Michael Steele speaks at IU about political claustrophobia

Today’s political atmosphere is like a closet. A very cluttered closet.

At least, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele thinks so. During his lecture Tuesday night in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union, Steele compared the laundry list of challenges facing the 2012 candidates to a cluttered closet. He said that just like small objects build up in a dark closet, so too have issues long ignored in today’s political discourse built up.

He said the result is the vehemently partisan atmosphere that government representatives are trying to work within today.

And he thinks 2012 is the time to clean out the closet.

“To say that each presidential election is the most important election ever is a lie. But this one just might be,” Steele said with a chuckle to an audience of more than 100 people. “It is certainly the most important election since 1980, which was the last transformative election.”
 
In his lecture, which was sponsored by Union Board, Steele addressed some key areas he thinks will be the focus of both parties’ platforms come the general election: taxes, health care, immigration and women’s health.

Although he mingles with progressive talk show hosts such as Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews and Al Sharpton as an MSNBC political analyst, Steele commands the respect of his coworkers as a strong conservative who doesn’t easily slip into steeply partisan banter.

“My goal is not to sit here and spiel the partisan stuff that you can turn on any TV and get but get to the bottom of why this election is so important to you and why it matters,” he said.

Steele talked about his time as RNC chairman from 2009-11. He was the brains behind the new Republican primary structure, which lengthened the season.

“We wanted to take into account the opportunity going into this fall to give the candidate the greatest opportunity to present the issues to the voters and then have a hell of a run in the fall with a battle-tested candidate,” he said.

When asked which Republican nominee he supports, Steele said with a laugh, “I don’t have a choice — my contract at MSNBC won’t allow me to have a choice,” and he then folded his hands in symbolic prayer and, not having to reveal his opinion, mouthed “thank you” toward the heavens.

Steele did say he has confidence that any of the remaining candidates will represent the party well, and he encouraged his young audience to engage in the political process.

“This is part of your reality, as well, and the opportunity you have to shape the political body means that much more,” he said. “It’s not where you stand on either side of the political ideology, but what you do with it.”

Freshman Kelsey Gorman, an IU College Republicans member, attended the lecture with fellow members. She said Steele’s comments about getting involved resounded most with her.     

“I wanted to get a fresh perspective, and it’s always interesting to get the viewpoints of somebody who has been in the political process and can spell out what is going to happen in the next six months,” she said.

Union Board Director of Debates and Issues Eric Farr said the board hopes to bring a representative from the Democratic party to speak in the fall.

“I hope people left feeling enlightened in some way or another of current events whether you agree with Steele or not,” he said.