It’s interesting to hear an African-American and a Republican leader say that sexual orientation is the equivalent of racial identity. Does this mean that he supports non-discrimination for GLBT folks in the same way that we have national legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race??????

It’ll make sense then. Michael Steele is doing exactly as I expected when I supported his candidacy.

I mean, geez, everyone was crying and yelling out for a less religious right message and the minute we start instituting a more Ayn Rand feel, every liberals head explodes.

But Steele has an impossible task. How is he supposed to try and win over moderate voters when the party’s Right wing has such a no-compromises mentality towards certain issues that moderates are most likely to want a compromise on?

Even many moderates who oppose same-sex marriages that are actually called “marriages”, many of them support things like civil unions. But the extreme Right of the party wants an absolute ban on ANY recognition of gay relationships and regards any softening of that stance as a betrayal of God and the GOP.

In this climate Steele has no room for maneuver. He’s never going to have the appeal with African-American voters that Obama does. Period. Nor will Bobby Jindral for that matter. GOP sensitivity to Latino issues remains low, so that group is another challenge. Moderate and Left leaning whites just can’t stand the religious extremism of the GOP and with their credibility shot in matters of fiscal policy they don’t have much of a leg to stand on.

Hence Rush Limbaugh outranks Steele in the GOP these days. He’s more in tune with their base, even if the rest of America thinks he’s an ignorant blow-hard.