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Debate Puts Steele on Defense
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Carol Hirschburg, a GOP political consultant, said Russert's selection of such topics -- abortion and stem cell research rather than taxes or homeland security -- "were not designed to favor a Republican." She said it highlighted the difficulty Steele faces, especially when Cardin consistently tries to link him to the unpopular president. The Post poll showed Steele trailing Cardin by 11 percentage points.
"The challenge Michael faces, which I think he has handled extremely adroitly, is that he has to make the campaign about him and what kind of human being he is, and that he can be trusted by the people to do what he thinks is the right thing," Hirschburg said.
If the race were merely a contest of personalities, the Post poll shows, Steele would fare better. By 2 to 1, likely voters said they found the lieutenant governor more appealing than Cardin. Even Democrats said that was clear during the debate, with Steele appearing engaging while Cardin was sober and restrained.
When pressed, Steele tried to use humor to diffuse awkward moments, as when Russert played a clip of Steele forcefully endorsing Bush at the 2004 Republican National Convention and read news clips saying Steele was recruited to run by Bush strategist Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney.
"I've been outed," Steele said, laughing. "Okay, everybody, I'm a Republican."
Russert was undeterred, holding up a Steele bumper sticker that read, "Steele Democrat."
"That's not truth in advertising," Russert said.
"You've never heard of 'Reagan Democrats?' " Steele responded.
"It doesn't say, 'I'm a Steele Democrat.' It says 'Steele Democrat.' "
At times, Steele attempted to take on the role of moderator, directly challenging Cardin, for instance, on a vote against stem cell research. The bill would have required the National Institutes of Health to conduct the research without destroying embryos.
In the House, all of Maryland's Democrats and Republican Wayne T. Gilchrest joined in voting against the measure. In the Senate, though, the bill was passed with the support of both of Maryland's Democrats.
"What do Senator [Paul S.] Sarbanes and Senator [Barbara A.] Mikulski not know that you know, that caused them to vote for it, and you against it?" asked Steele, who sat elbow-to-elbow with Cardin.
