The Republican National Committee has elected Michael Steele as their chairman. Mr. Steele is the committee's first black holder of this post.

Now, it's always great when anyone gets any sort of promotion -- black, Asian, white, whatever ...

But I wonder if this is the Republicans' attempt to draw future black and visible minority votes in 2012 or even 2016? He loses his post exactly 2 years from now, making any attempt at reviving the GOP as a visible minority-friendly party meaningless.

I mean, why, for the first time since the RNC's inception in 1856 did they decide to go with a black man today when there were a list of well qualified black people on the ready to hold this post in the past?

Claude Allen - active Republican since 1995 (public), as a young man (personal)
Former Assistant to the POTUS Domestic Policy under George W Bush, awarded Juris Doctor from Duke University's School of Law, has Republican policy positions (abstinence, pro-life, anti-gay/women/union/socialism)

John Blackwell - active Republican since 1979 (public)
Served as Mayor of Cincinnati 1979-1980, served as Ohio Secretary of State 1999-2007, policy views include right to life (concerning abortion to life support) and prohibiting same sex marriage and civil unions

Keith Butler - active Republican since 1982
Current member of the RNC, has been a political activist for every Republican President since Reagan

I personally believe that he is a qualified person to lead the RNC and deserves such a position but I also can't help feeling that his election was thoroughly thought out due to the Obama effect.