Former RNC chairman Michael Steele joined The 11th Hour host Brian Williams on MSNBC’s Friday night coverage of the Senate’s COVID relief bill vote-a-rama. Sounding more like a progressive activist than a former Republican chairman, Steele condemned Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema for her “childish” and “insulting” vote against raising the minimum wage.
Williams introduced Sinema’s viral thumbs down moment like this: ”I want to play for you one of the highlights, or as some of the Democrats would put it, one of the lowlights. It was quick, but here now, the senator from Arizona.”
At conclusion of the quick clip, Williams asked Steele, “what’s the lesson when you lose eight Dems on a vote to increase the minimum wage? Talk about the headwinds ahead for the Democratic Party.”
Steele, pretending to speak for the deceased Sen. John McCain, fumed, ”What is ironic about that, it’s actually rather insulting ‘cause we know probably John McCain would have voted to increase the minimum wage.”
Based on his actual voting record, McCain would likely not have voted for a minimum wage increase. Steele then doubled down, “so that’s outright insulting to, on so many levels. Okay, so now the childishness is done.”
Later Steele encouraged Democrats to try again on raising the minimum wage:
“Clearly the minimum wage was probably a little bit too far at this point. But it doesn’t mean it’s too far later on. Because as the recovery takes hold, make the case for those things that matter,” he said.
He then urged Democrats to ignore Republicans and ram their lefty priorities through over GOP objections, “Republicans are going to do what they’re going to do. You have that one, that 51st vote that can get you at least some good mileage on some good policy that will keep you in good stead leading into 2022 for the Democratic Party.”
With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats?