The Daily Caller has a report up on a TV appearance from Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele which continues the embattled party boss’ string of unfortunate mistakes.

This time, Steele allows himself to be goaded by ABC Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulous into alleging that part of the criticism he’s received has come not from mediocre fundraising numbers, not from his having stepped into controversy with perceived fights with conservative talk hosts and not from questionable expenditures, but because he’s black.

Asked if “as an African-American” he has “a slimmer margin for error than another chairman would,” Steele replied: “The honest answer is yes.” Steele went on to explain that, like Barack Obama, he has had to contend with racism as someone who is “not ole boy network.”

Meanwhile, Redstate.com’s Erick Erickson offers up a defense of Steele – of sorts:

It serves no good purpose to try to oust Michael Steele right now. A two-thirds vote would be required. The votes aren’t there. The process would be ugly and would be a distraction. Steele could in various ways use RNC dollars to defend himself instead of beat the Democrats. The Democrats would use the opportunity to smear the GOP even more. Pursuit of removal would be folly.

At the end of the day, though, it is not all Michael Steele’s fault. A lot of the blame for things these days is being foisted up by a press all too happy to highlight Republican problems and ignore Democrat problems. Some of what is happening is within Steele’s control and some of it is not. The Democrats and some Republicans have happily peddled the story about Michael Steele’s incompetent management, some because of very real concerns, but some to distraction from other issues.

Here we are in April, more than a year after his election, having the same debate we had before his election — from spendthrift ways to management skills to consultants milking the RNC. All of the present problems derive from known knowns. Were the RNC leadership to replace him it would be because they are embarrassed, not because they have all of a sudden grown wiser.

Meanwhile, The Ace Of Spades blog’s Dave In Texas has an alternate view:

I don’t give him a smaller margin because he’s black. I give him one because he’s a whiney bitch who cannot seem to focus his energies on his actual job, raising money and getting Republicans elected, because of his personal distractions and hyper-sensitivity to criticism.

He cannot find the backbone to simply stand up and say “this was a mistake, it was improper, we dealt with it. It won’t be tolerated now or in the future.” Instead he has to cry like a girl that it’s just so unfair for me, just like it is for Obama.

Nope. It’s just a bunch of Republicans who can’t respect his “streetwise” managerial style.

To which I reply (with a look of astonishment on my pretty face): Are. You. F’n. Kidding Me? You cannot take this heat and deflect it with a little, I don’t know, actual leadership, you have to resort to this? In case you haven’t noticed, moron, the entire tea-party movement and conservative activism is being painted with the “racist” charge. Not exactly the best time ever to make this suggestion to soothe your little hurt feelings. Grow a pair already.

I’ve had enough of this guy.