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RNC Chairman Michael Steele has had his share of missteps during his two-year tenure, turning the usually low-key position into one of public prominence.
RNC Chairman Michael Steele speaks to supporters during a rally in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 23. (John Raoux/AP)
2. Calling abortion 'an individual choice'
In March 2009, just weeks after Steele took the RNC helm, GQ magazine published an interview with him in which he discussed abortion. "The choice issue cuts two ways," said Steele, who was adopted. "You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life." The interviewer then asked Steele if he thought women should have the right to choose abortion. His answer: "Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice."
That point raised the hackles of an important Republican constituency, religious conservatives, who oppose abortion rights. Steele then released a statement, saying he has always opposed abortion and that the Supreme Court ruling legalizing it should be overturned. “The Republican Party is and will continue to be the party of life,” he said.
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