Barbour – Steel’s comments a gaffe; Gop should focus on fiscal issues
Boston — Gov. Haley Barbour (R., Miss.), the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, tells NRO that Michael Steele’s comments on Afghanistan were a “distraction.”
“Anything that changes the subject from the bad, unpopular policies being pursued by the Obama administration and the Democratic congress — anything that takes the spotlight off that — is bad for Republican candidates,” Barbour says. “Any gaffe that changes the attention is bad.”
“The issues are jobs, spending, the deficit, debt, taxes and the economy,” he adds. “Republicans should not do anything to take away attention from that. It is a matter of taking people’s eye off the real issues. [Steele’s comments] were a distraction. We don’t need a distraction.”
Barbour is in the Bay State for the National Governors Association summer summit.
National Review
7/12/10
Magnolia Tribune
