RNC Chairman Michael Steele FOX News Sunday VIDEO

VIDEO PART 1

VIDEO PART 2

WASHINGTON — The following is a partial transcript of the Feb. 1, 2009, edition of "FOX News Sunday With Chris Wallace":

"FOX NEWS SUNDAY" HOST CHRIS WALLACE: On Friday, Republicans elected their first black national chairman. That is big news for a party that has traditionally been seen as failing to reach out to minorities.

Joining us now to tell us how he plans to turn around GOP fortunes is the new head of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele.

Chairman Steele, congratulations.

RNC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE: Thank you, Chris. Thank you.

WALLACE: And welcome back to "FOX News Sunday."

STEELE: It's good to be back, yeah.

WALLACE: I want to start with something that you said in your victory statement on Friday just after you were elected by the RNC. And here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEELE: We want you to work with us. And for those of you who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Who were you talking about? Who are you thinking may want to obstruct?

STEELE: I'm thinking both inside and outside the party. I think it's an opportunity for us now to move this party forward on the ideas that matter to the voters, and so I'm not in the mood to have people stand in the way and say, "We can't. We've always done it this way. It's impossible to do."

I mean, I was told that in making this run. And I was told that when I decided to run for lieutenant governor of Maryland. So the idea that the opportunity presents itself and you fail to rise to it because someone is standing in your way to me just doesn't sit well.

So I wanted to make it very clear from the very beginning, my goal is to move this party forward. We're in the business of winning elections. And so I'm expecting my grassroots, my state parties, the national organization to get on board, to get on the page that is a winning page and move forward.

And for those Democrats and others who want to put up roadblocks and do the crazy typical play that they normally do — the name-calling and the obfuscation and the sleight of hand — I don't have time for it, because there are important issues that we have to face on the economy, the war, and issues that affect the poor. And I want to have this party in a position to move on those issues. FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT