Exasperated Steele to Fox News: No, I don't support Socialist resolution

GOP chief Michael Steele had to repeatedly correct FOX News this morning that the focus of the two-day special session of the RNC was not on a resolution to rename the Democratic Party the "Democrat Socialist Party".

YOUTUBE

May 19, 2009

Book GOP chief Michael Steele on Fox and Friends. Check.

Remind Steele to promote his big speech at today's RNC meeting. Check.

Let Fox know that the focus of RNC meeting is not on renaming Democrats, "Socialists." Oops...

No help

If embattled GOP chair Michael Steele wanted to get his message out this morning -- on the friendliest of news networks -- he had to do it without any help from his staff. It appeared that he had to work around his staff to get it out.

Steele has repeatedly said that he doesn't support a powerless resolution that -- if passed -- would ask the Democrats to rename their party the "Democrat Socialist Party." (Read more about this resolution here).

He says the way to rebuild the Republican party is through the discussion of policy differences between the GOP and President Obama's agenda. Steele also likely understands that the resolution, because it's incendiary (one of Steele's favorite words), threatens to eclipse any other topic of discussion during the two-day special session of the RNC.

"I've been very clear that I don't think that that is an appropriate way to express our views on the issues of the day," he said of the resolution on Meet the Press Sunday.

Oops

Someone didn't let Fox know. Not only were three of the four questions posed to Steele themed around the resolution, but the omnipresent text bar on the TV screen rotated between two messages:

1. New GOP strategy: Rebranding the Democrats

2. RNC rebrands the Dems: The Democrat Socialist Party

Correx

Right out of the gate, Steele had to correct host Steve Doocy when greeted with, "Essentially you're going to do your best to rebrand your opponents, the Democrats?"

"Well not so much," Steele said. "This is less of a focus on Democrats and more of a focus on the [Republican] party.

"It's time to talk to folks in our respective communities and lay out an agenda that looks toward the future," he added stating the Republican Party needed to "pull their heads out of the sand."

More

Even after Steele said the focus was not on the pointless resolution, Doocy pushed him on it. "You're going to rebrand them the "Democrat Socialist Party. They're not going to like that," he said laughing.

"I don't know how that resolution will turn out," Steele replied, appearing to cringe.

"Are you for that resolution?" Doocy asked.

"No, I am not for that at all," Steele said. "I've mentioned that to folks inside the party and said we need to be smart and strategic about that."
----------

We support any kind of strategy or strategery. So follow us on Twitter!