Huckabee rips Steele on abortion

On days like today, I doubt Michael Steele is enjoying his new gig as RNC chair. After having to backtrack on his recent interview with GQ, the conservatives are piling on his somewhat dithering remarks on abortion.

The latest is former Arkansas governor and 2008 presidential contender Mike Huckabee (R), who slammed Steele in the following statement Thurday afternoon.

Comments attributed to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele are very troubling and despite his clarification today the party stands to lose many of its members and a great deal of its support in the trenches of grassroots politics. Since 1980, our party has been steadfast and principled in believing in the dignity and worth of every human life. We have supported a Constitutional amendment to protect life and the party has taken the position that no one individual has the supreme right to own another person in totality including the right to take that life.

Not too bad so far, right? Here comes the kicker:

For Chairman Steele to even infer that taking a life is totally left up to the individual is not only a reversal of Republican policy and principle, but it’s a violation of the most basic of human rights–the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. His statement today helps, but doesn’t explain why he would ever say what he did in the first place.

Ouch.

jeremy.jacobs@digital-stage.thehill.com