Abortion Debate | 03/12/2009 8:05 am

Steele Breaks With GOP on Abortion: It's an 'Individual Choice'

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Conservative Republicans will no doubt be angry at Michael Steele today.

Steele, the controversial new chairman of the Republican National Committee, recently broke with official party position when he told GQ magazine that he thinks abortion is a woman’s "individual choice."

Speaking with the men’s magazine, Roman Catholic Steele explained that while he doesn’t personally support the procedure, and while he doesn’t agree with Roe v. Wade, the matter’s best left to the states: "The states should make that choice: That’s what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide."

The Republican Party platform, meanwhile, insists, "The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed." Steele’s remarks, made a few weeks back, come as party loyalists, like Rush Limbaugh, have come out against his leadership. In fact, there are rumors he may face a "no confidence" vote, although those rumors may have simply been started by people looking for him to fail.

9 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Oh boy Steele has done it again—this is the real comedy hour. lolololol

By f p on 03/12/2009 8:19 am

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Like everyone in America, Steele can offer his opinions on what he feels is right or wrong. Not all liberals believe in the same things and all republicans do not think the same way. We all have our personal platforms. Somewhere within each party, we zero in on what is important to us as individuals.

What else can be said about Steele? He is charting his own course. Let the chips fall where they may.

By deber B on 03/12/2009 8:24 am

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Who else thinks that Steele isnt gonna make it as their "leader"?

I will be surprised if he makes it past July.

By Roger from Ohio on 03/12/2009 8:51 am

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I agree Roger. I think they’ll get rid of him as soon as they can figure out a way to do it without it looking too bad. And I think they’ll definitely do it before the campaigns start for the 2010 election.

By DeBúrca obj on 03/12/2009 10:16 am

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I think its pretty sad that he wont make it as leader just b/c he gave his personal opinion. I mean doesnt nasty a$$ Rush give his personal opinion all the time? I think it great Steele feels this way & that he was man enough to state it knowing it would get out. He should stand behind his opinion…

You can be a Rebuplican and not agree with everything the party agrees with, just like with Dems.

By C Hardy on 03/12/2009 9:02 am

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C Hardy, the moderate republicans have a lot of time to watch the cream rise to the top. The next three years will be an intense time of transition for the republican party. We need to get it right. If Steele seems weak as the Chairman of the National Republican Party then be that as it may. We are entering into an era of change for republicans.

I’m much more interested in potential presidential candidates. When I listen to Pawlenty and Sanford (and we are certain to have more over the course of the next three years) I hear reformed moderate republicans. We need to get back to center stage again. I am not concerned about Steele at this time as he may be positioning himself center stage as well. We will have to wait and see.

No one can make predictions of any substance this early.

By deber B on 03/12/2009 9:26 am

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Well, there is something Mr. Steele and I can agree on.

By Diana T on 03/12/2009 9:51 am

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WOW… I wonder if he will stick to that or be forced to back track and apologize to the base. Time will tell.

By DeBúrca obj on 03/12/2009 10:14 am

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I can’t get too worked up over Steele’s statement. If he thinks the state should decide, he still doesn’t really think it’s a choice each woman should be free to make, and he’d still like to see Roe v. Wade overturned. So I don’t see the problem.

By Ms. Dee on 03/13/2009 11:19 pm