Michael Steele Is The New Chairman Of The Republican Party

Michael Steele just broke a barrier that I frankly thought I'd never see: he today became the first Black chairman of the Republican Party. That's amazing and it speaks to the better angels within the Republican National Committee and the totally watershed-level path of social change America is on, starting with the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president, then the stirring inauguration of President Obama, and now the selection of Michael Steele as RNC Chairman.

Who is Michael Steele?

Steele was Liutenant Governor of the State of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. Steele's also well-known as a regular contributor to several political news programs. And Steele ran for several offices, most notably for Senator of Maryland where he reportedly bussed in homeless people to distribute information flyers. Steele lost that race to Ben Cardin.

Steele has been a Republican since he was a small boy, and he's received backing from such conservatives as Karl Rove and former-VP Dick Cheney.

Steele has an uphill battle in repairing the Republican Party, but he's been able to destroy the idea that the RNC was the "White Southern" party just by his election. In my view his election actually makes the party more attractive to Women, who not only were his greatest supporters but who share the same "outsider" status in the RNC.

I think now the Republican Party has a split between the moderates, led by Steele and the wingnuts, led by Rush Limbaugh. It's going to be an interesting year.