Michael Steele wasn't exactly feeling the love last night at Howard. A group of young black Republicans at the historically-black university hosted the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee on his so-called "Freedom Tour," a series of town hall meetings on health care and other topics of the day. Yesterday, those topics included hip-hop, "bling-bling," and how "our country can afford more than one Oprah Winfrey."

Read More "Michael Steele Visits Howard, Gets Heckled, Heckles Back" »

*THE BLOGOSPHERE REACTS: Arlen Specter (R-PA D-PA), facing a strong 2010 primary push from Republican congressman Pat Toomey, switches parties, giving the Dems a quasi-60-seat presence in the Senate. This has the 'sphere all riled up. For some spirited commentary, visit Robert Stacey McCain's  blog ("Specter reminds me of the high-school slut trying to sleep her way to popularity") or Gateway Pundit, where RNC Chair Michael Steele is quoted as saying "Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don't do it first." President Obama, meanwhile, pledges his "full support" to Specter.  Which could include campaigning for him in a Democratic primary.

*Obama's "no-news press conference doesn't impress" the Washington Times. Snap!

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Cloning Bin Laden" »

Good morning City Desk readers, and happy Freedom Friday. Before we get started, I'd remind you all that John Pinette performs this weekend at the DC Improv, Cool Papa's Party run for just one more week at MetroStage, and David Plotz--former Washington City Paper man and current editor in chief of Slate--reads from and signs copies of Good Book: The Bizarre, Hilarious, Disturbing, Marvelous, and Inspiring Things I Learned When I Read Every Single Word of the Bible at Politics & Prose on Saturday. The rest of the week is equally awesome. Now for some news:

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The Power of Rush" »

Michael Steele, chair of the Republican National Committee, expressed full-throated support this afternoon for the D.C. House Voting Rights Act and said he was gratified that the bill passed cloture earlier today. He was buttonholed by LL as he entered the Senate wing of the Capitol with former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman.

"I think it's an important civil right for the residents of this city," said Steele, a native of Ward 4. "Having grown up here I understand how important it is to them."

And Steele pumped up the GOP's civil rights history: "We’ve always, as a party, been on the right side of that history so, hopefully, everybody will be there again.”

Read More "Michael Steele: D.C. Vote an “Important Civil Right”" »

I have been trying to figure out Michael Steele for the last week or so. Every since he won the RNC's top job that has meant more TV chat show appearances where he talks up tax cuts and talks down Obama. He just doesn't sound that smart. Yesterday, Steele told a Politico reporter that Obama's stimulus package "is just a wish list from a lot of people who have been on the sidelines for years.. to get a little bling, bling."

Read More "Michael Steele Is Our New Sarah Palin" »

Republican honchos from across the country are gathered today at the Capital Hilton to pick the next chair of the Republican National Committee. Now usually LL would have no interest in this, except that D.C. native and former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele has mounted a strong bid for the seat.

All three voting members from D.C. are backing Steele, according to D.C. GOP executive director Paul Craney.

As expected, there's no winner here on the first ballot, who totals were announced just after noon. Here's the initial vote totals (the magic number is 85):

Incumbent chair Mike Duncan: 52
Steele: 46
South Carolina Republican chairman Katon Dawson: 28
Michigan Republican chairman Saul Anuzis: 22
Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell: 20

UPDATE, 1:05 P.M.: Steele pulls even with Duncan, still not final:

Duncan: 48
Steele: 48
Anuzis: 29
Dawson: 24
Blackwell: 19

UPDATE, 1:50 P.M.: Steele now in the lead, but Dawson is gaining...

Steele: 51
Duncan: 44
Dawson: 34
Anuzis: 24
Blackwell: 15

UPDATE, 2:15 P.M.: Duncan drops out! Round 4 to come!

UPDATE, 2:50 P.M.: Uh-oh---Duncan conservatives flocking to Dawson. However, CW is that Steele and Anuzis appeal to moderates; Dawson and Blackwell appeal to conservatives. By that logic, there's more votes leaning toward the moderates now than the conservatives, which would be an analysis beneficial to Steele.

Dawson: 62
Steele: 60
Anuzis: 31
Blackwell: 15

UPDATE, 3:15 P.M.: Blackwell out! Endorses Steele!

UPDATE, 3:30 P.M.: The suspense! Round 5:

Steele: 79 (need 85 to win)
Dawson: 69
Saul: 20

UPDATE, 4:10 P.M.: STEELE WINS