Michael Steele has a message for the unnamed GOP insiders who recently told Politico they fear the possibility of a Sarah Palin presidential run: “shut up.”
“These Republican leaders who don’t put their name in print but make comments in the shadows need to shut up,” Steele in an interview on CNN Monday morning. “We need to focus on winning elections tomorrow night. … I need every Republican in the country, whether they are in the shadows or not.”
Steele also said he was “very happy” with Tea Party favorite Joe Miller in Alaska, and dismissed rumors that the GOP is concerned about insurgent candidates. Those who are, said Steele, need to shape up and serve the party’s election efforts.
“[Miller is] our nominee for the party and the Republican committee supports our nominee,” said Steele. “There’s no where to throw support anywhere else except behind him so I don’t know who these Republican leaders are , but they need to be focused on winning the election and not trying to gerrymander the outcome.”
Steele insisted that “shadow” Republicans creating divisions within the party need get in line with desires of the Tea Party.
“[The Tea Party] is an organic movement. You can’t tell them who to vote for or who not to. That is anti-American. The people want to take creative control of the election,” said Steele. “Again, that’s what frustrates … Republicans within in the party with establishment types who think they know more than the people about who they want to lead them.”