NEW ORLEANS -- Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who has come under fire for his lavish spending, told GOP activists Saturday that he has taken responsibility for his "mistakes" and is now ready to "move on." "Now I'll be the first to admit I've made mistakes and it's been incumbent on me to take responsibility, shoulder the burden, make necessary changes, and move. "In life, you realize very quickly that you can't please everyone, but you can certainly make them all mad at you at the same time," he said. "But the one mistake we cannot make is to lose this November," he added. The outspoken and flamboyant Steele has been a lightning rod for criticism since taking the job last year. The letter states that the Republican Party state chairmen "believe Chairman Michael Steele can lead the RNC to be a full partner with us this fall in our efforts to fire Nancy Pelosi and win Republican majorities in Congress and among governors."
– Michael Steele today sought to put to rest the recent troubles of himself and the Republican National Committee, reports Fox News. "I'm the first here to admit I've made mistakes, and it's been incumbent upon me to face facts, shoulder that burden, make the necessary changes—and move on," he told the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. If Republicans keep pointing fingers at each other, they're falling for a Democratic "trap." The speech "should at least for now, put this latest episode of self-inflicted injury behind" him, writes Mike Madden at Salon. He also notes that Steele got a standing ovation—"from, oh, at least a few dozen people." The ballroom was half-empty for Steele's speech, the final one of the conference. "Turns out the Republican National Committee chairman wasn't exactly a big draw (though the press rows were full, and cameras were rolling)."