Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Prince George's County) was playing defense Sunday when Chris Wallace, the anchor of Fox News Sunday, questioned whether "drill baby drill" was a sufficient energy policy.

"'Drill baby drill' is not meant to be an energy policy," Steele said. "'Drill baby drill' is a way to get our attention focused on the question of how we do energy in this country."

Steele, the current chair of GOPAC, announced last week his candidacy for chair of the Republican National Committee.

It was Steele who coined the phrase, which became a rally cry at Republican campaign events across the nation in 2008.

"Let me make it very clear. Drill baby drill, and drill now," Steele said during his speech at the Republican National Convention in September. The one-liner became a national hit, but some observers have called it a watered down version of an energy policy at a time when the GOP needs to be putting more comprehensive ideas on the table.

Steele defended the line and said the country needs an all inclusive energy policy.

"It's right here right now, but it doesn't preclude you from doing other things," Steele said. "How do you not have a conversation with coal and solar and nuclear? It's not just about oil."