Michael Steele: ‘I was ready to battle Democrats, not battle my own’

VIDEO - Just after the GOP took the House, they pushed Steele out of power. He shared thoughts on his legacy, finances, and his replacement with Mara Schiavocampo...

Michael Steele, now the former chairmen of the Republican National Committee, sat down with theGrio’s Mara Schiavocampo this week. Just a few months after the Republicans retook control of the House, Steele was pushed out of power by his own party and replaced by Reince Priebus.

Making light of the situation, Steele has made his rounds on the media circuit, even appearing on The Daily Show to square off with a puppet version of himself. Steele sat down with Schiavocampo to talk about his legacy as RNC chair, his relationship (or lack thereof) with President Obama, and who’s to blame for the financial woes of the party.

STEELE SAYS A WHITE CHAIRMAN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VOTED OUT
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Steele said he felt a lot of anger and frustration with the Republican party, and betrayed by his former friend Priebus for taking his position. Priebus has tried to reach out to Steele, but Steele says he’s “not interested at looking back.”

“All I ever wanted to do was do the job. That’s all I ever wanted to do. I was ready to battle Democrats, not battle my own,” Steele said.

STEELE’S THOUGHTS ON HIS REPLACEMENT REINCE PRIEBUS
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“I understood what Caesar must have felt like.”

Now Steele says he’s looking forward to taking a vacation, resting, and “try to grow some hair.” The vacation may not be lengthy.

STEELE SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO BE A POLITICAL COMMENTATOR
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“My wife is like, ‘you know that j-o-b thing is real important.’”

text by Dexter Mullins

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