Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele defended his leadership this morning on Good Morning America (weekdays, 7AM ET, ABC), making his first comments since the RNC's $2,000 expenditure at a sex-themed nightclub in Hollywood was made public. But it was Steele's comments on race that may end up drawing the most attention.

Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele defended his leadership this morning on Good Morning America (weekdays, 7AM ET, ABC), making his first comments since the RNC's $2,000 expenditure at a sex-themed nightclub in Hollywood was made public. But it was Steele's comments on race that may end up drawing the most attention.

George Stephanopoulos asked Steele, "Do you feel that, as an African-American, you have a slimmer margin for error than another Chairman would?"

"The honest answer is yes," Steele replied. "It just is. Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. We all -- a lot of folks do. It's a different role for me to play and others to play, and that's just the reality of it."

It's a statement that's sure to trigger another round of news-cycle chatter at a time when Steele is trying to squash an already embarrassing controversy.