wow, Steele really does not come off well at. all. Just like the town hall nutjobs, it's all about interrupting with a bunch of nonsensical slogans. You hope your fellow Americans aren't so stupid.
Without a public option, there is no health care reform. In this country health care should be a right for everyone.

I wasn't shocked by Inskeep's rudeness, but I was shocked by Steele's inanity. He wants Medicare to be protected, but he hates government-run programs. Or something like that. He also thinks that Democrats want to slash Medicare funding but he sees that Medicare has "inefficiencies" that could be cut (which means slashing Medicare, right?).

Steele was upset that a reporter was daring to ask him a question, then following up on the answer to that question because the answer was incoherent and meaningless. I'm sure it's easier when you're being pandered to, but Steele should really have a better set of talking points than "THEY'RE GOING TO CUT YOUR MEDICARE! WHICH SHOULD BE CUT! AND I HATE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS! EXCEPT WHEN I LIKE THEM!"

This was a great interview by Inskeep. Steele was taken to task for his inconsistent and contradictory answers. It also revealed that the republican health care policy is non-existent.

I think this was top-notch reporting and something that I wish the press would do more of. So often policy makers are allowed to hide behind platitudes and non-statements.

Steele came off as the ultimate buffoon. And Inskeep did a good job trying to get a straight answer out of Steele, whose attempts at doublespeak were hampered by his mental acuity.

What some might call "rudeness" on Steve Inskeep's part, I call "doing his job as a journalist." Thanks, Steve! Keep it up!

Michael Steele is a big joke. He receives his talking points from Hannity and LImbaugh - which is obvious.

He will drive more people away from the GOP - it thats possible.

Health care reform will pass with most of what President Obama wants. I think he will adopt Senator Kennedy's philosophy to take 75% of what you are going after and cut the deal.

The Dems will put this victory in the bank before the end of the year and concentrate on 2010..

Oh Yes - Steele will be asked to resign.

I think everyone's liberal slip is showing. Actually, I thought Mr. Steele was reacting to the obvious liberal view that the strident, relentless Mr. Inskeep reveals with every interview. Mr. Steele was quite coherent under attack.

The GOP (God Awful People) and THUG RADIO/TV are doing all they can, even using thuggish protestors, to once again block health care reform. I call them that because they blocked reform in 1993 and have done nothing since to fix health care. Today, we see them doing the same thing. Left with a huge surplus by Clinton, did they use it on reform? No, they gave it to the rich. Oh, how they constantly yelp about wealth redistribution! Satan must love these types of family value Christians. The “Tricky Dick” (Richard Nixon) effect has never left the Republican Party.

Having been booted by the touted free market/private sector, you can bet most of the so-called protestors are sucking up government goods and services. Yet, here they are, letting themselves be brainwashed by the thugs into shooting themselves in the foot. If reform is not passed, they will be the ones dying in foreign deserts seeking a better life in the form of affordable medicines and care. The shoe will be on the other foot then, won’t it? What goes around comes around. They will deserve every thorn that pricks them in the butts.

Stephanie,

You should either put "government-run health care" in quotes, or change your phrasing. Government-run health care would be state-controlled hospitals like the VA has. What is being discussed is a government-run health insurance option.

I just listened to the complete interview. What did the interviewer do or say that could be considered rude? I thought he was very considerate to the RNC Chairman as well as the listeners as he tried to keep the focus on the topic, cut through some of the jargon, and attempt to reconcile apparent contradictions.

On the other hand, I thought Mr. Steele was rude with his persistent interruptions of the questions.

Hermoine, I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment. It did not sound to me as though Mr. Steele was being attacked. And he certainly did not sound coherent.

Steele kicked Inskeep's ass and Inskeep knew it.

As far as the rest of you nanny state rejects with no life and no ambition but to get the government to do everything for you, go get a job and try that for a while. Some hard work will get you past your fixation on bitching at the people in this country that do their part and get their part. Try competing and producing something with your sissy selves and you'll find that getting health coverage is the last of your worries. Pathetic..........

Regarding Steve Inskeep's interview with Michael Steel, I thought Inskeep was a total jerk. Just once, I'd like to hear him or anyone on NPR be so rude to a fellow liberal.

Steele is a nut job and should be put out of our misery

This looks like an interesting blog, with pertinent, relevant posts. But if comments such as the one from Dennis are approved and posted, I will not be participating again. It is possible to get your point across without name-calling or hurling invective at other commenters and readers.

That was an awful radio interview, wasting time and opportunity to discuss the subject with an unbiased exchange of information. Instead Inskeep wanted to derail Steele and discredit him for being a republican with thoughts outside the democrat talking points. Steele barely had a chance to lay out his thoughts because of the pathetic journalism typical on the left and NPR. Liberalism IS a mental disease and on display daily here!

Pulic radio should not be taking sides they should be presenting the facts. Will Mr. Inskeep have someone from the DNC on and challenge them about Obamacare. If not then I and a lot of other American would not like to see their tax dollars support so called public radio. This is just another mouth piece for the DNC and the Obama administration.

This goes to tell you that Michael Steele and most of these Republican elected officials know the truth that Healthcare for all is the moral thing to do but because of their WHACK ideology, they will simply not accept. To them, "Government is the devil". Yet the Republican congress men all have government-run healthcare paid for by OUR TAX PAYERS' MONEY. Yes, our sweat and blood and yet, we, who pay for theirs, do not deserve it. What's that called? Can someone please tell me?

I thought Steele did a great job defending his ideas. I thought he was clear about his beliefs on this issue. I listen every day, and I have never heard Inskeep lose it like that! I believe a journalist should be allowed to have a political bent, but he was clearly biased and so emotional that he couldn't give a straight interview. They should of had someone else interview Steele.

It's revealing that right-leaning commenters like Dennis have to resort to name-calling and insults ("Sissy," "pathetic," "rejects") because they cannot defend their position on its logical merits. This is further proof
of the intellectual bankruptcy in the American Conservative movement.

Still waiting for the GOP to present their offer for health care reform. Should be noted I've been waiting for 8.5 years, as they owned the Congress & the White House for a while there...

Also waiting for those so stridently against a government health insurance option to come out against Medicare, Medicaid, the post office, the police, the fire department, the highway administration...

Putting roads & letters above the health of your fellow citizens? That's not anti-socialism, it's anti-American.

Right on Lt. Governor Steele. We need to correct Medicare before we move on to another Government Program. Government needs to slow down, and clean up past problems prior to proceeding in creation of a new problems. A solution is a problem, if it is not done carefully and thoughtfully. There are so many options and ideas on the table by both sides that are being ignored. Look at ALL the options....don't ram another bill just because it is has a lot of words. Over 1000 pages of words. Vague Words. Get it right or leave it alone. Both the republicans and the democrats are missing the point, in my ever so humble but correct opinion.