I’m afraid that either purposefully or unwittingly they are playing the role of Meghan McCain. The media is just trying to pass of their meme that the GOP is in disarray. As I always say, ignore the media when they do their commentary passed off as news.

While we clearly have huge opportunities internally (I don’t have my head in the sand for our challenges going forward), it’s not as bad as the media would like all to believe. Because, if things are looking up by using a strong, conservative message then their pushing of the “moderate” theme gets trumped. And the last thing they want is the GOP to actually resurge.

Expect the media message to get worse before it gets any better (if it ever does).

My take is that his is trying hard to cast an inclusive feel to the Republican party and it actually works for me. It’s pretty obvious the media jumps on anything he says in a negative way. Maybe it’s because Steele projects a lighthearted touch and the media wants to maintain the frame that republicans are only hard right idealogs.

I thinks Steele sees his job as not to please the base but to expand it. He seems to be trying anything that will get some media cycle time and shake things up. Boy, is he accomplishing that. This can only help in the available $ pool. Time will tell if he’s successful. But he is surely taking a new approach.

this is an appropriate place to mention a call placed to Rush today.

A lady called to suggest that the corporate leaders of Chrysler and other government-owned entities or “somebody” should “stand up” to TBP Obama, and just say no to his ill-conceived business plans. Rush correctly pointed out that if we wait for “somebody” else to stand up to TBP, it won’t get done.

It occurred to me at the time that a good description of the Tea Party phenomenon is that they were an example of hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of people, standing up to the government. Those of us who regularly read and write on these websites and elsewhere are another, perhaps a bit more focused. The professionals who write and speak among us are another order of magnitude in the forefront. And those who actually run for office should have the admiration of all of us.

Some of the folks who do that talking, though, some of the leaders, miss the big picture of the base of that pyramid–the tea party organizers and attendees. They get lost in the theory of “inclusiveness” vs. “exclusivity,” much to the delight of the liberal newstalker asking the questions. The big picture should have shown them that there are plenty of people who care about most of the Republican Party’s conservative ideals, but there is no reason to expect that any of those people would agree on all of them.

Instead, the conversation degenerates into you-know-what about Rush Limbaugh and Arlen Specter and Dick Cheney and Colin Powell and their respective attractiveness as Republicans, none of which matters one iota to the average voter and his possible future commitment to the Republican candidate in their next election. It’s as if millions of Uninvolved* voters will be galvanized into action if we just beg Colin or Arlen to once again profess their allegiance to the Republican Party, or if we beg Rush and Dick to just retire to the corner of the room and enjoy a fine cigar together.

The spokesmen infuriatingly ignore the millions of us who are “standing up” in front of them, telling them that the Conservative philosophy that’s been the basis of the Republican Party platform for years, is still the right approach to both politics and life. To be more “inclusive,” the party need not move further left, it simply has to clearly and proudly proclaim what it stands for. If it stands for the right, “they will come.” If it doesn’t, then why are we supporting it? They seem to look right through us, as if we weren’t there.

So to Rush I would say, “People are standing up. ‘Trickle-up’ politics works exceeding slow, but it sets an example for the next event. Maybe even Leon Panetta took notice, (or maybe not.) Senator Judd Gregg turned down an offer he couldn’t refuse. Governor Mark Sanford turned down bailout money with strings. Ford Motor Company turned down bailout money, period.” It’s now up to the rest of us to stay on our feet, one way or another. And we need to make sure our leadership understands, too.

*Credit: David Hinz