In a combative telephone interview with USA Today, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that all Republicans should oppose Tom Daschle’s nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services:
Michael Steele said in a telephone interview that Republicans should oppose former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle’s nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle is the second Cabinet nominee to acknowledge he didn’t pay thousands of dollars in taxes.
“We’ve already let one cat out of the bag with (Treasury Secretary Timothy) Geithner,” Steele said. “So what’s the standard down to, to be a Cabinet secretary? You don’t have to pay your taxes? Come on.”
While Daschle’s failure to pay the appropriate amount of taxes is a serious issue, perhaps Steele is not the best messenger on the issue of personal financial responsibility. In 2002, the Washington Post reported “two banks have filed foreclosure proceedings in the past year against Steele and his wife, Andrea, after they failed to make payments on their mortgage and a home equity loan last year. The loans, totaling about $ 96,000, listed the Steeles’ townhouse in Largo as collateral, a property that is valued for tax purposes at $ 115,110, according to court and tax records.”
57 Responses to “Steele Urges Republicans To Oppose Daschle”
The Gr8 Communicator on 02 Feb 2009 at 2:02 pm #
Wow. Way to go Steele. YOU IDIOT
Chuck Free on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:06 pm #
I’m sure that Mr and Mrs Steele’s failure to pay their mortgage and home equity loan were just “youthful indiscretions”.
JO on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:08 pm #
Steele really !! You are such a complete idiot. Useless !!
Tyrus on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:19 pm #
Steele , do not throw stones when you are living in a glass house . Being black on the republican side doesn’t make you untouchable .
StopTheObstructionist2012 on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:28 pm #
You could write a fiction story that was this hillarious! This guy is a walking oxymorun. I bet he was one of those Grand Obstructionist Party members who were blamming the community reinvestment act and poor minorities who didn’t pay their mortgages for the collaspe of the housing market. Please!, somebody find the clip online of him blamming the poor and Acorn for the housing collaspe and put it on youtube. Please! who needs enemy’s when your name is Michael Steele!
Adrianne on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:35 pm #
I KNEW IT! The RNC is so clueless. The fact that it took 6 tries to elect this man, plus not taking in consideration how the southern republicans feel about this nomination just means that its smooth sail for the Dems in 2010 and 2012
Suzanne on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:41 pm #
OMG this is just too funny ….. does ANYONE in Washington pay their bills, (taxes, mortgages, clothes?) like the rest of us??? NO WONDER they are so out of touch!
Rosie on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:45 pm #
What were the RNC thinking when they elected Steele?
Were they trying to emulate the Dems and hope that an African American would get them more votes?
Steele was not the most qualified and certainly unvetted with baggage now coming to light.
None of them are very good at math apparently.
Most of them are too old and bitter to be able to function properly.
Most of them are totally unable to remember their “youthful indescretions” – it was so long ago!
They are a joke.
LuZenMyMnd on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:48 pm #
Michael Steele is a counterfeit.
I find it amazing that the republican’s always seem to have an answer…..yet nothing seems to work out.
Steele is the answer to Obama
as Palin was the answer to Hillary
Copy cat as they may…..he’s not the original and doesn’t seem to have an original thought. He’s still echoing the same cynical assinine suggestions as Rush and Rove.
And does he REALLY believe the Pat Buchanan republicans are going to be behind him??? What a joke. He’ll divide them MORE than they’re divided now.
kj on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:56 pm #
There you go again. Attack the messenger rather than the message. (usually a sign of weakness incidentally) Question is “What do you think about Daschle not paying his taxes?”
laura on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:59 pm #
This is who the Republicans picked as their leader?? Someone who is going to fight all the way and who is such a hypocrite AND supports the moron Sarah Palin. Bye bye GOP you are going to be going bye bye faster than you think!!
laura on 02 Feb 2009 at 3:59 pm #
kj, you have a good point, but it doesn’t matter.
ron on 02 Feb 2009 at 4:05 pm #
legalization will help me cope with my anger
MarylandCurt on 02 Feb 2009 at 4:12 pm #
This is the same Steele who failed the Maryland Bar, got a paycheck from the MD GOP while running for LtGov (had no income/savings), did zero while Erlich’s LtGov, got clobbered in his solo run for Senate, even after distributing flyers headlined “Steele – Democrat” to inner cities hoping his black face would fool folks into voting for a Rethug anyhow. So, the last two years, he’s been the very rare non-white GOP talk show guest.
Nice life Steele…bet your mother would be very proud.
maggie on 02 Feb 2009 at 4:20 pm #
If the politicians paid their taxes and upheld their mortgages, maybe the country would not be having this financial crisis. How can this man talk about Daschle when he is doing no better himself?
Would Daschle have paid his taxes if he had not been picked for this office? How many more Senators and Congressmen/women are behind in their taxes? This is something that needs to be investigated.
Dee on 02 Feb 2009 at 4:46 pm #
Michael Steele has and always will be an idiot! The only reason he was even elected Chair of the RNC is because his 2 top Republican contenders was one clown who just recently resigned from an all-White country club and another dunce who sent out Barack-The Magic Negro Christmas Cards…and it STILL took them five rounds of votes to elect him! All hail the lesser of 3 evils!!!
Sardonic on 02 Feb 2009 at 4:46 pm #
At least we know that he is in touch with the struggles of the people–unable to pay his bills. The GOP Senators had better get behind the Econmic Recovery Plan b/c it looks like their leader needs a bailout!
Imagine that, the leader of the GOP on gub’ment assistance…lol
Steele Urges Republicans To Oppose Daschle - Southern Maryland Community Forums on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:13 pm #
[...] Urges Republicans To Oppose Daschle Legum’s New Line
mojo3 on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:23 pm #
Steele has “selective memory.” This is the way to go, Steele: Get
the Repubs to vote against Tom. You did say now you could “spar”
with Obama. How sad. why not try WORKING with him and the
Democrats? Let’s NOT forget where we come from.
From a senior citizen Black to a Black.
renee on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:25 pm #
People in Glass HOUSES really shouldn’t throw stones. Get a life MIKE!!
Steele's a Gimmick on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:26 pm #
I bet Steele could have used some of that Stimulus Package aid! Wake-up Steele, you’re a Gimmick, like Palin was a gimmick for Hillary.
Steele Urges Republicans To Oppose Daschle - Southern Maryland Community Forums on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:30 pm #
[...] Urges Republicans To Oppose Daschle Legum’s New Line
MD Republican on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:37 pm #
We all need to thank Steel for attempting to keep a CRIMINAL out of the cabinet.
FYI – not paying income tax is a CRIME, coing into foreclosure isn’t
Jane on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:37 pm #
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Stephanie in California on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:37 pm #
The Republicans never do their research before picking a candidate. They saw woman with Palin and they see black man with Steele. Steele is a fraud just like Palin is a fraud. Wake up Republicans, the American people are smarter than you are.
Elizabeth on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:49 pm #
Keep opening your mouths, Steele, Palin, Limbaugh and all the other irrelevant wind bags. It’s like pennies from heaven.
Bill on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:53 pm #
Glad the GOP can use Steele, he was pretty useless as LG in Maryland.
Chuck Free on 02 Feb 2009 at 6:09 pm #
KJ, I agree with you on Daschle. Geithner was bad enough but he’s uniquely qualified for Treasury Secretary at this time while Daschle isn’t the only one who can do the HHS job. If he had any decency he’d gracefully withdraw. Also, the Obama people need to vet a bit more carefully and I say all of this as a staunch Obama supporter.
meself on 02 Feb 2009 at 6:18 pm #
krishnan on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:04 pm #
wrote:
“Pot calling the kettle black….
oh, wait that was a wrong metaphor…”
Thank you for a wonderful laugh!
Marie on 02 Feb 2009 at 6:25 pm #
This is hillarious… Wow could this get any better.
redsongia on 02 Feb 2009 at 6:40 pm #
Hardly the same thing. If Steele can’t pay his mortgage, he’ll lose the house. That’s his business, not like he’s taking anything from the federal treasury…and I say this as a fan of Daschle. I thought he was a good Minority Leader in the Senate.
Capt. Progressive's answers on Yedda - People. Sharing. Knowledge. on 02 Feb 2009 at 7:33 pm #
Yedda: RE: The End of the Bush Years…
Capt. Progressive answered: re:Will you miss President George W. Bush when he leaves the White House? Why or why not? …
Richard on 02 Feb 2009 at 7:51 pm #
I saw Steele on CNN with Wolf asking about these kind of questions and being seeing as ‘ obstructionists’ to the Obama Plan.
Hello Mr. Blitzer…. ask Mr. Steele back and ask him about His not paying His debts. As your CNN mantra says ‘ Just Keeping them… Honest’
Reallllly…? We want to hear his answer….
bob hampton on 02 Feb 2009 at 7:56 pm #
mike steele acts as though his do do does not stink. when he was picked to be lg of md, it was disclosed his home was in foreclosure.he was supposed to have borrowed money from his sister,who was married to mike tyson. i suppose she got the money from the ten million she “squirreled” “stolen” away while married to mike tyson. looks like a family of less than honorable folks and he’s trying to run the rnc. perfect fit. this could not have happened to a better bunch of idiots,the repugs and their token black leader.
ohreally??? on 02 Feb 2009 at 8:47 pm #
MD republican. You’re right, going into foreclosure isn’t a crime – BUT DEFAULTING ON A LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT — YOUR PROMISSORY NOTE TO A BANK – IS A CRIME. It just isn’t worth it to a bank to put you in jail for that — they just take the property back.
Know what you speak of before you sound off on something.
MD Republican on 02 Feb 2009 at 9:48 pm #
You losers are incredibly stupid and you’re going to get the most corrupt government in our history.
Gloria Y on 02 Feb 2009 at 11:00 pm #
Christmas in January for the Democrats. With Michael Steele it is Republicans here we come in 2010 and 2012. Hurray for the Democrats!!
mike on 03 Feb 2009 at 3:04 am #
Hooray for the party of tolerance! Come on and spell it with me H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E-S.
C. on 03 Feb 2009 at 5:08 am #
I wonder if Michael Steele has read the release from fellow party member David Duke..? It’s such a warm and heartfelt F*** you-
It’s tragic when a man deludes himself into the paid service of a group that simply despises his ilk…
One wonders how Mr. Steele intends to reach out to members of his party at those white only country clubs he can’t get into…
What a sad joke!
Steve P on 03 Feb 2009 at 8:35 am #
Daschle should withdraw, end of discussion. Presdient Obama’s support of Daschle will make the president and his cabinet look corrupt.
Making exception and looking the otherway is exactly what got us in this economic mess.
Daschle is a lwyer. The line that he crossed between right and wrong was clear. He knew he broke the rules.
The tone of so many posters is toxic. Let’s get down to business folks. We have a broken country and a broken congress to fix.
Dale from Midland on 03 Feb 2009 at 9:47 am #
Maybe Michael Steele could get some advisement on this from Joe the Plumber who is incidentally also behind on his house payments and his property taxes and his State of Ohio income taxes and is advising all of the most brilliant minds in the Republican Party this very day. Or maybe he could get advisement from Sarah Palin and set up a PAC to pay this or better yet, just borrow a humungous charge card from a very rich Republican donor, go to Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus and Saks and charge $96,500 on the card and take it back and get cash for the returns.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:18 am #
Another dirt bag in the obstructionist republican party. Lets take a long and hard look at Steele’s taxes.
kaz on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:18 am #
Not making excuses, however, there is a big difference in not paying your mortgage to a bank and tax evasion. One you are using property as collateral and if you don’t pay you lose your home. The other is a federal crime and directly invovles the goverment. Now Nancy Killifer hasd dropped out as Obamas selection as czar of the federal budget. Big difference when you are going to work for the government and something that you personally dowith your credit.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:23 am #
I dare anyone to do a random pick of the Republicans and you would find the same tax violations and even more. These people have always followed the rule that say–we make the rules and everyone else follow the rules. The rich and powerful do not pay taxes, what else is new. These people don’t need a tax cut, we the working, follow the rules, stiffs need the tax breaks.
kaz on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:23 am #
You can’t compare the two you idiots. You root for Daschle and condemn Steele. Don’t be a bunch of hypocrites yourselves.
Obamas choices are for high government positions and he clearly has dropped the ball with trusting the people he so carefuully chose to do the vetting and letting Pelosi write the Stimulus package that now wasted all our time and has to be rewritten. Just be honest with yourselves for once.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:26 am #
It is time that the IRS go after all of these folks, republican and democrat–this could well help to solve the budget short falls…don’t forget the wallstreet gang of theives.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:32 am #
Kaz, it is so odd that you put yourself down by calling others idiots–what you have to say now does’nt matter. Go listen to your idiot leaders, Joe the Plummer, Palin and Limbaugh. You have to remember, what you have to say in this conversation makes no difference at all, we won, you lost buddie.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:37 am #
Lets see what else will be revealed about Steele–I am sure that he has a lot yet to come out that we don’t know. He has open the door, so lets take a long and hard look. On another suject, it will be interesting to see how much money he will be able to raise for the Racist Republican Party, remember these people have refused to give their business funders, economic bailouts….by the way David Duke was correct, Steele is racist too, all he need now is to be fitted in a white robe with hood and he will be good to go.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:41 am #
Steele, you are playing with the big boys now, let see how long you last, I give you less than 12 months and you will be replaced.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:44 am #
Kaz, by the way you should be out looking for a job….or should your employer be notified that you are wasting their time and money by calling people idiots on line. I think you had better think about that long and hard.
Sims on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:48 am #
MD Republican, we won you lost buddie–we must have something going for us, you think? Just go away and stay out of the way, what you have to say makes no difference, I do hope you advised your party over the last 8 years, its’ over now buddie.
HopeWon2008 on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:52 am #
As a life long Liberal Democrat I will not call the Republicans names. I disagree with their trickle down eocnomic theory but they have the right to their beliefs just like I do. I’m not sure why some on the other side call me unpatriotic or unamerican for being a Democrat. that’s a pretty stupid argument. While Nero fiddles….Rome is burning. We need to turn this economy around. All the name calling and negativity is not going to help anyone. If the Republicans have what they consider good ideas, let them put them forth to our President. If President Obama thinks his ideas are better I hope he pushes them through. Who evers ideas are chosen we all need to stand behind them and cross our fingers and hope they work because we all rise and fall as one. There are people litterally falling through the cracks as we speak. They need help and we need to help our country help all of it’s citizens. Let’s try our very best to work this out but we must remember, Obama won and he will have the last word. That’s why we gave him a mandate with over 53% of the vote last November.
Kendall on 03 Feb 2009 at 12:11 pm #
I have one question. Does anyone remember the Republicans sending in Alan Keyes to run against Barack Obama for the Senate seat? Well, here we go again. I guess you ride the wave while it’s high. Although, Steele is a little more credible than Keyes. He’s certainly much more handsome. But, I don’t like his politics.
Debs on 03 Feb 2009 at 5:09 pm #
Does ANYONE pay their taxes or debts anymore? Whether its your mortgage or taxes, the integrity and ethics issues are the same. He paid his late just like Daschle did but so what? We all can get into financial bids, but come on–when your salaries are that high–and you can’t manage, but you expect those with $20-50,000 incomes to paid their bills, save for tomorrow, take care of their parents/kids, pay off their college loans, pay for their kids to go to college, buy cars, maintain health insurance, etc, then fault them for being poor money managers when they can’t; and yet, those two, who made hundreds of thousands of dollars can’t do it either and we’re suppose to say that’s OK? Well it’s not. You don’t lead by asking others to do what you won’t or can’t do yourself. There are better people for health and better people for the Republicans.
Maria on 03 Feb 2009 at 6:47 pm #
Stephanie in California on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:37 pm #
The Republicans never do their research before picking a candidate. They saw woman with Palin and they see black man with Steele. Steele is a fraud just like Palin is a fraud. Wake up Republicans, the American people are smarter than you are.
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Really? Guess your man the big B.O. did his vetting process properly? This is why he and his administration is an embarrassment to anyone who voted for him? And, last I looked, B.O. is black. I happen to know TONS of blacks who voted for Obama BECAUSE he is black. Are you one of them?
Elizabeth on 02 Feb 2009 at 5:49 pm #
Keep opening your mouths, Steele, Palin, Limbaugh and all the other irrelevant wind bags. It’s like pennies from heaven.
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Oh, no, Elizabeth. THe title of “Gaffe machine” still stands with your numbskull V.P. Biden. Nobody and I mean nobody can take his crown away.
Maria on 03 Feb 2009 at 6:53 pm #
HopeWon2008 on 03 Feb 2009 at 11:52 am #
As a life long Liberal Democrat I will not call the Republicans names. I disagree with their trickle down eocnomic theory but they have the right to their beliefs just like I do. I’m not sure why some on the other side call me unpatriotic or unamerican for being a Democrat. that’s a pretty stupid argument
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Even though I disagree with your “name”, I have to applaud you. You are the smartest Liberal Democrat I have ever met. Unfortunately for the party, nobody even came close to you. Welcome to my world! I feel just like you. I am an Independent who did not vote Obama, and I do not support Pelosi’s Stimulus Package as it stands. He needs to EARN my support and so far, he is not doing a good job.
I do appreciate the fact that you feel BOTH sides can bring something to the table. The “original” package had nothing in it for “regular” people. It wasn’t until the Repubs would not back it in the house, that they “added” some tidbits in it for “them”. Even Reid admitted it on T.V. But, thanks to those Repubs and EVEN SOME DEMS, they want more for us.
So, even though some of you bash repubs, you should at least give credit where it is due. Thanks to their standoff, us regular people may end up with something in this package.
Oh, and I RESENT being told by Obama when he was running to “tighten our belts” and “turn our thermostats down” when he can litteraly bask in the heat in the Oval Office, that WE are paying for.
Like I said, he needs to EARN respect and support. By the looks of the polls and blogs I have been on, he is losing support of the very people who put him in office!
Mearrytwerm on 09 Feb 2009 at 2:29 pm #
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