Steele keeps the GOP on its toes

Michael Steele keeps the buzz alive.

In an interview with GQ, the Republican National Committee chief states that abortion is "an individual choice," asserts that sexual orientation is innate and describes some anti-gay-marriage activism as "craziness."

Now that's off the hook! At least for the GOP base.

Perhaps Steele is trying to remake the Republican Party in his own image. Could be an effective big-tent strategy - if he'd pick an image and stick with it.

GQ came out with the story Wednesday night, and quicker than you can say "Rush Limbaugh," Steele issued a statement that began, "I am pro-life, always have been, always will be."

Except, apparently, when he talked with GQ's Lisa DePaulo about how he'd been put up for adoption as an infant.

"You can choose life, or you can choose abortion," Steele said. "You know, my mother chose life."

DePaulo: "Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?"

Steele: "Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice."

DePaulo: "You do?"

Steele: "Yeah. Absolutely."

Steele also states his personal belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, but in a way that takes a swipe at some anti-gay-marriage activists.

"That's just my view," he said. "And I'm not gonna jump up and down and beat people upside the head about it and tell gays that they're wrong for wanting to aspire to that, and all of that craziness."

And Steele pooh-poohs the idea, held by some religious conservatives, that homosexuality is a choice.

"[Y]ou just can't simply say, oh, like, 'Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being gay.' It's like saying, 'Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being black.'"

Needless to say, Steele has ticked off some members of the GOP, whose platform opposes abortion and gay marriage.

"I'm a little surprised and, quite frankly, disappointed that the leader of the Republican Party is at odds with the Republican Party platform," Christian Coalition President Roberta Combs told me. "It's just a little odd."

Odder still: As of this writing, Steele had not retracted his comments on the gay stuff. Maybe he's sticking to his guns for once.

Wait - there's more!