Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, in his first public appearance since a gaffe that drew the ire of even the party faithful, blessed the opening of Colorado’s GOP headquarters Thursday morning.
During his visit, Steele remained focused on helping to solidify a base of campaign and outreach volunteers for the November election, but finally answered the question that has been asked since he told a group of Connecticut donors that the war in Afghanistan was “a war of Obama’s choosing”: Will you remain at the party helm?
“I ain’t going nowhere,” Steele said. “We have too much work to do; we have too much work to do.”
Steele also clarified his position on the war in Afghanistan in light the disapproval of his remarks by other Republican leaders — including Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
“Absolutely, without equivocation or doubt or hesitation, I’m four square 1,000 percent with our troops on the ground,” Steele said. “My goodness, do not leave these young men and women without the resources they need.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, whose campaign office is within the “victory” office in Greenwood Village, and Steele met shortly after Steele’s public address. Coffman, who served in the Marine Corps and Army in Persian Gulf War and the current war in Iraq, said he was unhappy about Steele’s comment regarding the Afghanistan war, but did not think he should step down.
“The chairman of the Republican National Committee is not a policy maker, I’m a policy maker,” Coffman said. “So, what I look to the for is for party building that will lead us to victory in November and to do the organizational work, and I believe that he will be effective and has been effective in doing that.”
The next stop for Steele is Las Vegas, where the GOP is focused on defeating Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev, said RNC spokesman Bill Riggs.
Sarah Horn: 303-954-1638 or shorn@denverpost.com
