GOP decries 'socialism' of Obama, Democrats

By Paul West
May 21, 2009
Baltimore Sun

OXON HILL - - The Republican National Committee approved a watered-down resolution Wednesday evening that called on President Barack Obama and the Democrats to stop "pushing our country towards socialism and government control."

The action, at a brief and rare special session of the RNC in Republican National Chairman Michael S. Steele's home county, spared the party the potential embarrassment of the more strident language of the original resolution.

An earlier version of the measure would have called for the opposition to "rename themselves the Democrat Socialist Party." The revised resolution was approved by a voice vote, in a package with two other measures, with just one dissenting vote by an unidentified committeewoman.

Steele, who worked behind the scenes in recent weeks to resolve the issue, had objected to the initial wording, warning in a memo last month that it would give the party's adversaries an opportunity to "mischaracterize Republicans."

Steele, a resident of nearby Upper Marlboro, presided over the 23-minute meeting, which concluded a three-day gathering of party officials.

The annual meeting of state Republican chairmen became a forum for Steele to try to relaunch his chairmanship after an uneven start. He delivered a speech Tuesday attacking Obama and declaring that after recent electoral losses, a Republican comeback has begun.

Steele described the sessions, held in Prince George's County at his request, as "successful." But he did not appear at a post-session news conference.

"There's some place he's got to be," an aide explained. A party spokesman, Trevor Francis, pointed out that Steele had never been scheduled to take questions from reporters.

Steele's exposure to the news media has been carefully controlled in the wake of a series of gaffes. At a private session with party leaders earlier in the week, he said he had learned his lesson and vowed to impose greater discipline on himself.

"I put my size 13s in my mouth several times, and I'm here to tell you I'm going to stop," Steele said, according to a participant.

Steele was asked on his way into the closing session why he wouldn't be taking questions from reporters.

"Because I'm tired," he said. Sphere: Related Content