Steele remains a 'loyal soldier'
By VAISHALI HONAWAR, Staff Writer
Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele wants anyone wondering to know that he would
carry "buckets of sand, water and dirt" for his boss, Gov. Robert L.
Ehrlich Jr.
The first modern Republican in an office that has provided plenty of
loyalty tests for his Democratic predecessors, Mr. Steele said he and
Mr. Ehrlich remain in perfect tandem as they lead Maryland to a
brighter future.
And oh yes, the governor is the only man he answers to on issues such
as a promised death penalty task force - a pledge the news media has
such a way of keeping alive.
"My philosophy is get things done," Mr. Steele said. "His philosophy is
don't screw it up."
When Mr. Ehrlich was sworn in as Maryland's top elected official last
year, he promised an equal partnership with Mr. Steele. The first
African American elected to statewide office, he attracted voters who
shared his opposition to the death penalty and abortion.
"The governor relies heavily on the lieutenant governor's input and
deals," said John Kane, chief of the Maryland Republican Party.
But some say the partnership has not translated into a free hand.
Eighteen months into the Ehrlich-Steele administration, the lieutenant
governor has remained firmly aligned with his boss on most issues, and
mostly quiet on the one many African Americans feel strongly about: the
death penalty.
When he lifted a moratorium on the death penalty after taking office,
Mr. Ehrlich said Mr. Steele would head a task force to investigate
allegations of racial bias in sentencing.
Today, Mr. Steele says that plan is still alive, adding with a degree
of irritation that he isn't working on a schedule set by the media or
by either side on the issue. He's just not giving up any details.
"I am not ready to talk about it," Mr. Steele said during an interview
last week in his State House office.
It has to be a comprehensive process, he said a little later.
"I have talked to leading proponents and opponents ... It is further
shaping my view on this issue," he said.
A devout Catholic, Mr. Steele says his view of the death penalty
remains the same.
"Life is life for me," he said "I can't determine whether you live or
die. That's what I've anchored my faith in."
Right now, Mr. Steele's plate is full of other things.
He was picked as a speaker at the Republican National Convention later
this month in New York. When he's not jetting around the world to forge
business ties for Maryland, he has been campaigning for President Bush
in battleground states.
"I want to get out there and tell this president's story," he said.
He said re-electing Mr. Bush should be a no-brainer after his handling
of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the Iraq war.
"This is our president. He has kept us safe for the last two years. He
has succeeded in putting terror on the run, and brought democracy to a
part of the world that did not know democracy for a long time."
Observers of Maryland politics call Mr. Steele "a loyal soldier" for
Mr. Ehrlich.
"He presents well and provides at least a symbolic front that the
Ehrlich administration has been trying to put up to reach out to all
groups around the state," said Keith Haller, president of Potomac Inc.,
a Bethesda-based public opinion group.
"The governor relies heavily on the lieutenant governor's input and
ideas," said Mr. Kane.
For his part, Mr. Steele takes up spiritedly for Mr. Ehrlich on the
issue of his defeats in the General Assembly. The governor has been
unable to push a slot-machine bill through the assembly for two years
running.
"It's not a disappointment for us. We are disappointed by the inactions
of others, but that is their failure," Mr. Steele said.
Ditto for his faith-based initiative. Mr. Ehrlich named Mr. Steele to
head a governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives, but
the Senate killed the plan. The office would have helped faith-based
groups obtain government resources for community programs, including
helping the homeless and day care.
"It is the failure of others to grasp the gravity of the situation
that's disappointing," said Mr. Steele. "I am disappointed in their
lack of vision."
But he has a "Plan B" in the works, he said. Again, he isn't ready to
talk about it.
"Plan B is to move forward and take leadership from the governor. I
have presented him with some suggestions and ideas," he said.
The wanderer
Since last year, Mr. Steele has spent nearly $170,000 on trips to
Europe, the Caribbean and Africa.
He said he has brought back more than enough business to justify his
travels.
In Paris, his goal was to tout Maryland's ties to the aerospace
industry during the international air show. He said he had 23 meetings
in two days.
His most recent trip was to Ghana and South Africa in June. It cost
more than $140,000 of taxpayers' money.
"Citizens will see that the $140,000 have been spent well. It's been
worth it because we brought back $17 million," said the
lawyer-businessman.
One trade pact he negotiated was an agreement for more flights by Ghana
Airways to BWI Airport. And although the airline is currently grounded
in a dispute with federal aviation officials, Mr. Steele said other
deals will be announced soon.
"I know how to maximize profits," he said.
Then there's his other role as an African-American vote-getter for the
Republican Party.
"The last time I checked, my name was not Moses," he said.
"I am one of many voices in our party, African American or otherwise
... But let's not blow it out of proportion. This is about a long,
steady progressive march toward bringing the Republican Party back to
the African-American community and establishing a relationship that we
let fall apart."
Mr. Kane insisted that race has nothing to do with Mr. Steele's high
profile on the national campaign trail.
"He's done a great job of outreach," he said, calling Mr. Steele "well
respected and well regarded ... honest and humble."
He compares his charisma to that of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley,
adding, "But compared to Steele, O'Malley looks too ambitious."
Whether his appeal will translate into votes among Maryland's mostly
Democratic African-American community remains to be seen.
Mr. Haller, for one, said that hasn't happened so far. The Ehrlich
administration still has "an enormous way to go to forge any
connection" with black voters, he said.
Whatever the pressures and criticisms, Mr. Steele said he's enjoying
his time in the State House. His office was once used by Thomas
Jefferson.
"As an African American sitting in a former slave-owner's office, it is
a hoot ... And you don't take a moment for granted. You just roll up
your sleeves and do the best job you can."
vhonawar@capitalgazette.com
Published August 02, 2004, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2004 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.