To Whom Does Steele Owe Thanks for His GOP Win? Barack Obama

By: Tonyaa Weathersbee

Better late than never, I say.

Nearly two decades after the Democrats anointed Ron Brown as the first African-American to head their national committee, the Republicans finally caught up. They recently tapped former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele as their first black party chairman.

At this rate, I guess the GOP will nominate its first black presidential candidate by 2029.

Yet and still, the Republicans’ decision to tap Steele as their leader does, at least, show that they are dipping a big red toe into the new purple mainstream of American politics. This mainstream is one that is ethnically and racially diverse; one that defines itself on issues that it can build upon, not divide itself against.

It was that mainstream that swept Barack Obama into the White House – and Steele into the GOP party chairmanship.

So instead of just thanking the Republican leadership for his new job, Steele ought to be thanking Obama – because if his guy, John McCain, had won, he wouldn’t have had a chance against the guy who George W. Bush foisted on them.

Understand though, that Steele’s ascension doesn’t mean that the Republicans have suddenly unearthed their inner-Lincoln. His nomination, in fact, was hard-fought. Steele, who bills himself as a conservative but is moderate on issues like affirmative action and abortion rights, lobbied for the position for more than two months.

It took six ballots and a five-hour voting marathon before he was proclaimed the winner.

And while Republicans have been willing to trust black people with top positions – witness George W. Bush’s appointments of Colin Powell and later, Condoleezza Rice as the first black secretaries of states – they’ve also been known to expect acquiescence, and not attitude, from them.

It’s like they’re willing to give black people and minorities top jobs – with the understanding that they behave as slaves.

That has to change.

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