(CNN) - Former South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson, who finished second to Michael Steele in the Republican National Committee chairman's race last year, is calling on the committee to oust their embattled chairman.
Steele is under fire for suggesting at a fundraiser Thursday that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won. After a salvo of criticism from Democrats and some Republicans Friday, Steele walked back his remarks and said he supports the mission.
"The RNC should do the responsible thing and show Steele the door," Dawson told CNN. "Enough is enough."
Dawson still maintains a good measure of support among committee members and has considered mounting a second campaign for the chairmanship. He has been critical of Steele throughout the last year and a half, but he has never called for his ouster until now.
He floated Mississippi committeeman Henry Barbour as a possible replacement for Steele until a new chairman can be elected early next year. Barbour is the nephew of Haley Barbour, the Mississippi governor who also chairs the Republican Governors Association.
"Henry Barbour would be a great choice and a fine operative to run the RNC and finish the midterms in the manner required to secure the success our candidates deserve," he said.
Barbour did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
From CNN Politics
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Steele has shown disrespect toward our President and his decessions, over and over again! He should be booted out! The entire RNC should look closely at their party and clean house. The party of "NO" needs to be reevaluated!
Yeah, but then we'll have to remove Dawson.
We need a Republican intellectual to lead the party.
Republican intellectual.....gawd, if that isn't an oxymoron.
Dawson needs to go. when all of this crap happening in the department of Justice, allowing people to block and try to scare folks out of voting. Black against white. and that's ok. what would Martin Luther King say about that if he were still alive???? It would sadden him to know that's going on in his own race. Black panthers are no better than the KKK!!!!!!! Thank you Mr. President. you are trying to create a race war and you are half and half, what a joke. God help this country. because our leaders are screwed up bad in there heads. And CNN report some real news every once in awhile. no longer watch you unless FOX has a comercial on. LOL
Tea anyone?
Remove Steele and the voters should remove the rest of the GObP.
Can you say S-C-A-P-E-C-O-A-T? Don't shoot the messenger, shoot the message. The Republican Party is mess right now and everyone knows it. Go ahead and plant Pillboy Limbaugh or some other lunatic already since they have hijacked the party.
"...the RNC is defending (Steele's) recent statements that...suggest the conflict there may be unwinnable."
This is actually the first thing that Steele has EVER said that makes sense.
However, the reason we are losing in Afghanistan is that from 2002 to 2008, Bush with the full support of all Republicans left our troops in Afghanistan with no mission, no leadership and no strategy to the point where the Taliban completely rebuilt. This isn't the fault of the military, this is 100% Bush's fault.
Keep goose stepping wingnuts,the cliff is near
One unpopular statement does not a career end. If that should be the case, then Biden & Obama should have been out of the office within the first 6 months.
Makes me proud to be out of the party of Steele, Boehner and South Carolina politics. Jerks
I don't understand how CNN puts a big article on the front page of the political section regarding Obama's 2 day old comments but only have a small ticker article on this 'huge foot in mouth' case with Steele. Not only did he say we can't win, he said:
"This was a war of Obama's choosing," Steele said. "This is not something the United States has actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in."
He thought he could get away with it because only GOP supporters were in the audience but it was caught on camera. For some reason CNN neglects to highlight these controversial comments? Why? Enough with the OBAMA BASHING!
Mr Steele is a hack. He speaks and says nothing or out and out lies.
The war in Afgahnistan was started by Bush, back by every Republican and even the American people.
The fact that Republicans (mostly) and the Bush administration chose to lie to us and move our primary battle to Iraq does not dimish the Bush administration for the war in the first place.
By allowing thi sman remian as their spokesman and head of the their party, they are condoning his idiotic remarks.
Frankly- I say leave him there. By November he will have given the win instead of the much anticipated loss of seats.
I'm not a Michael Steele fan by any means, but I happen to agree with him. No other country has been able to "win" in Afghanistan. I can't even keep track of what a "win" is supposed to be.
@Larry,
Republican intellectual – an oxymoron indeed.
They really are evil people. I hope the voter realizes this come November.
Republicans stink, all of them, no exceptions.
They are turning on themselves...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
I agree, as Mr. Steele's past comments have so splintered the GOP fund raising, that there are at least three new GOP fund raising groups that are taking the place usually reserved for the NRC. So there will be no central strategy, no leadership and no good message. If the GOP doesn't win 40 house seats in November, it will be to late to bounce back for 2012.
If Obama was NOT elected president the GOP would NOT have chosen Mike Steele.........I personally think they are getting what they deserve in him. PLEASE keep him.
ha ha ha ha
They will never get rid of their token – their ONLY PROOF that the good ole boys are not racist.
NO-OOOOOOO, please don't get rid of Michael Steele ... he's the main-event of the GOP floor show of fools. Where would we get our comedy fix if he goes?
He must be out drinking with Boehner in the middle of the day!
What the heck, leave him! With him, Rush, Sarah, Newt, Hannity, Beck and the biggest loser of them all Dick......the "Party of No" will the "Party of No More" soon!!! PS – Let's not forget the TeaParty....
Just like most revolutions, the so-called Republican revolution is turning on its own.
South Carolina Republican Politicians (current and former) have NO credibility whatsoever, and I mean ZERO, no actually LESS than zero. They have NEGATIVE credibility!
South Carolina Republicans, please refrain your party affiliates from speaking, they're lowering the IQ of the children.
I can't help but believe the GOP is only upset at Steel because he was stupid enough to get caught saying what he did on camera, not because they don't believe what he was saying. They really don't care about the war or our boys dying in it. It is just a means to an end to feed their defense companies money and keep their big donations coming in. This is not a war,,,,,it is just another vietnam or chess game they are playing, like korea, vietnam, iraq, etc.. If it were a war we would go where ever and do what ever was necessary to win...Anyone that thinks any different is a fool....
Steele is so insignificant.