Washington (CNN) - Why is Michael Steele going to Guam two months before election day?
The trip, announced Monday by Guam Governor Felix Camacho, has some members of the Republican National Committee scratching their heads - and it's a sign to critics that the chairman is more concerned about his own political fortunes than he is about re-taking majorities in Congress this November.
That's because members from the Island Territories - the Northern Mariana Islands, The Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa - gave Steele their decisive bloc of votes in January 2009, when he won the chairmanship on the sixth and final ballot in a tight race.
If the chairman is serious about running again, a likely prospect if his rousing address at the RNC summer meeting earlier this month was any indication, he will once again be counting on the same support from the islands, which do not have voting representation in Washington.
Steele appears to be shoring up island backing with his recent travel schedule.
The Guam trip on September 7 is part of a larger swing through Western states that will also include a visit to the Northern Marianas "to help raise money for candidates and local parties," said RNC spokesman Doug Heye.
Committee members also told CNN that Steele just concluded visits to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, a Caribbean swing confirmed by Heye.
With the committee facing tough financial straits - the RNC had just $5 million in the bank entering August - the island travels are frustrating members of the committee who would rather see party resources spent on tight races that could actually impact control of the House and Senate.
"The idea of Steele traveling to Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with little more than 60 days left is outrageous, especially given our limited fundraising and political support to campaigns nationwide," one RNC member griped to CNN.
From CNN Politics
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Go on Mr. Steele. I'm sure the RNC would support springing for the cost of a one-way ticket for you. The only thing they would probably require is a verification of the 5 million balance before you leave.
His leadership has been totally disastrous for the GOP.
Don't you just love Steele?
Atta boy.. Steele.. Now go to Nevada and give your support to Republican Angle et al....... the T party......huh?
He's getting his last free (tax-payer-financed) vacation before he gets booted out.
why not go the gop is picking up the tab,the democrats should be happy they need steele to win in november he is the gift that keeps on giving.
Sounds like a big waste of money.
The RNC wants Steele gone, they just haven't clearly figured out how to get rid of him as he continues his "in your face" attitude towards them.
Once again this goes to show that republicans are only concerned about having power. They want to keep their jobs, but not help in passing legislation to help the thousands of Americans without jobs.
Does anybody really care Cnn? Hope he stays there.
I don't see CNN talking about what the DNC is doing? Why so much coverage on Steele. Oh yeah, liberals want to bring him down for their own political agendas.
Liberal policies have marred our country long enough. Time to vote the democrats out of Congress.
Bye uncle Mike,now take your bag of cash and retire to the islands,the GOP is done with you.
Maybe he'll stop by Saipan as well to personally see the slave labor that Bill Moyers exposed in graphic detail. Obama should look into this as well. I'm certain that Tom Delay, who purposely looked the other way and allowed it to occur during his watch, could provide him with all the details as well.
"Why is Michael Steele going to Guam two months before election day?"
Simple answer to that. He's an opportunist . . . .and that's all.
What's wrong Michael? Repubs not letting you take your foot out of your mouth so you can continue to say further stupid things?
The president goes on a basically standard vacation in Martha's Vineyard just like the ones before him and the republicant's are in a uproar yet their bozo of a leader can go to Samoa and other tropical islands for "business???"
Let them keep him there. No one wants him back!
How is it that the RNC could possible find a howitzer this large with which to blow it foot off in such a crucial time in American history with the upcoming election. It must have taken an impressive search to accomlish this failed attempt in leadership. I don't so much blame Steele. He is imcompetant, unable and althogether ineffective as a leader. I do, on th eother hand, put a lot of blame on the committee who is rsponsible for finding this boob and saddling the party with his methods.
If Obama did this it would be called another vacation
Sounds like a good vacation trip for him.
Great SCOOP CNN!! Stir up your Liberal base! Funny how your viewership continues to plummet! The good news is that Keith Obermann and Rachel Maddow over at MSNBC are even more liberally obsurd than you!
Who's paying for Mr. Steele's trip??? Taxpayers???..Repubs are crying because they think they paid for O'bama's family vacation but it's OK to pay for a NOBODY...Steele has never done anything for our country except live a lavish life off of taxpayers that are living in poverty..LOSER!!!
Oh, ok. So that's how Republican fiscal conservatism works.