Maddow: Lackluster GOP field draws new consideration

I‘m really glad that we have Michael Steele on our team this year.

But last night on this show, in his first appearance at MSNBC since he signed on with us, I got from him a totally different answer than I expected when I asked him about Republicans complaining that they want I new candidates to join the field of candidates who are running for their party‘s nomination this year. “Isn‘t that kind of an insult to the candidates who are running?” I asked. I thought for sure when I asked that, he would say no. But I couldn‘t even finish the question before he said yes. He said, “Yes, it is an insult. Every Republican complaining about how weak the field is now and how they want new candidates to get in is slapping in the face the field that is already running. It‘s Republicans saying hey, Mitt Romney, hey, Tim Pawlenty, hey, you all you other guys in the race, we don‘t think you can do it. You are not inspiring. We are not behind you. We are hoping new people come in and replace you.

Since Mitch Daniels announced in the middle of the night on Saturday that he is not in the running, which, of course, leaves Mitt Romney as the front runner, right? Mitt Romney pulling light years ahead of anyone else in New Hampshire, since Mitt Romney‘s place as the front runner was solidified by Mitch Daniels getting out, Republicans looking a field dominated by Mitt Romney are manifestly un-intimidated by him as competition. Republicans past, Republicans obscure and Republicans you didn‘t know for sure are Republicans are suddenly coming out of the woodwork since Saturday night, saying, OK, if this is the field, I‘ll run. Why not?

How much should it be seen as an insult to Mitt Romney that his status as the clear front runner right now has got Rudy Giuliani floating the idea of running again, has got Donald Trump seriously floating the idea again of running, of getting back in, has got former New York Governor George Pataki threatening that he is going to run, ahs got Roy Moore, the Alabama Ten Commandments guy forming an exploratory committee, has even got Thaddeus McCotter—who? Thaddeus McCotter threatening to run and getting all sorts of Beltway press for it. Who is Thaddeus McCotter? He‘s a Michigan congressman who you might remember from his super awkward music videos where he talks about Libya and makes jokes about Silvio Berlusconi‘s child prostitution charges while playing an air brushed guitar.

When we first saw these music videos that he‘s been making, it led me to speculate on the air he was not running for re-election next year as congressman. I never dreamed that this guy might be running for president.