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Michael Steele
Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee & Former Lt. Governor of Maryland
Michael Steele
Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee & Former Lt. Governor of Maryland
Biography
When he was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003, Michael Steele made history as the first African American elected to statewide office; and again with his subsequent chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in 2009.
As chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele was charged with revitalizing the Republican Party. A self-described "Lincoln Republican," under Steele’s leadership the RNC broke fundraising records (over $198 million raised during the 2010 Congressional cycle) and Republicans won 63 House seats, the biggest pickup since 1938. His commitment to grassroots organization and party building at the state and local levels produced 12 governorships and the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928 (over 760 seats).
As Lt. Governor of Maryland, Mr. Steele’s priorities included reforming the state's Minority Business Enterprise program, improving the quality of Maryland's public education system (he championed the State’s historic Charter School law), expanding economic development in the state and fostering cooperation between government and faith-based organizations to help those in need.
Mr. Steele’s ability as a communicator and commentator has been showcased through his current role as a political analyst for MSNBC. He has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and Comedy Central's The Daily Show. In addition to his work in television, Mr. Steele co-hosted the daily radio program, Steele & Ungar on the POTUS Channel on SiriusXM and is the host of the podcast The Michael Steele Podcast.
Mr. Steele’s writings on law, business and politics have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Hill.com, The Grio.com, Politico.com, The Root.com, BET.com, Townhall.com, The Journal of International Security Affairs and Catholic University Law Review, among others.
He is the author of Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda, which is a call to arms for grassroots America and co-author of The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis.
Born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Mr. Steele was raised in Washington, DC. Upon graduating Johns Hopkins University (‘81’), he entered the Order of St. Augustine where studied for the priesthood. He is a graduate of Georgetown Law Center (’91), an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership, a University of Chicago Institute of Politics Fellow and currently a Senior Fellow at Brown University’s Institute for International and Public Affairs.
Speaker Videos
on Republican Party Racism Problem
Ronald Reagan Shaped My Politics
Speech Topics
The Political Scene According to Steele
Michael Steele’s experiences as Maryland's lieutenant governor, as a candidate for the US Senate, and as a Republican Party leader make him an excellent guide on the fast-paced world of politics. He is a political pundit and a respected political analyst at MSNBC. He dissects the nuance and the “in your face” anger of today’s politics while navigating treacherous questions like how did this tribalism begin? What makes the rhetoric and the vitriol between Rs and Ds today so different? How potent was the Newt Gingrich approach to Congressional control? Are the national parties alienating voters (“War on Women”, “You can keep your healthcare” “Deplorables”) to the point that they no longer are reliable brands? Have the seeds of discord and disagreement ultimately distorted the relationship between the president and the congress to the point neither can govern—regardless of party?
Steele gives an uncompromising assessment of today’s political scene; it’s players, pitfalls and the role “We the People” sometimes play in reshaping the political landscape.
How to Win Elections & Lose the Country
To paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche, madness is rare in individuals - but in political parties it is the rule. From the very founding of our American political system, we have been less than sane when it comes to our politics and political parties. But what makes the madness different today? And why does it feel so personal? How does political activism and the rise of grassroots movements such as Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street and even “Trumpism” impact policymakers or even create a pathway for a “third way” as the dominant political parties try to hold on to voters and rebrand themselves?
Michael Steele doesn’t hold back in looking at both the madness and the methods of our political parties and the systems they create in the fight for domination and electoral success; and ultimately how the emergence of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and future presidential contenders may signal not just a profound transformation of both political parties but their eventual end.
Solutions to Move America Forward: A View from Both Sides of the Aisle
When paired with a speaker with contrasting ideals; Michael Steele expertly presents a compelling point-counterpoint debate over some of the major issues that will impact the nation.
Inspired & Inspiring Leadership
Michael Steele delivers a stirring presentation on his personal journey from his childhood as the son of a working mother in Washington, DC, to his difficulties in college and his years in a Catholic seminary. He gives insights into the challenges and joys of public service as an elected official and his rise in the Republican Party; as well as how the corrosive nature of politics has stained the very idea of “servant leader”. He is a role model and leader whose personal story of struggle, strength and perseverance inspires audiences of all ages.
The Black Experience & The American Dream
Michael Steele points to various personal experiences and news headlines to engage audiences in a powerful discussion about the black experience in the context of the American Dream. Touching on hard-hitting topics and themes, including the effectiveness of the black leadership, white America’s blindness to race issues, and how institutions from banking to housing still employ tools that negatively impact an individual’s success, Steele delivers an insightful and challenging perspective into the issues sparking conversation from college campuses to corporate boardrooms.
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