RNC, National Council for a New America and Micheal Steele

Politico.com is reporting on how the Republican National Committee is riven by a dispute between Chairman Michael Steele and a faction of RNC establishment veterans that threatens to undermine Steele’s ability to put his stamp on the national party.

The latest flashpoint is an acrimonious, increasingly public fight over control of the GOP’s finances that pits Steele’s team of consultants and younger RNC members against a contingent of longtime committee members who opposed his election and remain distrustful of his leadership.

“One thing led to another and it spiraled out of control,” said one Republican national committeeman. “These are the Jews and the Palestinians here.”

The clash comes at an especially inopportune time for both Steele and the GOP. Steele got off to a rough start as chairman by delivering a series of public gaffes, an inauspicious debut that was followed by a disappointing loss in a special election in New York’s 20th congressional district.

Tuesday’s party switch by Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter dealt the GOP another painful blow and spurred renewed criticism of Steele, who earlier suggested he might support a primary challenger to the embattled five-term incumbent. More HERE

CNN's Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand reports on how Top Republicans are kicking off a campaign to reshape their party's image.

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Get this, as reported by CNN, Three prominent GOP leaders kicked off a campaign Saturday to reshape their party's image, gathering at a restaurant in Northern Virginia for the first of a series of town hall meetings.

The goal of the initiative, called the National Council for a New America, is to connect Republican leaders with voters across the country to help get the party's electoral fortunes back on track.

"Certainly our party has taken its licks the last few cycles, but that's why we're here," said House Minority Whip Eric Cantor. "The reality is the prescriptions coming out of Washington right now are not reflective of the mainstream of this country."

"It's time for us to listen a little bit, learn a little bit," said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who advised Republicans to work on the party's message and "not be so nostalgic.

AAPP: I wonder how many black Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans and Asian Americans were invited to be involved in the National Council for a New America? How is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney going to change the Republican Party? Hmm... I guess he will help Micheal Steele slip and fall, or give him and added push and fall, so he himself can step in the the role as RNC Chairman and re-build it to look more like the White Citizens Council. Maybe that's the problem...the RNC already has that look and feel.

But then again, maybe Micheal Steele is about to slip and fall on his own. Get this, Think Progress reports the following:

RNC Chairman Michael Steele spoke to his party faithful in LaCrosse, WI. Steele tried to claim that moderates were welcome to his “big table” party, but said that in order to join him for dinner, they had to first silence their own opinions and agree with him and other far-right Republicans:

“All you moderates out there, y’all come. I mean, that’s the message,” Steele said at a news conference. “The message of this party is this is a big table for everyone to have a seat. I have a place setting with your name on the front.

“Understand that when you come into someone’s house, you’re not looking to change it. You come in because that’s the place you want to be.“

AAPP: Steele's talk about why the GOP has fallen out of favor with the American public seems to be just a tad bit bogus to me. What do you think?