Colin Powell Attacks Rush Limbaugh

[3peet]

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 10:25 PM
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Former Secretary of State Colin Powell blasted Rush Limbaugh Monday during a speech in which he said the Republican Party is in a state of collapse.

The GOP is "getting smaller and smaller" and "that's not good for the nation," Powell said, according to the National Journal. He also said he hopes that emerging GOP leaders, such as House Minority Whip Cantor, will not keep repeating mantras of the far right.

Powell lashed out at Limbaugh and conservative icon Ann Coulter. Neither serves the party well, Powell said during a speech to corporate security executives at a conference in Washington sponsored by Fortify Software Inc.

"I think what Rush does as an entertainer diminishes the party and intrudes or inserts into our public life a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without," Powell said.

And Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate last year, is "a very accomplished person" but became "a very polarizing figure," he said, adding that Palin's advisers created the polarization.

“The Republican Party is in deep trouble," he said, according to the Journal. “The party must realize that the country has changed. Americans do want to pay taxes for services. Americans are looking for more government in their life, not less."

Powell stirred controversy last year when he came out for the Democratic presidential candidate, then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Powell said he told the GOP candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, that the party had developed a reputation for being mean-spirited and driven more by social conservatism than the economic problems that Americans faced, the Journal reported.

 

[festeringZit]

Powell endorsed Obama, we might as well just call him
a Democrat now.

Him criticizing Rush isn't a surprise to anyone.

 

[Loren78]

This lying sack of shit has no business attacking anybody...

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[barman]

Not sure if the Democratic party has ever suffered as strong a setback as has the current Republican party.

Coverage in St Petersburg times this past week on the topic of Gov Charlie Christ considering run for US Senate in 2010 mentioned that barely one in five American voters are currently declaring themselves Republican.

I suppose by fall of 2010 the GOP will have rallied sufficient support to retain the bulk of their 35-40% for overall registered voters. But at the moment, they're not making it very inviting to be within their team.

 

[Willie99]

Not sure if the Democratic party has ever suffered as strong a setback as has the current Republican party.

Coverage in St Petersburg times this past week on the topic of Gov Charlie Christ considering run for US Senate in 2010 mentioned that barely one in five American voters are currently declaring themselves Republican.

I suppose by fall of 2010 the GOP will have rallied sufficient support to retain the bulk of their 35-40% for overall registered voters. But at the moment, they're not making it very inviting to be within their team.

1994 was the most one sided defeat in modern US Political history.

I also remember the "death of the Democratic Party" in the not too distant pass. That was as big of a joke then as this issue is now.

Can you imagine somebody lashing out at liberal celebrities or liberal authors and saying they're bad for liberals?

Child's play? yes,

substance?




not sure how any conservative could have endorsed a liberal's liberal earmark whore. Powell obviously not a real conservative.

For conservatives, it's more about principles and less about some fucking big tent. We don't want RINOs. Liberals don't give a fuck, they align themselves with any special interest coalition they can if that will help them obtain their own special interest.

It's about opportunity & responsibility for some, and more government for others. We all know where we stand, don't we?

 

[rolltide]

Coverage in St Petersburg times this past week on the topic of Gov Charlie Christ considering run for US Senate in 2010 mentioned that barely one in five American voters are currently declaring themselves Republican.

well if the St Petersburg times said it, must be true

:toast:

catch a fn clue now that you're off the hard drugs hno:

 

[punter]

Denial is not a river in Egypt.

 

[Mistermj]

Not sure if the Democratic party has ever suffered as strong a setback as has the current Republican party.

Coverage in St Petersburg times this past week on the topic of Gov Charlie Christ considering run for US Senate in 2010 mentioned that barely one in five American voters are currently declaring themselves Republican.

I suppose by fall of 2010 the GOP will have rallied sufficient support to retain the bulk of their 35-40% for overall registered voters. But at the moment, they're not making it very inviting to be within their team.

Looking at the individual monthly surveys since December suggests that both political parties are facing declining membership in the wake of an engaging election cycle. In the Pew Research Center's April 2009 survey, 33% identified as Democrats, down from 39% in December 2008. Over the same period, the share calling themselves Republicans has fallen from 26% to 22%. By contrast, the number of independents has risen from 30% in December to 39% now.

Pew Research Center: GOP Party Identification Slips Nationwide and in Pennsylvania (6 May 2009)

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1207/re...-slips-nationwide-pennsylvania-specter-switch

 

[barman]

Here's Sunday's coverage of what appears will be a continuing storyline over the next 17 months if Florida Governor Charlie Christ steps forward to make a grab at the US Senate seat currently in hands of Mel Martinez (FL-R).
Included in the discussion is Christ's possible decision to run as a Democrat.

(Martinez is retiring)

====


http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/article997754.ece


After Specter's switch, focus turns to Crist's future in GOP



Is there room in the Republican Party for Charlie Crist?


It's a crazy question, considering the GOP these days is only marginally more popular than the flu, while the Republican governor of America's biggest battleground state enjoys astronomical approval ratings.
But it's worth pondering now that moderate Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania has become a Democrat, and the political world is convinced that the moderate Florida governor is about to run for the U.S. Senate. If Crist runs and wins, he will join Maine's Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe — a pair reviled by many conservatives — as the only Republican senators who supported President Barack Obama's stimulus package.


"If you agree with Susan Collins or Olympia Snowe on some of these issues, you might as well become a Democrat,'' said former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, a Republican who is likely to run for the Senate, whether or not Crist does.


The national Republican Party, reeling from a string of electoral losses since 2006, is engaged in finger-pointing and soul-searching about its future. Polls show just over one in five adults now identify themselves as Republicans, the lowest level in decades, and the GOP is losing ground with the most important demographic groups for long-term viability — Hispanic and young voters.

(continues at link above)

 

[barman]

Looking at the individual monthly surveys since December suggests that both political parties are facing declining membership in the wake of an engaging election cycle. In the Pew Research Center's April 2009 survey, 33% identified as Democrats, down from 39% in December 2008. Over the same period, the share calling themselves Republicans has fallen from 26% to 22%. By contrast, the number of independents has risen from 30% in December to 39% now.

Pew Research Center: GOP Party Identification Slips Nationwide and in Pennsylvania (6 May 2009)

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1207/re...-slips-nationwide-pennsylvania-specter-switch

Thanks for taking the time to get that cite. When I read it in the St Pete Times article (just over one in five...etc) I was rather surprised.

It will of course be interesting in the next 17 months to see how many of those 39% Indies gravitate towards Republican party and to Democratic party - presuming that upwards of half do one of the two.

 

[mplastered]

Thread title sounds like a hate crime to me. Who next, Beck? If the Republicans had a black running, Powell would had endorsed him.

 

[geeze]

Limbaugh responded that Powell hates him because McCain was exactly the type of candidate Powell wanted, so the only reason Powell endorsed Obama was race.

That remark was the cause of Powell's enmity.

 

[mplastered]

BINGO! We have a winner.

 

[gtc08]

hes right about coulter. that idiot kills the image of this party. palin has turned into a joke to.

if the conservative movement had some legit voices id probably side with them.

i like there fiscal ideas more then the dems. ive said timeand again i was against the bailout so im not a switcher either.

i like the lowering taxes, lowering business tax to bring in people and businesses.

like oreilly said though, the republican party cant even come up with a theme, let alone communicate ideas to the american people.

 

[Dave007inVegas]

Powell is in the twilight of his career and quickly becoming irrelevant. He is desperately trying to define his legacy.

 

[geeze]

Legacy? He is more concerned about remaining on the A List and being invited to all the social events and parties given by the party in power.

When he worked for Bush, he did Bush's bidding.
Now that Obama's in power, he will do Obama's bidding.

The man has no core principles.

 

[kingbill]

Damn...he just used words...I was hoping for a folding chair

 

[punter]

Legacy? He is more concerned about remaining on the A List and being invited to all the social events and parties given by the party in power.

When he worked for Bush, he did Bush's bidding.
Now that Obama's in power, he will do Obama's bidding.

The man has no core principles.

He is career military. Retired Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

You want someone that starts an armed rebellion when your party shits the bed and gets voted out?

 

[PowerPlayPicks]

Denial is not a river in Egypt.

 

[paftraft]

The republican party is in shambles now! Bush's 8 years has had almost everything to do with this predicament. Rush and Hannity (who I like most of the time) constantly defend the Bush years & in doing so lose credibility.

As a lifelong Republican this situation is a big downer. Some of the right wingers on this forum resenting the notion of being called racist stated they would have voted for Powell or Condoleeza, noe they seem to be bashing Powell. I frankly never had use for either.

The Republicans need new leaders, sadly the country doesn't have the
demographics as the ones we had when America reached it's zenith.
Republicans can not be completely satisfied with our next real leader,
lets ban together and be relatively satisfied with someone, somewhat to the right of McCain & say Ford and definitely less of an idealogue than Bush. Definitely less an idealogue than Rush or Hannity.

I say somone who could stir the masses, an enlightened conservative with substantial intellect who would throw a bone to the left now & then like OSHA & the EPA. Somone whose foreign policy was almost immaculate with a secretary of defense who had a crystal ball.
Where are you Richard Nixon now that we need you!