NOT A MAN OF STEELE – AT 8:45 P.M. ET:  Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, has been caught on videotape making disparaging remarks about the American effort in Afghanistan, and claiming that it's really Obama's war.

This isn't the first gaffe committed by Steele.  He seems often to blunder his way through his term as chairman.  But we are four months from an election, and the GOP seems to be revving up to give the Democrats every piece of ammunition they can.  It's an old, and gracious Republican tradition.

We don't like that tradition here.  It's time it was retired.

Bill Kristol has called for Steele's resignation, pointing out that Steele's comments are destructive of troop morale, and are untruthful.  Whatever we may think of Obama, Afghanistan isn't his war alone, and that rewriting of history won't pass the common-sense test.

Charles Krauthammer has seconded the resignation call.  I think both men are correct.  Disparaging a war effort while at war is, as Krauthammer has called it, a capital offense.  Steele must pay the price and a new chairman named.  Otherwise, his quotes will come back to haunt the party.

There is the awkward issue of race.  Steele is the first African-American to head the GOP, and forcing him out will infuriate him and possibly lead to the use of the race card.  It will certainly not do anything to attract black voters.

Steele should be gracious about it and recognize the realities.  If he doesn't, though, then the party has a serious problem and certainly doesn't want a racial brawl right before the election.

Republicans have grown too confident too quickly.  Stumbling doesn't win elections.

July 2,  2010