GOP’s Steele Dem’s Man of Year?

No comments came from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele over the weekend on the possibility of him being named Democrat of The Year.

Observers pointed to Steele’s prediction that Democrats would retain control of the House in 2010 as just the latest in his long string of boosts to the Democratic Party. “We need to rally the faithful to avoid a typical mid-term slump,” one knowledgeable Democrat said “and Michael’s comments are typically just the medicine we need.”

Grateful Democrat operatives were anxious to make certain Steele’s important work for the party got appropriate recognition. They pointed to the surprise release –at least to many Republican officials – of Steele’s book, “Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda.” 

In previous mid-term campaigns, developing talking points against the Republicans was long, hard and expensive for Democrats. Now they’re getting them neatly packaged in a book available for less than $20.

Example from Steele’s book: “Enough of complaining about big government when we’re out of power, but embracing big government when we’re in power.” No Democrat could have said it better, but lots and lots of Democrats are sure to say it over and over.

Not content to merely speak for the Democratic agenda, Steele has been exemplary in using his personal actions to highlight Democrat’s view that the greatest Republican value is Look Out For Number One.

Steele is charging as much as $20,000 to make a speech, perhaps to supplement the paltry $223,500 annual salary he’s getting from the GOP in part to make speeches. Of course he’s entitled to earn a little money on the side, unlike most getting unemployment benefits, some Republicans say.

Thank You Lord! is what many Democrats then say.

Although Democrats’ gratitude for Steele’s contributions to the party runs deep, it was unclear whether or not a Democrat of The Year award would actually be offered the GOP chairman. Steele, after all, has invited potentially disgruntled GOP leaders to fire him if they’ve got problems with the way he’s running the GOP.

Some Democrats wonder whether giving him the Democrat of the Year award would be just too blatant, even for Steele. “Michael Steele’s the best donkey Democrats could hope for,” one observer said. “Let’s not get our cart in front of that ass!”

###