Powell Still a Republican, Despite Party Differences

[scandal 951]

Colin Powell is one cool dude

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/us/25talkshows.html?hp

Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell affirmed on Sunday that he remains a Republican while asserting that his party should become more inclusive. He also rebuffed his party’s relentless criticism of President Obama’s decision to close the detention base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

“Rush will not get his wish, and Mr. Cheney was misinformed,” Mr. Powell said on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” “I’m still a Republican.”

Mr. Powell was responding to a jab from former Vice President ####### Cheney, who two weeks ago had said, “If I had to choose, in terms of being a Republican, I’d go with Rush Limbaugh.” Mr. Cheney, then speaking on “Face the Nation,” added that he thought Mr. Powell had left the party when he endorsed Barack Obama for president last October.

But on Sunday, Mr. Powell noted his long support of Republican candidates and service to Republican-led administrations, including his role as secretary of state under former president George W. Bush and Mr. Cheney.

“For the previous 20 years I voted solidly for Republican candidates,” Mr. Powell said. “I served Ronald Reagan for two years. I spoke at the 1996 convention and I spoke at the 2000 convention.”

He added that he had voted for several Democratic presidents: John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and “even” Jimmy Carter. Mr. Powell called it “unfortunate” that Mr. Limbaugh said he supported Mr. Obama because he, too, was black.

“I’d like to point out that in the course of my 50 years of voting for presidents, I have voted for the person I thought was best qualified at that time to lead the nation,” he said. “Last year, I thought it was President-now Barack Obama.”

Mr. Powell, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who identified himself as a Republican only after leaving the military, said he felt that the Republican Party should be more inclusive than it has been. Noting the party’s substantial losses in last fall’s elections, he said: “You can only do two things with a base. You can sit on it and watch the world go by, or you can build on it.

“In almost every demographic indicator, the Republican Party is losing. North, South, East, West. Men, women, whites, blacks, Hispanics.” “Are we simply moving further to the right,” Mr. Powell asked, “and by so doing opening up the right-of-center and the center to be taken over by independents and to be taken over by Democrats?”

Bucking the party’s push to court the most conservative elements of its base, Mr. Powell said he hoped his party could adopt a more centrist message, one that he said was embodied by Jack Kemp, the former Republican congressman who died of cancer on May 2.

“Jack was as conservative as anybody,” Mr. Powell said. “And Jack also was a man who believed in inclusiveness, reaching out to minorities, reaching out to the poor, sharing the wealth. Which became a bad term last fall, but sharing the wealth of the country not only with the rich, but with those who are least advantaged in our society. It’s that kind of Jack Kemp Republicanism that I like, and I would like to see the party move more in that kind of a direction.”

The Sunday talk shows capped a week of public debate on Guantánamo, including dueling speeches delivered by the president and Mr. Cheney. Republicans seized on an issue as the Democratic-led Congress refused Mr. Obama’s request for funds to close the base.

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who, like Mr. Cheney, has made repeated media appearances in recent weeks, criticized Mr. Obama’s promise to close Guantánamo.

“I think the president made a very big mistake,” Mr. Gingrich said. “It was a campaign promise. It is not a national security plan. I think, frankly, they should keep Guantánamo open. Whatever things that are wrong with Guantánamo they would fix by moving them to somewhere else, fix them at Guantánamo.”

When pressed to say when he thought the base could be closed, Mr. Gingrich said, “When the terrorists disappear.”

Democratic Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois claimed that Republicans were continuing to stoke Americans’ fears to drive their party’s agenda.

“If you step back and take a look at history for a moment, you will find the message we just heard from Mr. Gingrich, from Vice President Cheney, and Mr. Rush Limbaugh to be the same,” he said on “Meet the Press.” “It’s a message of fear.”

Mr. Powell also disagreed with the flurry of criticism, especially from fellow Republicans.

“I felt Guantánamo should be closed for the past six years, and I lobbied and presented reasons to President Bush,” Mr. Powell said.

He added that Mr. Cheney’s disagreement with Obama administration is also a disagreement with the Bush administration’s policy.

“President Bush stated repeatedly to international audiences and to the country that he wanted to close Guantánamo,” Mr. Powell said. “The problem he had was he couldn’t get all the pieces together.”

This past week, Democrats in the Senate broke with the president and joined a 90-6 vote against Mr. Obama’s $80 million funding request to close Guantanamo, demanding that the administration first come up with a plan.

Mr. Powell said that he has had discussions with President Obama about the base’s closure and acknowledged the complexity of the problem in deciding how to handle the approximately 240 detainees still held at Guantánamo.

While he said the Obama administration should reach out to Congress and the judiciary to create a framework for dealing with the detainees, Mr. Powell criticized the president for “going up to the Congress and asking for $80 million without a plan. And by, frankly, giving enough time to opponents of it to marshal their forces as to why we shouldn’t do this.”

But he also criticized suggestions that moving the detainees to prisons on American soil would endanger communities around the prisons and that the United States should deny detainees rights to legal counsel.

“We have got two million people in jail in America,” he said. “The highest incarceration rate in the world. And they all had lawyers. They had all had access to the writ of habeas corpus and they’re all in jail.”

[Sofiyya 1,687]

So? Geraldo Rivera is a Republican, too. There are lots of liberals (I would not call them moderates) who calll themselves Republicans. I think they muddy the water. Dimocrats don't suffer their conservatives well. If I could think of any conservative Democrats, I'd use them as an example, but only now Independent Joe Liebermann comes to mind. Anyone need reminding about why he left the Dim Party?

Edited May 24, 2009 by Barza Woman

[Heracles 417]

Colin Powell is a man to be respected. I was quite offended when Cheney talk trash out him. At least he served the country. Whereas Cheney bought his way out of Vietnam.

[Ban Hammer 13,656]

Colin Powell is a man to be respected. I was quite offended when Cheney talk trash out him. At least he served the country. Whereas Cheney boughtshot his way out of Vietnam.

fixxored

[_Simpson_ 250]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

[scandal 951]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

Which fence exactly did he jump? As he said, he's been a Republican his entire life.

He hasn't changed -the party has. From being an inclusive big tent (or aiming to at least) to being reduced to its core zealots.

Americans by and large want solutions, not ideology. We need practical and pragmatic office holders, not people who just spew tired mantras. That holds for the left and the right. I admire and respect centrists in both parties who are willing to work across the aisle to support solutions for America's needs. Powell is one. He need not leave his party to earn respect, he's earned it by his courage, bravery and leadership throughout his long career.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

Seriously.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

Which fence exactly did he jump? As he said, he's been a Republican his entire life.

He hasn't changed -the party has. From being an inclusive big tent (or aiming to at least) to being reduced to its core zealots.

Americans by and large want solutions, not ideology. We need practical and pragmatic office holders, not people who just spew tired mantras. That holds for the left and the right. I admire and respect centrists in both parties who are willing to work across the aisle to support solutions for America's needs. Powell is one. He need not leave his party to earn respect, he's earned it by his courage, bravery and leadership throughout his long career.

The fence jumping I was referring too was when he endorsed Obama in the presidental campaign, John Mcain is a centrist and has gone across the aisle several times and has more in common with Powell than Obama as far as political ideas.

Edited May 24, 2009 by looking_up

[JimandChristy 1,689]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

Which fence exactly did he jump? As he said, he's been a Republican his entire life.

He hasn't changed -the party has. From being an inclusive big tent (or aiming to at least) to being reduced to its core zealots.

Americans by and large want solutions, not ideology. We need practical and pragmatic office holders, not people who just spew tired mantras. That holds for the left and the right. I admire and respect centrists in both parties who are willing to work across the aisle to support solutions for America's needs. Powell is one. He need not leave his party to earn respect, he's earned it by his courage, bravery and leadership throughout his long career.

Absolutely, the Republicans have lost their identity, they have become more and more right winged they've lost their appeal to swing voters and independents. The party is rudderless, its lacking leadership, instead of trying to offer solutions to the problems America has at the moment, all they have done is criticise the current Administration's suggestions/ideas. Americans aren't interested in that at the moment, they are more worried about where the country is going with the Economy, Health Care etc etc.

Powell is a man I respect a lot, he is a Republican who puts the ills of his own country before his party.

Edited May 24, 2009 by JimandChristy

[_Simpson_ 250]

But wait we have Collin Powell were not lacking leadership right??? Sigh

[JimandChristy 1,689]

But wait we have Collin Powell were not lacking leadership right??? Sigh

Which member of the Republican Party do you suggest is a good candidate to lead the party?

[_Simpson_ 250]

But wait we have Collin Powell were not lacking leadership right??? Sigh

Which member of the Republican Party do you suggest is a good candidate to lead the party?

I agree with you that there isnt any good leadership in the republican party, including Powell. I tell you what we give you Powell and we will take Lieberman.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

The Republican Party hasn't become more right wing, but less so. It was more right-wing during the Reagan years. The only ones saying it's moved to the right are far Leftists and RINOS who don't want to lose their invites to the East coast - West coast dinner party circuit. I'll fight not to have more pseudo-Republicans. They only cause confusion and discord when they should be Dimocrats anyway.

The "Republicans need a big tent" crowd act as though Dimocrats are not ideologues. They are in serious denial. The Dims are deeply ideological, and have already called out Barry for not keeping all of his left-wing promises. They will become more irate and disillusioned as Barry deals with reality while they continue to live their hippie dreams.

As for Powell, I'd also respect him more if he just became a **. By backing Barry, he betrayed nearly every conservative principle he had proclaimed dear to him for decades. Despite his denials, I believe that if he didn't endorse him because he's Black, then he's been obtuse about what he stood for all these years.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Barza Woman

[_Simpson_ 250]

The Republican Party hasn't become more right wing, but less so. It was more right-wing during the Reagan years. The only ones saying it's moved to the right are far Leftists and RINOS who don't want to lose their invites to the East coast - West coast dinner party circuit. I'll fight not to have more pseudo-Republicans. They only cause confusion and discord when they should be Dimocrats anyway.

The "Republicans need a big tent" crowd act as though Dimocrats are not ideologues. They are in serious denial. The Dims are deeply ideological, and have already called out Barry for not keeping all of his left-wing promises. They will become more irate and disillusioned as Barry deals with reality while they continue to live their hippie dreams.

As for Powell, I'd also respect him more if he just became a **. By backing Barry, he betrayed nearly every conservative principle he had proclaimed dear to him for decades. Despite his denials, I believe that if he didn't endorse him because he's Black, then he's been obtuse about what he stood for all these years.

I totally agree

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I understand why Cheney called him out, Powell is a fence jumper and doesnt support alot of conservative ideas, affirmative action being one of them. I would probably have more respect for Powell if he would just join the democratic party.

Which fence exactly did he jump? As he said, he's been a Republican his entire life.

He hasn't changed -the party has. From being an inclusive big tent (or aiming to at least) to being reduced to its core zealots.

Americans by and large want solutions, not ideology. We need practical and pragmatic office holders, not people who just spew tired mantras. That holds for the left and the right. I admire and respect centrists in both parties who are willing to work across the aisle to support solutions for America's needs. Powell is one. He need not leave his party to earn respect, he's earned it by his courage, bravery and leadership throughout his long career.

Obama got elected by spewing tired mantras. The definition of "centrist" these days is someone who goes along with liberalism while proclaiming to be conservative. McCain and Powel fit that bill well. The middle of the road is a good place to get run over. Centrists are fence-sitters; who in their right mind admires fence-sitters? The "Great Centrists in Political History" would be a very thin book. If Dimocrats and liberals like moderates and centrists so much, let them take them.