Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele told a group of students that African-Americans haven’t been given a good “reason” to want to vote Republican.
“We haven’t done a very good job of really giving you one,” Steele said at DePaul University Tuesday, as reported by the Chicago-Sun Times.
“We have lost sight of the historic, integral link between the party and African-Americans.” “This party was co-founded by blacks, among them Frederick Douglass. The Republican Party had a hand in forming the NAACP, and yet we have mistreated that relationship. People don’t walk away from parties, their parties walk away from them,” Steele said.
The former lieutenant governor of Maryland has been staying relatively low-key since news broke about how money is being spent at the RNC, including funds that went for an erotic club in L.A.
He did not delve into RNC money woes in his remarks.
Steele did bring up the Tea Party movement and what he’s told other leaders, “I have advised our state chairs: Don’t turn your nose up, or turn away those who are active in the Tea Party movement. Embrace them. Welcome them. Talk to them.”
Steele also mentioned the Florida Senate race that is heating up between Marco Rubio and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
“In Florida, Marco Rubio has captured the imagination of the Tea Party there to the detriment of the governor, Gov. [Charlie] Crist, but from my perspective, Marco Rubio if he wins is a good candidate to run for the U.S. Senate. Should Gov. Crist win, he’s a good candidate to run for the U.S. Senate. It’s a win-win,” Steele said.