Michael Steele on Harry Reid's "slaveowner" comment

Harry Reid recently compared the opponents of the health care takeover to those who opposed the end of slavery and giving women the right to vote:

When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said 'slow down, it's too early, things aren't bad enough.'

Michael Steele was asked about Harry Reid's comments this morning on Morning Joe, and he said that Reid is "out of touch" and that the remarks are "unfortunate". Donny Deutsch followed up by asking Steele, "I still don't understand why the analogy that Reid made is wrong? He is just saying that any time we have 'dramatic change', that there is going to be resistance. What is wrong with what he said?"

Steele dodged the question by saying "I am not going to dignify that question with a response". Deutsch then openly mocked him for not being able to provide an answer. The video is below:

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Thinking of a bumper sticker I recently saw, this would have been my answer:

There was dramatic change in Cuba in 1959, was that good change? And were those who were opposed to that change, those who were "clinging" to the principles of freedom and private property and free markets, were they also just dragging their feet and getting in the way of progress? If you want to talk about progress, why don't we go down to Cuba and see what kind of "progress" you get when the government takes over the economy.

Maybe that answer is over the top, but not any more so than Reid's original analogy. In any case, Steele has got to do a better job articulating an opposing point of view.

And by the way, here is that bumper sticker: