Michael Steele Responds To Critics: “I Ain’t Going Anywhere”

In his first public appearance since last Friday’s Afghanistan gaffe, Michael Steele made clear that he doesn’t intend to step down as RNC Chairman any time soon:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele fired back at critics who have called for his resignation in the wake of his recent suggestion that Afghanistan was a war “of Obama’s choosing.”

In the embattled RNC chair’s first public appearance since making the comments, Steele told a crowd of Republicans in Colorado Thursday that he’s staying put.

“I ain’t going anywhere,” Steele declared. “I’m here. I’m here… Look, every time something happens, people go, ‘Oh, you should step down, step down. Well, the reality of it is that’s not happening, so stop the noise on that.”

The RNC chairman did not apologize for his latest remarks, but quipped that his “individuality” at times puts him at odds with his party. “[It] gets me in a little trouble — but that’s O.K.,” he said.

And that, it would appear, is that.

At least until the next gaffe.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.