Michael Steele: For Ever and Ever, Amen

I found this image by doing a Google image search for "Puppy bling."

It's tempting, of course, to say that this is it for Michael Steele, but we all know better. The RNC can't really fire him without extensive bureaucratic procedures, and he's obviously not going to resign on his own. Simply nothing sticks on those exquisite suits! So cheers to many, many Steele gaffes to come! This latest round is hardly the first time he's been criticized for lavish spending: you'll recall that one of his first official acts was to redecorate his office, after all. So let's see the latest reactions:

• Kathleen Parker, the go-to Republican to bash other Republicans, has dependably made good on Steele in her column today in the Washington Post. Best line: "Steele's future, meanwhile, is probably and strangely secure."
• Tom Toles presents us with Dominatrix Steele.
• Even Karl Rove gets into the act, without, of course, calling for Steele's resignation. The RNC just needs somebody fatter to sit on him, I guess.
• Fox News even reports on the kerfuffle. They do the classic thing where they say that the lesbian bondage nightclub issue was "solved" with the firing of the staffer and then move on as if all the other expense-related issues don't exist.
• Tea Partier makes the following argument: "How can the GOP be racist, when our Chairman Michael Steele is black?" This, Pony Pals™, is why he's still around.
• There are many amusing comments at Politico's odious "Arena," but my favorite comes from Reagan biographer Craig Shirley: "I knew the RNC was going hell bent for leather to win elections but this is ridiculous."
• The Daily Tucker Carlson, who started this most recent round of Steele-bashing, keeps the ball rolling with a piece about how everybody hates Mikey, but it doesn't matter, ha ha ha, because they're just giving their money to other GOP groups. Oh well.

In the past I'd say something here like, "I don't see how Michael Steele can possibly last another week," but this latest round proves that he'll have to get caught with a dead girl or a live boy, as the saying goes, before he suffers any serious consequences. Viva Steele!

EDIT: The Concerned Women for America don't really understand how these things work:

Did you really swill drinks, ogle young girls and plan party business at this kind of establishment?

No, no, Concerned Women. First they plan party business at an expensive hotel, and then they go to the S&M-themed strip club to swill drinks and ogle young girls. I'm happy to clear that up for you!