Right's Anger at Steele Raises Prospect of Resignation

Will this scandal ever blow over?

On Tuesday, Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay resigned. Is chairman Michael Steele next? Some had previously argued that Steele is untouchable, but the impact of the RNC strip-club scandal on fundraising and Steele's recent attempt to "play the race card" have caused some on the right to call for his ouster. Could this storm of bad publicity be the one that finally topples the chairman?

• This Is a Bigger Storm  "Usually," writes the Guardian's Michael Tomasky, "political tempests wind down after three or four days and we move on to the next outrage. But this morning constitutes, if I'm remembering correctly, day 10 of the current Michael Steele scandal, and it's still building."

• 'If You Can't Play the Race Card with Your Own Race...'  Steele suggested he has less margin for error than a white man might have in his position. It didn't go over well. Conservative Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker points out that "African American Republicans aren't buying it." It's time, she says, for Steele to stop blaming others. "Steele needs to face the truth and set himself--and his party--free."

• RNC Adviser Says Time for a Change  Alex Castellanos, unpaid adviser to the RNC, will not let CNN's Wolf Blitz trick him into actually saying the word "resignation." He makes his feelings pretty clear, though, saying "a change in leadership would be a good thing ... I think a change in direction would be good." 

• Leave Please  Conservative columnist Mona Charen says "Voyeur was the last straw. It would be an unselfish gesture for Steele to step aside." The Republican party needs "a stage manager, whereas Steele likes to be the star."

• No 'Organized Effort' to Oust Steele, says Politico's Jonathan Martin; for Steele to be forced out, if he doesn't resign of his own free will, "two-thirds of RNC members--the state chairs and each state's committeemen and committeewomen--would have to support a resolution ousting Steele." Right now that doesn't look likely, and elected Republicans aren't publicly calling for a resignation.