Michael Steele: International Man of Mystery

An odd story on the often erratic RNC Chairman on Politico today: 

The Republican National Committee is trying to set up meetings between Chairman Michael Steele and foreign ambassadors to the United States, according to an email obtained by POLITICO – an effort that has puzzled diplomats as well as fellow Republicans.

An RNC intern sent a message late last month to at least one ambassador on behalf of Neil Alpert, a senior finance aide, with little explanation.

"As you know, the November election is just 103 days away and the Chairman would like to extend to you an invitation to sit down either at the RNC or at your embassy to discuss the upcoming 2010 midterm elections," wrote Christopher Kelleher, a finance department intern. "With literally hundreds of congressional seats up for grabs in just under four months, Chairman Steel [sic] would love to have the opportunity to discuss the Party’s outlook with you."

Given that the task was delegated to an intern who failed to spell his own boss’s name correctly and sent the invitation to a European embassy’s general inquiry inbox, it’s not quite clear how serious to take these invitations. But it’s still not clear why Steele would want to meet with foreign diplomats about the election at all. As former RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson told Politico, "They can’t give any money and they can’t vote."