Yet at a moment when millions are out of work and millions more struggling to get by, the party’s governing board will plot its comeback on the island of Oahu, sipping drinks poolside, catching rays on the beach that abuts the villa and raising questions about whether they’re as politically tone-deaf as they accuse the president of being.

The decision to meet here, where temperatures stayed steadily in the 70s all day Wednesday, is causing some prominent Republicans to cringe.

“Do I want voters to think that Republicans do nothing but go to beach resorts in January? No,” House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told reporters last week.

For some in the party, the decision to convene in Hawaii represents just one more unnecessary headache inflicted on the GOP by Chairman Michael Steele — at a time when about everything else seems to be moving in the party’s direction.

I really really really love Michael Steele. He's amazing.