Anderson@Large

#BlackMusicMonth GOP-style

Folks, Republicans can’t help it. As former Texas governor Ann Richards said about George Bush (the first), “Poor George. He can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”

In its latest iteration of African American “outreach,” the GOP is celebrating Black Music Month.

What Republicans don’t get is that the policies that opened the door to opportunities are the same policies that they now oppose. The policies include affirmative action, minority business set-asides (and here) and equitable funding of traditional public schools.

James Brown recorded “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing” in 1969. Forty-five years later, the GOP has closed the door to opportunity.

Cornbread, the Godfather of Graffiti

There are a lot of Godfathers. Herman Cain, the former president and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, is running for the GOP presidential nomination.

There’s “The Godfather” movie franchise. Back in the day, there was the blaxploitation film, “The Black Godfather.”

There’s also the inimitable “Godfather of Soul,” James Brown.

On Saturday, I learned about Darryl “Cornbread” McCray, the self-proclaimed “Godfather of Graffiti.”

Cornbread’s prodigious street art gave rise to Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program. What started out as the Anti-Graffiti Network now has more than 3,000 murals, including the African American Iconic Images Collection.

If you can’t make it to Philly, you can take the interactive mural tour narrated by ?uestlove of The Roots.

Curtains for Michael Steele

The vote to decide the fate of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele starts today at approximately 12:45 pm ET.

The Associated Press reports:

His re-election bid in serious doubt, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele sought support from members of his party's central committee Thursday as he struggled to avert defeat after a free-spending, gaffe-filled two years.

[…]

Weary of Steele's gaffes, missteps and high spending, many members of the cash-strapped central seemed eager to boot Steele from the job after only two years and make room for someone new. Steele's RNC raised almost $80 million ahead of November elections, spent all of it and then took out a $15 million loan.

Steele reportedly will stay in the race until the final round. But the election outcome is a foregone conclusion. With a $20 $21.3 million debt, "slum love" doesn't pay the bills.

Steele Won and Done

As I watched the Republican National Committee chairman's debate, it was clear RNC Chairman Michael Steele has lost his swagga. Truth be told, Steele's claim to street cred was always laughable.

Equally laughable was Steele taking credit for every Republican victory since 2009:

My record stands for itself. We won. I was asked to win elections...We won.

Whatever. I don't think Steele won any new supporters among the 168 members of the Committee who will decide his fate on Jan. 14.

At the same time, I don't think his challengers scored a knockout punch. They took jabs at Steele, but they mostly came across as workhorses who would “work like a dog” and focus on reducing the RNC's $20 million debt.

Still, I think Steele is one and done. He has lost the confidence of major donors and the self-styled hip-hop chairman should know “it's all about the benjamins, baby.”

The bottom line: Steele has worn out his welcome. He doesn't stand a prayer of a chance of winning reelection.

At one point in the debate, Steele said, “All of us are going to need to retire. Sooner than later for some.” That may have been a Freudian slip.

In any case, Steele, a former seminary student, should accept he “ain't got long to steal away.”

2011 RNC Chairman’s Debate

I had planned to attend the RNC's chairman's debate at the National Press Club. Instead, I am stuck in Philadelphia so I will watch it on C-SPAN.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, said:

The actual vote for RNC Chairman will be made by the 168 members of the Committee, but the impact will be felt by all. Therefore, every activist should play a role in questioning the candidates and communicating with RNC members who cast votes...just like lobbying your Congressman and Senators.

As in 2009, the current chairman is fighting to hold on to his job. Then it was Mike Duncan. Now, it's Michael Steele, who won on the sixth ballot.

Although Steele takes credit for the Democrats' shellacking in the midterm elections, he may not make it to the second ballot. Politico reports a majority of Committee members oppose him.

Steele is being challenged by Wisconsin GOP chairman Reince Priebus, former Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, former RNC co-chairman Ann Wagner, longtime GOP operative Maria Cino, and former RNC political director Gentry Collins. Collins dropped out of the race last night.

According to the National Journal Whip Count, Priebus is leading the pack with 30 public endorsements, followed by Steele with 15. To win, a candidate must gain the support of 85 of the 168 Committee members. As of Jan. 1, 92 are undeclared.

The debate will be streamed live beginning at 1:00 pm. ET.

A Christmas Wish from Hollis, Queens

During an appearance on CNN’s “Parker Spitzer,” radio personality Stephen A. Smith expressed his concern that “the Democratic Party has taken the black vote for granted for quite some time.”

Smith said:

We don’t sit back and say, “You know what, I’m not going to just give my vote to the Democratic Party.” I want to stand by as an individual, with individual opinions. I want to see what you’re offering if you’re the Republican Party. I want to see what you’re offering if you’re the Democratic Party, and I want to gauge what’s in my best interest. The black community has not done that for decades. Since the days of Barry Goldwater, for crying out loud. Or Lyndon B. Johnson.

Smith continued:

At the same time, who in God’s name told us all that the Republicans are evil and the Democrats are angels? Excuse me. The last time I checked they’re all on Capitol Hill.

Smith is from Hollis, Queens. It would indeed be a merry Christmas and happy new year if black folks played hard to get and demanded competition for their vote.

Candidates for RNC Chair Attend Tea-infused Forum

The National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar heralds the GOP as the party of diversity:

The GOP success this year in electing minority leaders who can appeal to a wide cross-section of voters should serve as a wake-up call to Democrats, who are accustomed to carrying the mantle of diversity. If Democrats don’t address their own challenges recruiting minority candidates with widespread appeal, the rise of Obama could be more the exception than the rule.

There will be less diversity at the top when the Republican National Committee elects its new chairman in January.

I had planned to attend FreedomWorks’ tea-party-cum-candidate-forum to vet the candidates for the position of RNC chairman. Instead, I was stuck in Philadelphia so I viewed the live stream of the event.

Four of the six announced candidates showed up -- Michigan GOP national committeeman Saul Anuzis; former RNC political director Gentry Collins, former RNC co-chairwoman Ann Wagner and former RNC chairman Mike Duncan.

The candidates agreed that current chairman Michael Steele failed as a fundraiser and steward of the party’s finances. Collins said:

The party under his leadership failed to raise the major donor money it is going to require to defeat Barack Obama, defeat his policies and defeat his ideology and agenda in 2012.

Anuzis noted, “It takes two things to win an election: money and everything else.” And added:

We are in a situation where we need a different type of leader for a different type of challenge. We’re going to have to raise more money than we ever have before, and we have to put together a better ground operation than we have before.

Although no frontrunner emerged, Anuzis was the clear favorite of the online audience.

Steele has yet to say whether he will seek a second term, but he was the clear loser.

The final nails in Steele’s coffin are reports of too many Cooks on the RNC payroll. The Daily Caller reports:

If it wasn’t enough for Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele’s former personal assistant, her son and her sister to be leading the preparations for the party’s national convention in Tampa in 2012, fear not. There are more Cooks in the RNC’s kitchen.

Also on the payroll of the Committee on Arrangements for the Republican National Convention is Pamela Kesner, Belinda Cook’s niece.

While Steele fancies himself a chairman for the grassroots, they also want him to get to stepping. A new Public Policy Polling survey found Republican voters oppose his reelection by more than a 2:1 margin.

It looks like the party is over for Steele.