GOP Convention Offer Mulled As Inducement For Michael Steele To Not Run For Re-Election As RNC Chairman

Is the RNC's "Fire Pelosi" cry turning into "Fire Steele"? Some folks are unhappy about his gaffes, his fundraising during his tenure, etc. Even his former closest allies are thinking about running for the chairmanship, as a coalition forms to deny Mr. Steele the votes he will need to remain as chairman. Now this news from the Baltimore Sun: "Advisers to Republican National Chairman Michael Steele hatched a plan to give him a prominent position at the party's 2012 presidential nominating convention if he decided to step aside as head of the Republican National Committee, according to a party official. The official's story, which could not be independently confirmed, involved Steele's chief of staff, Michael Leavitt, and longtime consultant, Blaise Hazelwood."

More: "Concerned that Steele could not be assured of a winning another two-year term when the RNC meets in January, the duo came up with a fallback plan. They would support Wisconsin Republican chairman Reince Priebus, a Steele loyalist, for the top party post if Steele chose not to run again. In exchange, Priebus would agree to make Steele chairman of the convention."