The election of Michael Steele as chairman of the RNC is certainly a step in the right direction for the GOP, but what will it really change about the Republican Party?
They're still the party of racial fear-mongering and divisiveness. They're still the party of "Magic Negro" song parodies and "Harold! Call me!" ads.
They're still the party that mocked "community organizing" and used it as code for "he's black" -- at the Republican Convention no less, just five months ago. If Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice were unable to mask the GOP's use of these kinds of racist tactics, I seriously doubt Michael Steele will either.
At the end of the day, Rush Limbaugh, not Michael Steele, is the true leader of the Republican Party. Rush Limbaugh: the drug addict who invented the "it's totally about race" excuse when it came to Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama; when it came to Donovan McNabb's success in the NFL; and when it came to current support for the president.
Adding... I absolutely agree with BooMan's assessment of Steele himself:
I wouldn't underestimate Steele's abilities. He is an excellent communicator and he comes off as eminently reasonable. At the same time, he isn't known for having any original ideas.
While it's mistakenly credited to Sarah Palin, it was Steele who coined: "Drill, baby, Drill." Even though it's a ridiculous concept, no-one can argue with its efficacy as a campaign slogan.