Man of Steele Visits Indianapolis, Leaps Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument in Single Bound

The story, from the Indy Star:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele hailed Indiana's success at maintaining a budget surplus while other states face deficits and said Wednesday that the GOP will build on that example as a springboard for its comeback.

Indiana's Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, Steele said, has proved "you don't have to raise taxes to have money for education."

Steele addressed about 800 of Indiana's most faithful Republicans on Wednesday during the GOP's 2009 State Dinner at the Downtown Marriott. Guests paid $175 a plate.

Having already lost control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008, the party has been battered in recent months with admissions of infidelity by two prominent party members -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada Sen. John Ensign -- and the surprising announcement by former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin that she will resign as Alaska's governor at the end of the month.

All three were viewed as possible GOP presidential candidates in 2012.

Steele on Wednesday brushed off the recent incidents involving Sanford and Ensign as "old news, old-school."

"That's not the generation of candidates I'm trying to groom," he said.

Steele said the party needs to get back to its small-government roots. Daniels and fellow governors Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana are great examples, he said:

"These guys are the laboratories for the ideas we believe in."

The party needs to focus more energy on winning local and state races, Steele said, to build a "farm team" to find the next national GOP standard-bearers.

"In Indiana, the Republican Party is getting it right. Republican leaders are doing it right," Steele said. "You should all be proud of that."

Steele cited Indiana's recently passed $27.8 billion budget that keeps $1 billion in reserve. Other states, including neighbors Illinois and Michigan, face deficits surpassing $1 billion.

Daniels, Steele said, could teach President Barack Obama "what economic strength looks like, feels like, and how those things are achieved though a time-tested conservative value of smaller government."

"This state has become a shining example of what Republican principles put into action look like," Steele said.

Indiana Republican Party Chairman Murray Clark said that while the party faces challenges, Hoosier Republicans have reason to be proud.

"We just passed a responsible budget. Governor Daniels and our Republican legislators served us well," he said.

"Every time I hear President Obama talking about 'change we need,' " Clark said, "I want to tell him that 'in Indiana, sorry, but we're happy with the change we have.' "

Mitch Daniels may have been the talk of the dinner, but Becky Skillman (who spoke before Steele) stole the show. She won considerable props from Michael Steele (a former fellow lieutenant governor, no less) and had a great line about the absent and vacationing Mitch Daniels that was met with laughter and applause:

"Mitch is on vacation, but yes, we know where he is, we know how to reach him, and he is with his wife."

Steele also sent out kudos and greetings to Attorney General Greg Zoeller, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett (complete with the requisite "I love your music, man" jokes), State Auditor Tim Berry, and Senate President David Long.

Secretary of State Todd Rokita did not get mentioned. Watching the event via streaming video over at Hoosier Access, I just figured Rokita was absent (like Mitch). After texting someone at the dinner, I discovered that he was there; he certainly couldn't be pleased at being dissed like that (and justifiably so).

I'm guessing that somebody over at State Party borked Steele's briefing material, resulting in Rokita being left out.

The Secretary of State shouldn't be too upset. Mistakes and accidents happen (Steele can tell you all about those). I think there was a moment in there where Michael Steele accidentally addressed Becky Skillman as "governor" instead of "lieutenant governor." On the positive side, the way I figure it, he is only off by slightly more than three years.

Anyway, your humble correspondent didn't attend the State Dinner. It's no great secret that I haven't been a great fan of Michael Steele on this blog. Heck, I've said I think he should resign because of some of his gaffes.

I wouldn't have spent four hours driving to Indianapolis and back on a weeknight to see Michael Steele if they had paid me, let alone me have to pay $175 for the privilege. I settled for the streaming video over at Hoosier Access, which was free. For those of you that paid and went, good for you; State Party needed your money.

This all being said, I found Steele to be unexpectedly impressive. I certainly found him to be a far better extemporaneous speaker than I anticipated given what I have heard of him on radio and television (where he has been sometimes gaffe prone from time to time).

He talks a good game, but talk is cheap in politics. Hopefully talk will be matched with action and with conviction.