why is Steele hesitant to claim a personal connection to slavery through his grandfather/?

Question

its from the Open Mind book at Mercer county Community College by Laura Knight, Carol Friend, and Beatrice Machunze

Answer 1

I think his reaction is a deliberate obfuscation of what was actually meant by Hoyer's comment. Hoyer was using "slavishly" in the context of following the Republican policy line without question. The probable intent was to indicate that Steele was unable/unwilling to strike out on his own in terms of social and/or political policy.

My reading of the incident suggests that there was no intent to associate Steele with being an actual slave as existed in the US before Emancipation. The snap reaction to the comment appears to be part of the Steele's campaign probable frustration with being unable to disassociate the candidate from the difficulties Republicans nationwide are facing.