Written by: Beck

Michael Steel--Maryland's Lieutenant Governor--is speaking now on Civil Rights.

"I had planned to give a moving defense of conservative principles tonight, but there was one problem--Barack Obama gave it last month at the Democratic National Convention." OK, I noticed the same thing too, as did others--change one or two words, and Obama could have been delivering the Republican keynote speech. However, considering that most Americans didn't see Obama's speech, I have to question the wisdom of making this point. The audience clearly was rather uncertain of how to react.

He's moved on to tallying Republican accomplishments in civil rights, from Abraham Lincoln to defeating the pro-segregation Southern Democrats during the Civil Rights Act fights. I can think of a few people who likely would argue that the Republican party is NOT the party of minorities. That's another debate for another time however.

Update: Turns out Steele is the first minority elected to a statewide office in Maryland.

"[Kerry] doesn't want to use the word 'war' to describe our efforts against terrorism. Well ladies and gentlemen, I don't want to use the words 'Commander in Chief' to describe John Kerry." Well, I guess we've strayed a wee bit off the civil rights topic, but I have to admit, if I had a chance to speak at the convention, I wouldn't be able to resist a few anti-Kerry digs regardless of what the topic was.

Ah, now he's bringing the anti-Kerry schtick around to the civil rights. All the things that Republicans, and often Democrats, voted for in the Senate, "...but not John Kerry." The crowd is chanting along with him.

"Alright, enough about [Kerry.]" Agreed.

Update: His mother, a life-long Democrat, asked Steele how he could grow up to be a Republican. "Mom, you raised me well." HAW! "You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot encouraging the weak by bringing down the strong... you cannot bring about the brotherhood of man by encouraging conflict." All good stuff. I missed a few of his "you cannots" because he was going too fast. You'll just have to take my word on it.