Just wanted everyone to know that we will be liveblogging the election returns here in the comment thread today. Please feel free to join us and take part in what should be a fun evening.
Update: Good quote from La Shawn Barber: “I’ve been less than…

But whatever Steele says that I might not like, he is still, at the very least, the lesser of evils, and by a very wide margin. Fingers crossed for his victory.

Flip-flop: he said that mistakes were made in the war and that the troops should be brought home. He’s saying, now, bring them home only after the job is done. That wasn’t what he had said earlier.

Flip-flop: On voting on S.C. appointees, he first refused to address it saying it was gotcha politics as usual in D.C., then later said its something he wouldn’t have to deal with, then said he has no litmus test for him.

Flip-flop: when he was state GOP chair, on Black radio stations he said that race shouldn’t be a factor, what a person stands for and that person’s record and how that matches your beliefs/values, are what is important. Now, he has ads saying Dems disrespect Black Democrats so Black Democrats should vote for Steele.

When Steele was GOP chair and had a weekly show on Black talk radio station WOLB, I liked what he had to say. When he was Lt. Gov. and appeared on WOLB or WBAL, I liked what he had to say.

During the campaign? I hear him saying somethings that don’t match up and I’m taking notice.

I guess I should say I also live in MD.

Now, if people choose to recognize him based on race and a feeling of commonality, that is different. He is trying to win a race and I doubt that he would turn them away. What it seems he does is once he knows they are interested in him he presents his ideas.

I don’t know what exactly happened on Meet the Press, but he was great on the Situation Room on CNN on Nov. 2. People may have race concerns but none of his positions have changed. I also believe that as a black person it is impossible, even if you don’t want it for matters of race to come out. I don’t think he is seeking it but I think that it will be some type of an issue because race does not matter in “white” circles unless someone of another race comes into the mix.

Heather

He is also now appealing to Black voters primarily based on race. When he was Maryland GOP chairman he said he would appeal to Black voters based on ideas.

Anyone who has paid attention to Steele over a long period of time, as I have, should have wondered what happened to Steele in the Meet the Press debate.

Anyway, Michael Steele offers Marylanders who are black, an opportunity to have someone who is not a “token” represent them. He is his own man. Sometimes, we as blacks, can be so beholden to the Dems that we don’t see that they use us as tokens as well. He presents a legitimate voice for people. He is reasonable enough that his views resonate with people of all races. Black people (in general) when they “think” about their personal views and not just a party line tend to be more moderate than the Democratic Party.

I have been asking people to just think. Black people want someone they feel represents them. Well Steele does, what’s great is that he also represents most of all of us (Marylanders). Here is “our” chance to have that, for everyone. It may be unfortunate but for some, it may take race to get them to at least consider him, then, like I said, I ask them to look at what he stands for before they make their decisions.

As for Mfume, while it may not be the party that elects, it was surely the party that put their collective weight behind Cardin. So much so that Mfume was seemingly reluctant to support him and I don’t think it was simple jealousy. As others have said, Democrats talk alot about diversity but when it comes to leadership and support they do less showing than Republicans seem to. That is why I love to ask the black folks I personally know their reasons for supporting Democrats after they wince when they hear that I am willing to vote for Republicans. I know why I vote for a person. Many people I know just look for the “D” and that is good enough for them.

I am hoping that Michael Steele surprises all of us on Nov. 7 or after they count all the absentee ballots.

Heather

What bitterly contested criterion is missing from the sentence above? Right. And it should be missing.

how do i – a white guy born & raised in texas – dare say its racist? what the heck do i know about racism and the black experience and all that? not much.

i just know about the “reverse it” test. if a mostly white group from party ‘A’ endorses a white candidate from party ‘B’ – a candidate running against a black guy – everybody and his brother’d scream the “r” word at the top of their lungs. and they’d be right. ergo…..

The party officially did not endorse anyone, but the state political leaders did a lot behind the scenes: they recruited Cardin to run after Mfume declared. After Cardin declared, and I mean within one day, “information came out” about Mfume and his dealings with a woman in the NAACP. On “Black talk radio”, some people politically collected claim Dem financial supporters were told not to support Mfume. This was also said on conservative talk radio.

when I lived in the ghetto years ago, I was not of the ghetto. I think my whole family was in it, but not of it. We wanted better and we reached for it.

One need not deny their culture nor abandon who they are; I accept who I am, but to elevate my standing in the world does not make me a traitor to my race, that’s nuts. thanks for your comments.

Now, I think Obama, Ford, and the others mentioned by tafaraji are quite sharp and eloquent people, however, let them crossover to the Republican party and they too will be “oreo”, as the libs have labeled Mr Steele.

As long as you are in the party of the “blacks” then you are safe from the savage attacks of the Dems. Most of the time, this is the case. Remember Justice Thomas, condi, and Powell.