PARTY WITH THEE!

OR...


lose EVERY election in this country for the next 50 years


decisions decisions

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## ClydeCoulter

> Wow. A lot of sympathy coming from interesting places.


Some of it will come, now that we lost, to get some of us to "come on in".  Not that I'm saying that about this article, but do expect fake sympathy before Nov.

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## JK/SEA

That was good. 

We're winning. We're stacking up more and more powerful voices like stacking chopped wood.

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## Warrior_of_Freedom

I can't wait to list all the reasons I'm not voting for Romney to my local GOP chair

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## Lucille

I was rooting for him to win Chair again.  I heard Preibus was all about top-down control, and they were right.

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## TruckinMike

Every time I hear the name Michael STeele  I can't help but recall '"He's done". I remember being so po'ed at that time. But Ron has since forgiven him - he has since become a (political correct) quasi-supporter of the liberty movement. I'm glad to see him speaking up. He's turning our way more everyday.

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## wgadget

Ron Paul and Clint Eastwood, two men who will not succumb to Mitt's authoritarian tactics.  Too bad they didn't know about Clint's propensity till after he said the Afghan War is a mistake, that Gitmo costs too damn much, and that GOOD MEN whether Dem, Rep, or LIBERTARIAN need to be hired to govern OUR country.

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## July

> Some of it will come, now that we lost, to get some of us to "come on in".  Not that I'm saying that about this article, but do expect fake sympathy before Nov.


Yeah I can see some of that going on with the media, in an attempt to re-establish trust.

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## ClydeCoulter

> Yeah I can see some of that going on with the media, in an attempt to re-establish trust.


Wolf B. is very good at giving just the right amount at the right time without giving assistance to truth.

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## UtahApocalypse

The GOP shot themselves in the foot this week

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## July

> Wolf B. is very good at giving just the right amount at the right time without giving assistance to truth.


Yes.

It's been obvious with Rand's interviews this week.

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## ShaneEnochs

Next thing you know Mark Levin will be asking for our forgiveness </sarc>

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## specsaregood



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## kathy88

> Next thing you know Mark Levin will be asking for our forgiveness </sarc>


He's such a puke. When that radio station didn't renew his contract and played his response on air it was one of my fondest memories from this cycle.

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## sailingaway

> "They are afraid of that which they cannot control, and to the extent that they feel that they cannot control him in those moments, the whole idea of freedom of speech is sort of like, "Well it's a good idea, BUT..." 
> 
> What the Republican National Committee did to Ron Paul was the height of rudeness and stupidity for this reason: Why would you alienate an individual who has the ability to attract a new generation of voters, who are already skeptical of your institution but are willing to at least listen through the vehicle of this individual and the words that he is saying? Why would you alienate them, get on the floor and not let them speak? Not have his name go up on the board and see the number of electoral votes that he receives? This is crazy! - Michael Steele
> 
> http://iroots.org/2012/08/31/michael...and-stupidity/
> 
> 
> 
> Wow...


Yeah, he was decent to us as RNC chair, but BEFORE he was chair I do recall his proclaiming that Ron was 'done' after Guliani.

Still, he at least acknowledged we existed as head of the GOP

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## nobody's_hero

Prince Priebus was certainly a down-grade.

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## Carlybee

sooner or later they will all realize how stupid they are

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## ShaneEnochs

> He's such a puke. When that radio station didn't renew his contract and played his response on air it was one of my fondest memories from this cycle.


What did he say???

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## kathy88

> What did he say???


I'll look for the clip.

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## jmdrake

> Before he was ousted; many RP supporters vocally supported him and urged the GOP to not fire him.  He has been sympathetic to RP for awhile now.


Michael Steele is awesome.

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## Suzu

> sooner or later they will all realize how stupid they are


I'm not counting on that. They may be too stupid to ever get it.

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## John of Des Moines

> The GOP shot themselves in the foot head this week


Fixed it for you.

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## kathy88

Search mark Kevin you can't fire me it's a thread here and someone please post the link I can't do it from phone

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## Lucille

> Search mark Kevin you can't fire me it's a thread here and someone please post the link I can't do it from phone


OK, but why?  (I knew that *K*evin was a typo.)

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...bout-Ron-Paul)

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## steph3n

Steele had that moment of declaring Ron Paul done, but you know I think he has actually come around since then and seen that Paul is not nearly done, and a driver of ideas, and a new generation of voters. I am not sure that he's entirely on board with the ideas, but the acceptance of the voters is a first step in that, and you know if he reads enough and has an open mind to it, he may just have come around on it politically and personally as well but doesn't want to be labeled as such to minimize his own fallout from it with the establishment (which he was at one point clearly entrenched but they could not control enough), in fact some could say he set the groundwork for the tea party victors in some ways by strengthening the delegate selection process, breaking apart some of the prior bound votes, and making the tea party (even the non RP supporting tea party) have a better say. Of course that  has all been reversed and thrown out the window now, but he was a very key part in the ability for grassroots to have a real power for a short while.

Steele may not be a standard bearer of 'Liberty' but he was NOT, and is not, an enemy of it either.

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## steph3n

ugh, forum fail! It double postied!

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## Diashi

Isn't this the guy who said Paul's '08 run was "-over. It's finished." while speaking on fox in '07? If he came around a while ago, good for him, but I would bet he'd just as eaily bark for the establishment.

Keep in mind: This is what happened when Paul bowed out of his '08 run. The media treated him like an old friend. Don't be idiots. These people are trying to play us.

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## LibertyEagle

> The GOP shot themselves in the foot this week


Yes, and we are following suit.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...wn-Mitt-Romney

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## specsaregood

> Isn't this the guy who said Paul's '08 run was "-over. It's finished." while speaking on fox in '07? If he came around a while ago, good for him, but I would bet he'd just as eaily bark for the establishment.
> 
> Keep in mind: This is what happened when Paul bowed out of his '08 run. The media treated him like an old friend. Don't be idiots. These people are trying to play us.


Keep in mind that he lost his job  as RNC chairman primarily because he got caught being critical of the afghanistan war.

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## steph3n

> Isn't this the guy who said Paul's '08 run was "-over. It's finished." while speaking on fox in '07? If he came around a while ago, good for him, but I would bet he'd just as eaily bark for the establishment.
> 
> Keep in mind: This is what happened when Paul bowed out of his '08 run. The media treated him like an old friend. Don't be idiots. These people are trying to play us.


Not the case here, Steele has actually been quite respectful, and even going out of his way at times to accommodate supporters and attend Paul events, sure he is a politician and should be seen as such, a way of having some support of his own maybe, but he is not the leading face of the establishment, they threw him to the curb and undid the rules he had worked to put in place to give grassroots more traction.

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## steph3n

> Keep in mind that he lost his job  as RNC chairman primarily because he got caught being critical of the afghanistan war.


True, and who's to say that possibly listening to Paul, reading his books, and reading the reading list for guiliani did not have a lot of sway in that shift in thinking for him? I am not saying it did, I don't know, but is it possible he actually took attention after that 07 debate when Paul WASN'T done and gained traction? He saw wait, maybe there is something here, and actually read the books recommended, and saw the folly and hubris? Possibly...

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## idiom

> for future reference, a search for steele would have turned up an identical thread posted 12 minutes earlier.


Your faith in this sites search engine is your weakness.

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## susano

> Wolf B. is very good at giving just the right amount at the right time without giving assistance to truth.


_By way of deception thou shalt do war._

just sayin'

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## specsaregood

> Your faith in this sites search engine is your weakness.


Not true.  I tested before I posted.  I'm generally a compulsive double-checker.

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## Southerner

I have never thought a whole lot of Michael Steele before today. I couldn't agree with him more on that particular quote however.

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## thehungarian

Like it would have been any different if Steele was still RNC chairman. All he does is bark.

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## Josalyn

Whatever he's done or said doesn't matter. He's still speaking the truth. The RNC/GOP messed up BIG time.

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## affa

> Yes, and we are following suit.
> 
> http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...wn-Mitt-Romney


Many of us have absolutely no interest in Romney winning, and in fact, want him to lose and lose big.

I know you seem to be here to cheerlead the GOP, but I'm never, ever going to agree with you.

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## AuH20

> Many of us have absolutely no interest in Romney winning, and in fact, want him to lose and lose big.
> 
> I know you seem to be here to cheerlead the GOP, but I'm never, ever going to agree with you.


The people who want him to lose big are extremely short-sighted and immature to boot, since the last thing you want to do is give him a democratic congress and 4 years of no future accountability. I just want Obama to win, yet still be restrained by congressional gridlock. Gridlock is the preferred form of government in 2012.

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## specsaregood

> The people who want him to lose big are extremely short-sighted and immature to boot, since the last thing you want to do is give him a democratic congress and 4 years of no future accountability. I just want Obama to win, yet still be restrained by congressional gridlock. Gridlock is the preferred form of government in 2012.


I am in complete agreement.  Last thing we want is Obama to carry a dnc wave with him.

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## PatriotOne

I caught Steele on another show the other day also talking about Ron Paul and the GOP.  Steele was thoroughly disgusted and not hiding it one lil bit.  Looked like he had just taken a bite of a crap sandwich when he said GOP.

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## AuH20

> I am in complete agreement.  Last thing we want is Obama to carry a dnc wave with him.


Just off the top of my head, we'd be looking at:

- a much larger stimulus
- the return of the assault weapons ban
- the creation of a trillion dollar plus public works department
- the fairness doctrine
- higher income taxes
- return of the carbon credit scheme
- full blown amnesty

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## deadfish

This was great. Thanks for posting

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## Josalyn

> Many of us have absolutely no interest in Romney winning, and in fact, want him to lose and lose big.
> 
> I know you seem to be here to cheerlead the GOP, but I'm never, ever going to agree with you.


^this.

I don't want Obama to win either, which leaves me to say... *we're doomed either way*. Obama is Romney and Romney is Obama, they are Obamney and they'd do exactly the same as each other. They'd spend us away by either giving our money away or by waging war. They're one in the same, whether anybody wants to admit that or not, they are. In reality, if you vote Obama you're voting Romney, and if you vote Romney you're voting Obama.

 The only difference between them is that Obama can sing.

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## jct74

great quote from the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, stuck it on the front page!

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## anaconda

Michael Steele had *no problem* disparaging Ron Paul in 2007. See video starting at 2:55.

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## CPUd

> The people who want him to lose big are extremely short-sighted and immature to boot, since the last thing you want to do is *give him a democratic congress and 4 years of no future accountabilit*y. I just want Obama to win, yet still be restrained by congressional gridlock. Gridlock is the preferred form of government in 2012.


This assumes people must vote straight ticket.  It is possible to select a D or I for president, or not even vote for president at all, and still vote R on the other races.

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## coffeewithgames

> Some of it will come, now that we lost, to get some of us to "come on in".  Not that I'm saying that about this article, but do expect fake sympathy before Nov.


This. 1,000 times over. Do NOT forget what they did. Do NOT join their campaigns. They will lie about you in the race, and praise when you lose. It's only about $ and power.

Very interesting quote though....

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## specsaregood

> This assumes people must vote straight ticket.  It is possible to select a D or I for president, or not even vote for president at all, and still vote R on the other races.


Sure its possible but it isn't nearly as common.  His point remains, the best possible result for us is for govt to be divided by party in the various branches.  That way they have to at least pretend to disagree with each other.   Show how that works with obama winning "big" and maybe you'll sell me; but most likely if one is swayed to Obama it means they'll also vote Democrats in the undercards.

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## jkob

Steele wasn't so bad as RNC chairman, there was a reason why he got ousted. He seemed like he genuinely was a big tent guy and had some independent thoughts. He was certainly better than Reince Priebus or his runner up Saul Anuzis. It was pretty clear what the RNC was going with those two goons.

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## steph3n

> Michael Steele had *no problem* disparaging Ron Paul in 2007. See video starting at 2:55.


This is true, he was this way, but how many others were? He may well have realized he was wrong!

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## AuH20

> This assumes people must vote straight ticket.  It is possible to select a D or I for president, or not even vote for president at all, and still vote R on the other races.


I hope so...

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## anaconda

> This is true, he was this way, but how many others were? He may well have realized he was wrong!


Or is he only concerned that his party is a sinking ship and a laughing stock?....

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## twomp

Good video! I still think he's just trying to sell books.

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## sailingaway

> Michael Steele had *no problem* disparaging Ron Paul in 2007. See video starting at 2:55.


That was before Ron took off with grass roots though, or precisely when he began to take off. Steele, when he saw Ron had a following, began making overtures when he became chair.

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## AuH20

> Michael Steele had *no problem* disparaging Ron Paul in 2007. See video starting at 2:55.


People are entitled to change their minds. Walter Jones did and look how great he is. We can't be so close-minded.

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## LibertyEagle

> Many of us have absolutely no interest in Romney winning, and in fact, want him to lose and lose big.
> 
> I know you seem to be here to cheerlead the GOP, but I'm never, ever going to agree with you.




I have NEVER ever "cheerleaded the GOP".  

Prove your assertion.

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## EBounding

I'm fine with Romney losing but only with Republicans gaining a few in Congress (particularly OUR Candidates).  If Romney wins and gets both houses, that isn't great either, but at least those of us involved in the party will have the ability to administer pain to Congress since we're actually in the party at the precinct level.  We can't do that if it's a DNC sweep.

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## jct74

> I caught Steele on another show the other day also talking about Ron Paul and the GOP.  Steele was thoroughly disgusted and not hiding it one lil bit.  Looked like he had just taken a bite of a crap sandwich when he said GOP.


Do you remember what show it was?  I would like to find that clip and maybe get it up on youtube.

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## wgadget

Michael Steele for Paul/Johnson campaign manager!

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## anaconda

> That was before Ron took off with grass roots though, or precisely when he began to take off. Steele, when he saw Ron had a following, began making overtures when he became chair.


In other words he had zero appreciation for Ron's policies.

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## hrdman2luv



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## Tiso0770

Lolz, beat me to the video.

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## CaptainAmerica

I usually can't stand Steele but his honesty in this interview is respectable.

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## Tiso0770

Neither do i, but at lease it's getting media exposure.

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## Bastiat's The Law

I'm open to working with Steele.  He's been open to working with us.

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## anaconda

Stewart's "since 1820" comment made me laugh.

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## Origanalist

> 


There's that racist Ron Paul again.

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## Anti Federalist

> sooner or later they will all realize how stupid they are


No, they won't, at least the GOP leadership.

Maybe the GOP rank and file, my jury is still out on that.

But the leadership?

It's all the same to them, Obmaney.

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## Occam's Banana

> Isn't this the guy who said Paul's '08 run was "-over. It's finished." while speaking on fox in '07? If he came around a while ago, good for him, but I would bet he'd just as eaily bark for the establishment.
> 
> Keep in mind: This is what happened when Paul bowed out of his '08 run. The media treated him like an old friend. Don't be idiots. These people are trying to play us.





> Michael Steele had *no problem* disparaging Ron Paul in 2007 [...]


Everything I've seen regarding Michael Steele seems to indicate he's a decent enough fellow. Including that clip from 2007.

His criticisms of Ron Paul after that '07 debate (and the "he's done - it's over" remark) appear to have been based on his honest opinion. He thought RP's foreign policy positions would kill RP's chances of gaining any support. His remarks did not seem to be motivated by what he personally thought about those positions. IOW, he merely thought that RP had shot himself in the foot and that no significant number of voters would go for Ron Paul after that debate. He was wrong, but that was not an unreasonable thing to think.

Hannity and the other $#@!s, however, didn't give a damn about anything other than the fact that they hated RP's ideas and refused to tolerate (or even consider) the possibility that they might have or get any traction. When RP's ideas DID start gaining traction, Hannity and the others continued braying like jackasses about how Ron Paul was a nut and a kook. Steele, on the other hand, realized he had been wrong about Ron Paul's ability to gain support for his positions and then proceeded to behave like any competent chairman of a political party should - by trying to welcome (rather than drive away) all those new and enthusiastic activists.

I don't know what Steele's politics are, and it's easy for him to talk on Jon Stewart's show when he's got nothing on the line, but I still can't help but think things would have gone a bit differently if Michael Steele had still been RNC chair this year instead of Rinse Prickus [sic - I can never remember how to spell that bastard's name].

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## anaconda

> Everything I've seen regarding Michael Steele seems to indicate he's a decent enough fellow. Including that clip from 2007.
> 
> His criticisms of Ron Paul after that '07 debate (and the "he's done - it's over" remark) appear to have been based on his honest opinion. He thought RP's foreign policy positions would kill RP's chances of gaining any support. His remarks did not seem to be motivated by what he personally thought about those positions. IOW, he merely thought that RP had shot himself in the foot and that no significant number of voters would go for Ron Paul after that debate. He was wrong, but that was not an unreasonable thing to think.
> 
> Hannity and the other $#@!s, however, didn't give a damn about anything other than the fact that they hated RP's ideas and refused to tolerate (or even consider) the possibility that they might have or get any traction. When RP's ideas DID start gaining traction, Hannity and the others continued braying like jackasses about how Ron Paul was a nut and a kook. Steele, on the other hand, realized he had been wrong about Ron Paul's ability to gain support for his positions and then proceeded to behave like any competent chairman of a political party should - by trying to welcome (rather than drive away) all those new and enthusiastic activists.
> 
> I don't know what Steele's politics are, and it's easy for him to talk on Jon Stewart's show when he's got nothing on the line, but I still can't help but think things would have gone a bit differently if Michael Steele had still been RNC chair this year instead of Rinse Prickus [sic - I can never remember how to spell that bastard's name].


Fair enough. I will keep an open mind about Steele and be positive. Thank you for your intelligent and well-written post.

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## paulbot24

> There's that racist Ron Paul again.


A picture is worth a thousand newsletters.

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