Poor Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who seems to have a permanent case of foot-in-mouth disease. He is a nice man, and a loyal son of the Church. I have tried and tried for two days, since his now famous remarks about the war in Afghanistan being a war of choice, to find some rationale for his remarks. Many politicians exaggerate when speaking to a crowd of the party faithful, an ordinary desire, albeit one that politicians exhibit to an extraordinary degree, to please the audience. But, surely, Steele knew these words would not please his audience, or anyone else in his party who would be listening - and someone is always listening in the era of YouTube.
No, the conclusion is inescapable. He meant what he said. I do not often agree with Bill Kristol, but Kristol is right when he says that the opinions expressed by Steele are held by many, but they should not be held by the titular head of the GOP.
