Steele: Columnist is ‘nutjob’ for warning about climate of violence against Obama

By David Edwards
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 -- 8:33 am
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steele Steele: Columnist is nutjob for warning about climate of violence against ObamaIn Tuesday's New York Times, columnist Tom Friedman warned that there was a climate of anger in the US that could lead to violence against President Barack Obama. This morning, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called Friedman a "nutjob" for his remarks.

According to Friedman, "Criticism from the far right has begun tipping over into delegitimation and creating the same kind of climate here that existed in Israel on the eve of the [Yitzhak] Rabin assassination." Rabin, an Israeli prime minister, was killed by a right-wing Israeli radical in 1995.

In response, Steele said, "Where do these nutjobs come from? Come on, stop this."

"You're saying because you disagree with the president on policy, that all of the sudden we're going to make this leap into, you know, assassinations and all this other stuff," Steele continued. "I mean, at the height of all this stuff on Bush and people complaining and protesting, and jumping up and down, you didn't have this kind of conversation. Now all of the sudden you're going to color it because of a public policy debate in terms of, because the president is black."

Roberts countered that concerns may be well-founded: the Secret Service has reported an increase in threats.

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"Threats against this president are at a level 400 percent higher than the former President Bush. How do we explain that?" Roberts asked.

Steele seemed incredulous. "No one ever reported on that level," he said.

In fact, a former member of the Secret Service has reported a 400 percent increase in threats.

The RNC chairman continued to suggest that warnings about threats to Obama are connected to the color of his skin. "I haven't seen that publicly put out there statistically to show that, but even if it is, this is my point. I think that we need to be very smart and very careful about jumping, making these leaps on race and connecting dots that may or may not exist there," Steele said.

This video is from CNN's American Morning, broadcast Sept. 30, 2009.



Download video via RawReplay.com

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Story comments are below...

  • davidrvelasquez
    Dear Mr Steele,

    Before you take us to task for repeatedly charging the Republican Party with stoking the fires of white racist reaction and fostering emnity towards President Obama because of his race, political past and promoting lies related to his birth and his religion... I have to ask, what do you offer as evidence that the GOP has become an inclusive political party? What part of their platform speaks to the concerns of other ethnic groups, and the economically disadvantaged?
    I know you resent being called a 'Tom' or a 'token', which of course is understandable,... but would you give us an approximate number of how many comprise the black caucus in the Republican Party?
    And when you look out among the teabag protests... some of which intentionally haven't invited you, can you honestly say that there are more slogans written on those cardboard signs that carry a message that speak nonwhites than there are that disparage nonwhites or decry what they perceive to be a threat specifically to the white race?

    When listening to the speeches of republicans like Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Pat Buchanan and Glen Beck... is there anything that you hear in anything they say that you think is meant in good will to nonwhites?

    I have to ask... because I've really no idea which alternate universe you inhabit that allows you to justify participating in a party that increasingly scripts hate, intolerance and irrationality into its party platform.
  • SharksBreath
    If it does lead to violence do the people at Fox news realize they won't ever be able to go to work again.
  • Gene
    Ha! This is funny....the "Head Nut-Job" defending all the other "nut-jobs" in his nutty party...! I guess it takes alll kinds....
  • carly
    Steele is delusional. Especially his comments about the right wing not stirring up potential violence. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
  • AlanMacDonald
    Tommy's not a nut job -- just a corporatist tool (as is the NYT).



    Here's my 8:00 AM comment the the NYT wouldn't post:



    Tommy, America, our country, is no longer our country, or a democracy.



    Rather it is a ruling-elite corporate/financial EMPIRE hiding behind the facade of a two-party, 'Vichy' sham of democracy.



    The American people learned in 1775 that there can be no "we" when you are controlled by an Empire. (period)



    The issue, dear Tommy, is whether we, the real citizens, want to live under democracy or Empire, and there can be none of your 'soft logic' middle-ground on that issue!



    As Hannah Arendt presciently warned based on her understanding of the Nazi Empire (and all other Empires), "Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home."



    Yes, Tom, we can fight Empire and restore our democracy --- but that ‘we’ does NOT include the Empire!



    Alan MacDonald

    Sanford, Maine
  • Dirk
    Perhaps the NYT moderators found a guy from Maine calling someone a Tom laughable.
  • gloriay
    Michael Steele clearly cannot differentiate between Policy disagreements and statements INCITING VIOLENCE. Since when are statements about assassination of the POTUS considered policy statements? Please educate me. I'm amazed at the ignorance of this man. He is so irrelevant to any serious discourse, that my 19 year old grand child pokes fun at him every time he opens his mouth. Imagine him labelling Tom Friedman a "Nut job!!" Mr Friedman's foot bottom is smarter that Michael Steele.
  • My3Cats
    Michael Squeal is a pretty sorry excuse for the chairman of anything. Actually, he's the perfect RNC chairman. A confederacy of dunces deserves a douche nozzle for their spokesperson.
  • beckjr2000
    There were plenty of threats against President Bush. Not the least of which was a movie depecting his assination by his critics. Who exactly is making threats against President Obama? Turn them into the Secert Service! Friedman's rants are a result of the rejection by the majority of Americans of the Left's ideas to expand Government control over everything.
  • btmomo
    Your screen name says everything we need to know. No connection to reality, mindless knee-jerk wingnut rant.

    Threats are up 400%. People are bringing GUNS to presidential events. There is no parallel between the anti-Bush protests and the anti-Obama wingnut hysteria.
  • kscitydude
    When did we become a nation of "name callers?"
  • dickrambone
    Hey, let's start one of those polls; Would you like Steele dead?
    __Yes; he's a useless piece of shit!

    __No; he's too much fun to watch trip on his dick!
  • Artemusg
    Michael Steele does a fine job, all by himself. of "connecting dots that may or may not exist there".
  • EE KELLER
    This man is SO uninformed and makes such a fool of himself when he opens his mouth. My Republican friends (yes, there are still some reasonable Republicans out there...note, they did not vote for George Bush OR John McCain) are embarrassed by him.
  • ulfur
    Steele is another Republican that tries to deny reality. Yes, threats against Obama are 400% higher than they were for Bush. But even Steele knew in his heart that race was part of the reason. He went there on his own when trying to explain his position.

    Republicans rely on violence when all else fails. Bush had people arrested for waring anti war t-shirts in his presence.
  • allenallen
    And further... Steele should apologize to Rush Limbaugh! No reason... just to make sure he's still kissing that fat drugy's ass.
  • Roy
    Am I mistaken? but didn't the right wing idiots wanted Mr Steele to resign right after he was named as Chairman?
  • alverant
    During Clinton's term in office one conservative fired an uzi into the White House and another conservative tried to crash an airplane into the Oval Office. Two assassination attempts for a Democratic president and none for his "successor" even though Clinton was a much better President than W. What does that tell you about the level of violence conservatives are willing to use, Steele?
  • imwc
    the only difference i see between bush/obama is healthcare...is this what the fuss is all about?...all the illegal things started by bush are still in place...
  • NadePaulKuciGravMcKi
    Note how the AIPAC Neocons love to smear people as nutjobs.

    9/11 Anyone?
  • texasaggie
    Michael, you are the one who brought up race in this particular instance. Whatever the reason, threats against Pres. Obama ARE up 400% over what they were against Bush. Accept it.

    Want to know why? Because the left is civilized and the right isn't. It's as simple as that. Which side is attached to its weaponry like Linus to his blanket? Which side believes that killing someone is the solution to most problems? Which side equates strength with military attacks? Now you know why Obama is under threat but Bush, despite being responsible for destroying everything that America stands for, never was. Actually Bush is in more danger now because if he ever goes overseas, Baltazar is waiting for him, and Bush faces a trip to the Hague.
  • icenine
    Steele is the Republican black-face firewall against public acknowledgment of their obvious racism. I hope he's getting paid handsomely.
  • usmarks
    During Viet-Nam there was a saying: "The unwilling, led by the incompetent, to do the impossible." The Republican Party looks like "the all too willing, led by the incompetent, to do the impossible", to turn back the clock to pre civil rights laws. Maybe Beck's fascination with the Revolutionary War period is a sublimated desire to return to a pre Emancipation Proclamation era. Republican thinking has nothing to do with the ideals the Founding Fathers put down on paper. Anyone who isn't concerned about Obama'a safety has their head so far up their butt no one can take them seriously. Steele is a clown, a throw back to the worst portrayals of blacks in show business. That's his actual role.
  • bintexas
    Where do these nutjobs come from? Foxbots, Rushbots, et al.
  • beegy
    Tom Friedman has more brains in his little finger than Michael Steele has in his whole body. "Nut job," indeed! What cartoon show was Steele watching when people armed with weapons showed up at town halls and in the vicinity of President Obama's appearances? Yeah, yeah, yeah, they had their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms--I am not an anti-gun person--but why did they insist on doing it at high risk, high tension political gatherings?? I do not think Tom Friedman is alone in his fears by any means. Whether you are Dem or Repug you have to be stupid to poo-poo the threat. Michael Steele is doing more damage to the GOP with his tirades than helping. Get real and get lost.
  • WJM
    Is there ANYONE more out of his mind than this poor loser? He REALLY doesn't get it, he's the RNC's TOKEN. And he sure is earning his money. He stands up against honesty and common sense every chance he gets. he obfuscates everything he possibly can and just plain lies like a RNC head with a smile on his face. What a pathetic whiner. I don't know whether to really hate him or just to pity him. Thank God no one anywhere listens to a word he says.
  • btmomo
    Sadly, there are MANY more out of their minds than Steele...just read the comments posted by the wingnuts in his party. I truly wonder how anyone watches Glenn Beck, Fox News or listens to Limpblow without gagging, much less takes it seriously.
  • Look around Mr. Steele...it's all around you in your bubble! Liberals weren't demanding Bush's blood under the tree of liberty. We wanted him tried for treason at the Hague!
  • rider3
    Where do the nut jobs come from? Is he kidding? They come from the f'ing Republican party and their insane followers. OMG, what a stupid comment from a supid man.
  • Puzzled in MD
    Was Steele this much of a Party Toady while he was Lt. Gov. of Md? I /used/ to think he had some integrity, now it's just sad to hear him spout nonsense. If he had any/sense he'd be on the front-page denouncing and decrying the Birthers and other /real/ nutjobs that are dragging the RNC into irrelevancy.
  • wayne_from_greenville
    In response, Steele said, “Where do these nutjobs come from?”

    Michael, Michael, Michael.... The nutjobs come from within YOUR PARTY.
  • allenallen
    HA! Like that movie, "the phone call is from INSIDE THE HOUSE!"
  • mister_wonderful
    Pathetic clown gets paid well.
  • Thomas Jefferson
    oh steele you tool, do you honestly think that once Obama is out of office you will still have a job at the RNC?

    what a halfwit.
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