Powell to Rush and Cheney: Yes, I’m still a Republican
posted at 2:43 pm on May 24, 2009 by Allahpundit
Time for another round of increasingly tedious GOP big tent/small tent navel-gazing, this time with moderates on the offensive. Powell’s point about Limbaugh not being above criticism is fair enough but I don’t know what he expects from big shots like Steele who’ve been forced to grovel to him. As the GOP shrinks, it relies more heavily on the base for fundraising; the base adores Rush, so as a matter of simple politics, party leaders can’t afford to take him on. It’ll necessarily fall to moderates like Powell who are outside the process and have nothing to lose by antagonizing El Rushbo to push back. If the Republican brain trust is hot to expand the party, Cornyn’s strategy of tempting independents by running some moderates for Senate is probably their best play right now. The public backlash to Hopenchange’s ruinous spending should take care of the rest, if and when it happens. It will happen, right? Right?
Below Powell, as a variation on today’s theme, you’ll find a quickie of Tom Ridge hitting Rush for his “shrillness.” Should be a fun day at EIB tomorrow.
Blowback
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Where is Powell’s Memorial Address today?
maverick muse on May 25, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Too much of yesteryear is buried. The gentility of that time, as expressed in such a silly ditty, is one thing that I would like to unearth and breath life back into.
Loxodonta on May 25, 2009 at 1:53 PM
How foolish does he think we are, parley-voo?
How foolish does he think we are, parley-voo?
Ever sice 2008, Powell has been a fawning Obama hack
Now the dope actually thinks we want him back
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
InkyBinkyBarleyBoo on May 25, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Funny how Powell’s “big tent” has room for everyopne but Conservatives. Just like, coincidentally, the Democrats’ “big tent.”
What an odd happenstance.
Merovign on May 25, 2009 at 2:10 PM
No, you’re not. At least if we use metrics such as ‘vote for your own damned party and not for a brother, just because he’s a brother’. Could he not see through that thin veneer of ‘CHANGE’ long enough to notice the far, far left shining through BHO’s eye cavities? No, Powell voted with the 97%.
Screw these middle-earth lukewarm jack’s asses. Powell could’ve held his nose and voted for McCain just like I did. He could’ve challenged Bush and McCain in 2000 and taken the Presidency. Now, we hear his voice calling from the middle-left, “join me, and bring your Party with you.” And be what? Roost on the Democrat’s middle-ground they ceded to the Far Left?
And yes, again, Rush is Right: Obama should fail, if his policies mean what I think they mean. Because those policies, succeeding, will mean the end of the American way of life as we’ve known it.
Serr8d on May 25, 2009 at 2:11 PM
How foolish does he think we are, parley-voo?
How foolish does he think we are, parley-voo?
Powell has got his racist head up Obama’s ass
Yet somehow he thinks we should give him a pass
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
InkyBinkyBarleyBoo on May 25, 2009 at 2:20 PM
When exactly has the GOP been a conservative party? Outside of cutting taxes, which of the other principles of conservatism has the GOP advanced? Can you think of a single one? The last 2 GOP presidents have done what exactly to say, reduces the size of government? Nothing they increased the size of government. The GOP refuses to be even fiscally conservative, and if they wont do that we will be a socialist entity by 2018. We should be a fiscally conservative party, and push much of the social agenda back to the states to be dealt with on a state by state basis as intended.
Kjeil on May 25, 2009 at 2:24 PM
When they make such statements, they should be challenged to define what it means.
Queen0fCups on May 25, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Is the GOP shrinking because America hates conservatism or because conservatives hate the GOP?
It is a stomach sickening task to support the GOP at any level if you are a conservative because the GOP gestapo despises conservatives. They are as progressive as the DEMs on social issues, but they do not want interference with their global reoganization of money making, so they cannot join the DEMs. They tried to buy the Mexican illegal vote with open borders and while it populated their American food processing plants, and maid services, the dang Mexicans vote Obama
I haven’t figure out the progressive swing vote they want to attract to replace the conservatives but it had better be a big group because the conservatives have hit the end of the line on digusting characters they will pull the lever for
If Powell is denouncing Limbaugh to make him pull back, Powell is a twice a fool. Limbaugh does not control his audience. Limbaugh speaks for his audience.
Telling Limbaugh to shut up is telling conservatives to shut up.
Figure it out. Be a conservative party and get conservative votes. Be a progressive party and get all the RINO votes.
I know conservatives who refused to vote this last election. I know others disgusted they wasted time voting for McCain because the powers behind him have now shown they consider conservatives to be pieces of dung needing burial
This is the most jackass, assinine, insane, low IQ group of pantywaists ever to run a puppet political party.
People are still free to vote their choice and if the coice is Obama, of a fake Obama who tells you to shut up you have not yet seen the slide that will occur in what is left of the fake GOP.
entagor on May 25, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Powell may indeed be a Republican. But Republican no longer means what it used to. It is now Democrat Lite. That is fine if that is what they want, but they should stop telling conservatives to get over their ideals and embrace Democrat Lite.
Lets see how far those idiots get without conservatives. Why would any progressive vote 1/2 Dim when they could vote all Dim and feel better about it? Guaranteed failure. But we already know that.
The system works best when there are two opposing view points not one and one slightly different but not really. Join the Democrats already or accept the Republican party without conservatives.
IF anyone could offer a clear conservative message and stick to it they would win in landslide especially after 3 1/2 more years of this folly.
America1st on May 25, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Where in the Republican platform is ‘more taxes and more government involvement in our lives’? This man is nothing more than an opportunist trading on the color of his skin.
red131 on May 25, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Sorry, rage typos need correction
entagor on May 25, 2009 at 4:31 PM
2012 — 2012 — 2012 — 2012
The West has become impotent with three years of The One and his helpers like Colin and Hillary pandering to the enemy.
There will be a deveolping international enviroment that seems to indicate the possible creation of a Mad Max enviroment in several spots around the world as many of the thugs find nuclear weapons and missles in their backpacks.
The US economy, will be hobbled by the programs necessary to finance the after effects of a government lending programs with political goals rather than sound lending, the cost of wars without end, a dedication to ignorant and superstitious enviromentalism, the continued encouragement of endless nanny state achievements and a congress dedicated to sending money to voters.
Powell will not be the answer. Dick Cheney may be. And if we don’t find an answer, God help us. God help the world.
IlikedAUH2O on May 25, 2009 at 4:44 PM
I think it is significant who Rush Limbaugh made the ‘titular head of the GOP’: Colin Powell. I just wonder how many moderates or elitists, because of Powell’s endorsement of Obama, decided to vote for the Messiah, and if it was a determinant factor in some of the narrow margins in which Obama prevailed in the battleground states.
Remember before Powell’s endorsement 15 days before the election, happened during the time that Obama was having to beat back attacks from Palin that ‘he was palling around with terrorists’, that he favored a socialistic plan to massively redistribute income and that he was called out by his own VP for perhaps being perceived by foreigners as too inexperienced to deal with a foreign affairs crisis.
Essentially what Powell’s endorsement did was to put out the brushfires surrounding Obama, legitimize Obama’s candidacy in the minds of independents and moderate Republicans and allowed Obama to regain his footing as he marched inexorably towards victory with the aid of the MSM on November 4th.
Powell’s endorsement was certainly a game-changer-how much of a game-changer we probably will never know.
technopeasant on May 25, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Yeah………
………. I’m a Republican who campaigned and voted for a Democrat.
Didn’t the clown that actually ‘vetted’ Valerie Plame work for Colin Powell………….
………… and Colin Powell stayed silent during that whole witch hunt against Scooter Libby?
Seven Percent Solution on May 25, 2009 at 5:57 PM
“You promote him , you own him”
the_nile on May 25, 2009 at 6:08 PM
What this man needs is a massive colonic.
TennDon on May 25, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Ummm, he still voted Democrat in the last election.
Thanks for the help, Colin. Whenever you’re done worrying about reclaiming your legacy from your time in Bush’s cabinet, you can go ahead and join the side you root for.
I have no problems if moderates want to join the GOP. I only have a problem with moderate candidates; those candidates that can’t be counted upon to support smaller government and a strong national defense aren’t candidates worth having.
More bluntly, if we had 10 GOP Arlen Specters added in the Senate, how much more control would conservatives have over the agenda? Not much. The only advantage would be committee chairmanship, which is mainly a tool to shovel pork back to your home state. The GOP is better off without that.
hawksruleva on May 25, 2009 at 7:09 PM
What I want to know is, how long is it going to take mainstream GOP leaders to figure out that the reason folks like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, etc. seem so shrill and outlandish is that the leftist press goes absolutely bat-s**t crazy every time they open their mouths?
Republicans get bent out of shape over things Republicans say and do — as reported and presented by dishonest, hard-left Democrats. That’s why they’re always apologizing.
Limbaugh and Coulter are the smart ones. They’ve figured out that the left makes that noise whenever anybody tells the truth, so they actually like it when the left is making that noise. We all need to develop that sense about the left’s noise machine.
philwynk on May 25, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Powell is promoting the Gitmo as a recruiting tool that Obama is trumpeting.
Byron York has a good column about the whole story and who is responsible for this muddying of Abu Graib with Gitmo.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Guantanamo-and-the-question-of-terrorist-recruitment-45969047.html
onlineanalyst on May 25, 2009 at 8:48 PM
The man speaks gibberish. Nothing he said makes any sense at all.
AUINSC on May 25, 2009 at 9:34 PM
I was pretty sure the minute you voted based on your race as oppose to your morals you had to hand in your GOP card.
Theres too many people like Colin or little miss McCain that think because you say your a Republican it makes you one.
Rbastid on May 25, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Good analysis.
Geochelone on May 25, 2009 at 11:31 PM
NO Allahpundit, it WON’T happen, conservatives are sick and tired of RINO fence sitting and refusal to support conservative voters. Either the GOP flushes the RINOs or….turn out the lights, the party’s over.
nelsonknows on May 25, 2009 at 11:58 PM
YAWN! Didn’t Powell become irrelevant the minute he voted for Barry? On top of that, he’s afraid to run for President. Why the hell does anyone care what Powell has to say at this point?
Fed45 on May 26, 2009 at 1:20 AM
Powell:
Did I miss anything………….?
Seven Percent Solution on May 26, 2009 at 3:32 AM
Powell admits to voting for the two worst POTUS’s in history, both Democrats. While I still respect Powell as a soldier, it is time he stops identifying himself as a Republican.
darktood on May 26, 2009 at 4:28 AM
Jim Geraghty of NRO’s “The Campaign Spot” asks what Powell’s Republican party would look like. Geraghty also observes that no self-respecting Republican would be tuned in to the Sunday-morning talk circuit that people like Powell tend to gravitate towards.
onlineanalyst on May 26, 2009 at 6:58 AM
Treason is the highest form of patriotism?
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Colin Powell sat next to Tom Cruise at the National Memorial Day Concert to hear Katy Holmes act the sister of a volunteer from the National Guard who was in a Humvee when a hand grenade was tossed in, killing his driver and removing a significant portion of his brain. The prelude into the horror story was how our military now have the best medical facilities ever. If a solder is still breathing when arriving for care, he has a 97% survival rate. The story told from the mother and sister finally reached the line after 17 surgeries where the mother admitted she thought at first that her son could recuperate in a month or 6 weeks.
Our prayers are with the fallen and the injured and permanently disabled Americans who fight to preserve America. May God Bless the disabled vets among us!
But singing the tragic love story “There’s A Place For Us” from West Side Story and performing the opening and closing of the Tchaikowsky Piano Concerto featuring a pianist from China left me for a loop. I saw the camera panning the audience who were also dismayed to miss the military bands and choruses, getting a bloated weak voiced American Idol loser and imported talent who had to READ a corny arrangement of arpeggios with a page turner to boot. We’d just spent the weekend watching the complete Band of Brothers followed by Tora! Tora! Tora! Called it a night.
maverick muse on May 26, 2009 at 7:44 AM
This is the sort of person I’d like to welcome into the Republican Party:
Desperately Seeking (Conservative) People
By Robin of Berkeley
Chances are, we would disagree on many things. But this is a woman who’s independent thinking I’d like to welcome.
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 7:47 AM
It blows my mind that moderates still think that the answer is ‘more moderates’…wasn’t it fully demonstrated that when the traditionally conservative party ran a very moderate (John McCain; as in McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, et al) candidate and the traditionally liberal party ran the most liberal/leftist member of the Senate, that the moderate got his ass handed to him?
Allah,
Please, get a clue. Moderates will not win the Republican party Congress or the WH. If the country is truly center-right or just center, the only way to win against leftists like Pelosi, Reid and Obama is to run with people on the strong right. Principles will win elections, not polls and a ‘big tent’.
a. Colin Powell doesn’t state what he believes in. So, we have to depend on his voting record (Carter, Obama) that he doesn’t a principled stand on promoting a strong military defense (contrary to his military record), nor is he a proponent of being fiscally conservative which is the supposed cornerstone of the party. Sure, let him call himself a Republican, but don’t let the guy speak for the party, because he doesn’t represent its principles, let alone vote for them. The guy doesn’t have principles on policies as far as I can tell, so why should we look to him as a Republican let alone as a leader or guide for the party?
b. The RNC needs to be rung out and dried in the sun for a bit. Backing centrists (Charlie Crist?!?! Egad!) and moderates over conservatives is a big problem, as we can observe with candidates like McCain, Grahamn, Snowe, Collins, and Specter. These ‘centrists’ are the fringe of our party, barely conservative, not the mainstream. When the people have to harass our supposed conservative representatives to knock out the amnesty bill written and supported by our leaders (Martinez, McCain, Graham, et al), something has gone a muck.
Ford vs. Reagan, Ford vs. Carter; McCain vs. Thompson (as an example), McCain vs. Obama.
The RNC has a history of thinking that promoting a moderate/centrist is the way to go, but they keep ignoring the evidence that shows that right-wing national candidates do better. If M.Steele wants to make a real difference as the RNC head, he’d change the way the (R) primary system in Iowa is run so we could get conservative candidates at the top of the ticket instead of libs.
When the RNC starts demonstrating their backing of the right-wing conservatives, I’ll start my checks again.
Oh, and C.Powell can go suck a banana, no body should be listening to this useful idiot. The only reason that the lib media put him on is give the Repubs grief and infighting. Again, who cares what this guy has to say? Limbaugh has been steady and dependable in his viewpoints, and Powell hasn’t, what’s to understand here? Limbaugh votes for conservatives, Powell can’t even bring himself to vote the party line. So, who should we listen to, the guy who is always on the conservative side, or the guy who’ll vote for the most liberal candidates when the political winds change?
Duh.
Geministorm on May 26, 2009 at 8:18 AM
Colon Powell has a heightened sense of his own self importance. HE IS IRRELEVANT.
Colon go away.
Geochelone on May 26, 2009 at 8:32 AM
On Guantanamo, Matthew Alexander (read headline by Byron York) fits Colin Powell’s modus operandi from the Vietnam My Lai in retrograde inversion.
Matthew Alexander is not the “source” name, Powell did the dirty deeds under his own name, and there is no report substantiating a single assertion of this so-called Alexander whereas Powell actually fabricated a cover up. Instead of covering up a massacre on Vietnamese like Powell, Alexander is fabricating his own story in order to sell books while establishing grounds for an unfolding massacre on Americans.
maverick muse on May 26, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Good morning!
Thanks for the link. Did you catch Bookworm’s “how to” debate a liberal on same date? Last week, there was another article regarding discussions with liberals with a focus on defusing RIDICULE.
maverick muse on May 26, 2009 at 9:07 AM
I have nothing against moderate Republicans, though I don´t include Powell in that category. By his own actions he is a Democrat in all but name.
Having said that, these moderates are playing Obama´s game by getting hung up on relatively mainstream voices like Limbaugh.
Democrats attacking that way is one thing. Republicans running with it is stupid and wrong.
el gordo on May 26, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Too shrill? Pelosi is too shrill… also a liar… and approving of torture! He’s a guy with a microphone, while she really is a “leader” of the Democratic Party. Yet, he’s the topic du jour for the “moderate” wing of the Republican Party yet to immerge? Pray tell, what makes a Republican acceptable to these guys? — Obviously, it’s not a lack of shrillness! Is it a luv of Obama? But, wouldn’t that make a person… well, you know… a Democrat?
littleguy on May 26, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Powell to Rush and Cheney: Yes, I’m still a Republican
He fooled me too I thought voting for Obama and Biden made him a Democrat.
Dr Evil on May 26, 2009 at 10:42 AM
Stick with the core principals and move the electorate toward you, don’t move the party to the electorate.
The electorate is broken. The population is getting dumber. We need to educate, and the conserative principals will stand on their own.
Powell is wrong.
saiga on May 26, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Of course he will continue to call himself a “Republican”. The man know that he’s only valuable to the left as a propaganda tool if he continues to call himself a “Republican”. If he admit to being a democrat he will become, well, just another democrat. As “relevant” as Wesley Clark or Arlen Specter.
RMR on May 26, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Likely not. The nation is dying. Obama is a symptom of a cancerous culture of lateral dependence. Most of the nation is spiritually dependent on the people around them, for acceptance, for validation, for worth, for meaning. Rock stars tell them what to feel, educators tell them what to think, talking heads tell them what is true, and now all the forces are pointing them to a politician that tells them what to do.
And they’ll do what they’re told because it’s comfortable.
spmat on May 26, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Powell is still a Republican? If that were true, you have to believe one of two things – 1) Powell has no idea what the Republican platform says and thinks Obama speaks for Republicans too. 2) Powell voted for Obama because of skin color.
Either option leaves me puzzled.
Flag Gazer on May 26, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Putting aside the issues of politics for a second, y’know who I want in my party? Someone’s who’s gonna stick with my party even in (no, especially in) the tough times.
And Powell, that ain’t YOU.
PackerBronco on May 26, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Has anyone asked this affirmative action placement what a Republican is?
Cybergeezer on May 26, 2009 at 6:43 PM
We need to ignore the nitwit moderates who obviously have no tact and no awareness of political tactics. Quit bashing the party in the press (Powell, McCains).
Democrats take over auto-industry. All we hear is that conservatives need to moderate
Democrats want to socialize healthcare. All we hear is that conservatives need to moderate.
Democrats want to instill A SMORGASBORD OF NEW TAXES despite the negative economic consequences in an already shaky economy. All we hear is that conservatives need to moderate.
Democrats appoint a devout liberal to the USSC whose constitutional competence and objectivity is in question. All we hear is that conservatives need to moderate.
Democrats spend us into oblivion to the point that our credit rating is on shaky ground. All we hear is that conservatives need to moderate.
Do you know what, moderates? You should point your venom in the darn right direction. You all are fiddling on trifling issues as the far left acts irresponsibly with total power. Those leftists in power need to moderate, not the minority with ZERO POWER. Quit being the willful tools of a biased news media.
Just wanted to post my rant on moderates on a thread that will be around for awhile
Chubbs65 on May 26, 2009 at 8:32 PM
“Yes, I’m still a Republican …”
Bwaaaaah ha ha ha ha!!!
No you’re not, Colin. You’re a noodle.
argos on May 26, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Colon Powell is the most illogical wishy washy vacillating Rino on the planet. He contradicts himself ever other word. He loves moderates but did not vote for McCain who is the most moderate you can get. Then he endorses Obama who is the most radical lefty around all while the Dems control everything.
How is that moderation, letting the Dems run all three branches of government. Nice thinking Colon.
Geochelone on May 27, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Yeah, and obama is a centrist.
Go away, colon, we have enough sh*t in our party to flush out.
HornetSting on May 27, 2009 at 12:45 PM
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