Colin Powell Slams Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh: "Nothing Wrong With My Value System" (VIDEO)

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell took aim at Sarah Palin and the Republican party's emphasis on small-town values during an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakharia that will air this Sunday.

Powell also says that we should rethink its "don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuals in the military. And he tells Republicans that they should stop listening to Rush Limbaugh:

"Can we continue to listen to Rush Limbaugh?" Powell asked. "Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?"

As noted by Think Progress, Powell says:

Gov. Palin, to some extent, pushed the party more to the right, and I think she had something of a polarizing effect when she talked about how small town values are good. Well, most of us don't live in small towns. And I was raised in the South Bronx, and there's nothing wrong with my value system from the South Bronx.

And when they came to Virginia and said the southern part of Virginia is good and the northern part of Virginia is bad. The only problem with that is there are more votes in the northern part of Virginia than there are in the southern part of Virginia, so that doesn't work.

Watch it:

Comments

[hernan1333]

Powell should switch parties or create his own. Truth is Republican party has been taken over by a vile, vicious, mean-spirited group (Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reily, Palin, Hagee types) which will eventually lead to its demise. Obama, with all his good intentions, will have little, if any, success with this group which is more interested in reclaiming power than working for this country in bipartisan way. Only solution will be to vote more of them out in 2010. Anyone who expects this group to work with Obama is naive.

[peter777]

This group will work with nobody. It seems as if they have a death wish for the USA, while masquerading as patriots. I left the part a couple of years ago because I could not start the anti-intellectual, hate government, love no-government thinking. The demise of the party cannot come soon enough as it is still blocking progress in too many places.

[NeldaDee]

I love all of the posts from the right claiming that their party is better because of their "values." It seems to me that most Republicans and conservatives love to tote their "values" while the Democrats and liberals like to talk about "ideals." I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure that a government that runs on "values" isn't going to get anything done for the good of the entire nation. To me, "ideals" means solutions and a promising future. Values need to be left to the family unit and the Church. Give me some good ideals any day for a national or state government that truly works.

[peter777]

Republicans do have values in public affairs. They value "dog eat dog" competition, a system rigged for their advantage, and the survival of the fittest to the extreme of stealing from the middle class and giving it to the rich. Republicans don't think these things have anything to do with values. They have lost part of their senses.

[CommonCents]

[ Ouarrius, wrote:

" Powell is correct.

Sarah Palin is nothing more, or less, than a hater.

The sum and substance of Sarah Palin is pure, unmitigated, hatred.

The likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh continue to insure the ongoing and future self-destruction of the Republican Party. Their unalloyed hatred of fellow Americans guarantees that their party is doomed for minority status in perpetuity.

And it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of schmucks! " ]


So perfect, just had to repeat Shakespearean quality!!!

[LAThinker]

Rush and Sarah - what a match - they need to run on the same ticket in 2012

http://www.ucubd.com/Index.aspx?id=997&cid=D010900

[miamia]

These posts are terrible.

WE won!
Remember?
Now what! Continue to bash the losers?

You all need to get over the past and enjoy the moment that we are in ... What happened to the joy, excitement, and HOPE!

Republicans have proven themselves wrong and unable to lead this country. Now, the Democrats have the challenge of cleaning up the mess we are in and taking the country in a new direction for future generations.
We have so many challenges. But, I feel such relief that the hatred and division that has been such apart of our public discourse has been tempered a bit by Obama's strong leadership. Don't you feel relieved.????...

We need to reach a hand out to conservatives and others. People make mistakes and they will continue to do, so.

Stop rubbing their face in it. And, bring this country back together.

That's how you make CHANGE!

OBAMA can't do it by himself.

[mzwednesday]

LEST WE FORGET.

America has altzeimers, blind positivism is stupid.
it's time AMerica took stock of itself, that means looking back in anger, with a commitment not to go there again....Change is not a slogan, it's a process.

[americanalien]

Are you for real? Do you think the right was that generous when they were in power? I say we bash them all the more. They have no heart or compassion, look what they did to America over the last 8 years. We crippled them on Nov. 4th but they still hold the potential to cause great harm, we must move in and finish the job. I have no sympathy for them or desire to work with them. They should be crushed!

[iswideopen]

miamia:
We can never forget. The Big 3 bridge loan failed because of republican idealogy. It was admitted by a republican on Larry King Live tonight; their mission; BUST THE UNIONS. They are subsidising the foreign automakers to keep the unions out of the south and are giving them our tax dollars to do it. Once again, the "patriotic" republicans have thrown America under the bus.Everyone is not paying attention. They think we are fools. And he laughed. The republicans will destroy this country before they accept the crushing defeat they received on November 4. Yes, I'm harsh, but it is what I truly believe. You see, they have no problem jumping out of windows, but some of us have struggled all of our lives and know how to survive with next to NOTHING. They do not. Money is their GOD.

[KYlawyer]

Sorry but I just don't feel charitable considering what I have witnessed over the past generation. I was a staunch Republican until a few year back. The congitive dissonance caused by what I saw got to be too much. I worked inside Republican campaigns some years back, so I know from where the Repubs are coming.

The things that come out on the Rush show or the stuff we saw at the Palin rallies is just the tip of the iceberg. The rich ones who shamelessly manipulate the frustrations of underclass whites into hatred of others and into voting for policies which are directly damaging to their own interests. While running these folks down behind their backs as the "bubbas." Other than using him, you think Rush or Bush would have anything to do with Joe the Plumber?

For as little consideration as the GOP has for the white underclass, you can't imagine what they think of minorities. Oh sure, they give lip service, and love to trot out upperclass, nearly-white African Americans like Condy Rice. But, in the back room strategy meetings you sure hear the "N" word a lot. That was the last straw for me.

The Repubs deserve little empathy. I have watched their mendacity and greedy, self- serving stupidity nearly wreck this nation with two wars and an economic crisis which has its roots in a generation of worthless Republican economic policies.

I damn sure intend to see that they never gain power again.

[CeeCee]

What we forget, we are doomed to repeat.

[XME]

I know many on the left don't like Powell, but I do. Despite his flaws and errors, I think he's a decent guy. And as an independent voter, I have to say he's exactly right in his diagnosis of the Republican party.

[skatscan]

I liked Powell until the UN thing. I really thought he would be the first black president. I liked McCain too before he hitched himself on the Bush bandwagon. At least Powell is doing a mea culpa. I'm waiting for McCain's.

[XME]

Yes, and I have a lot of respect for the mea culpa-capable people. We all make mistakes, but many are not able to acknowledge or admit it. I respect him for that.

[LightningJoe]

Powell, if he really wants to have a voice again in this country's policies, has to really come clean about UN-gate.

There are more questions than answers, about how he let himself get shanghied into supporting the (known) false meme that Iraq had stores of WMDs. He knew ahead of time the info was false, but he struck a devil's bargain to support the push to war.

He's quite right about his views on the Grand Old Party, but by not coming clean, he carries on the Grand Old Tradition of false information and misdirection. One cannot forge a new path forward, until the baggage is dealt with. One cannot push new truths, while the old lies still live.

People with feet of clay don't walk on water, Colin.

[Tugar]

I AGREE WITH GENERAL POWELL...

And I further add that although Sarah Palin did energize the McCain campaign, because no one, (and I do mean absolutely no one) was even attending John McCain's rallies if you could call them that, before he chose Sarah Palin as his VP running-mate. But Sarah's campaign messages, even her greetings sent messages of nothing but divisiveness and polarization.

"I'm just a Hockey Mom." (translation: I'm just a White-female), and "He's a Socialist, and he hangs out with Terrorists."

They had no solution as to how to fix America's problems, ie., jobs, the economy, health care, how to get our men women serving in hostile zones out of a war that they never should have been sent to. They offered nothing but name calling and Lord, let's not forget: "Joe the Plumber," who's now trashing J. McCain, the man who gave him his chance to fame. But (Good Old Joe) is still "SALIVATING" today over Sarah.

Their entire campaign was the pits. And if they had brought up that: "Old Crazy Rev. Right" again at the last minute, believe me, everyone Black, White and all races and ethnic group in between would have immediately known they were reaching down in the bag for the very last racist-bullet they had left.

But General Powell says it all so much better than I can though. My hat is off to you General.

[Ourrias]

Powell is correct.

Sarah Palin is nothing more, or less, than a hater.

The sum and substance of Sarah Palin is pure, unmitigated, hatred.

The likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh continue to insure the ongoing and future self-destruction of the Republican Party. Their unalloyed hatred of fellow Americans guarantees that their party is doomed for minority status in perpetuity.

And it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of schmucks!

[rhondarn62]

Ourrias, where did you find your information about Sarah Palin as being a "hater"? Those are pretty strong statements that you have made in your blog. Are you able to back any of this up with anything legitimate or are you just venting? What has this woman ever done to you personally that you are making these verbal attacks??? She isn't running for office any more....She is still Governor of Alaska...

[CommonCents]

You're kidding, right? Wake up. Read up on "lesser angels" and you'll, maybe, get a clue!!

[cutesky]

Let's be real...Sarah Palin is an uninformed idiot and the people who think she's just great are bigger idiots. Ya, she's Governor of Alaska....and Blagojevich is Governor of Illinois....enough said!!

[JayeSF]

eh...y'know...I appreciated his endorsement of Obama...it was really a KEY moment in the campaign....but the guy is still quite tainted.

In the interview he says:

"There's nothing wrong with being socially conservative...."

then a minute later he says:

"the party has to begin appealing to the minority....Latinos, Blacks, Asians..."

y'know...WTF ? So, while I appreciate some of Powells comments...many of his ideas are still downright split-personality andit is time folks like that just come to the realization that you can't have both things....

nice of him to mention that "don't ask, don't tell" is flawed....

would have been nicer if this hadn't come 16 years too late after he had publicly undermined his own Commander in Chief, though....

[SugarMan]

YOU TELL THEM POWELL!\
they would not listen to us.

[mtflyer]

In short neo-Nazis.

[mtflyer]

why waste time talking about Palin's or Limbaugh's values-they have NONE!

[CeeCee]

But they are influencing a segment of the population.
That why.

[STEW2949]

You are right General, the Republican party needs to gain a rapport with minorities. The problem is that who among up and coming minority politicians wish to call themselves Republicans, or indeed are prepared to swallow what the GOP stands for. Now would be a perfect time for a breakaway group to reform a 21st century conservative platform....perhaps leaving Sarah Palin to steer what remains of the sinking ship, with First Mate Joe The Plumber?

[apauline]

Minority Repubicans: Michael Steele, retired football player Lynn Swain, ....there are several minority republicans, check out their website and check out FOX, they (minority republicans)always appear on Fox.

[iswideopen]

apauline:
They are not minority republicans, they are straight up confused. No one with "common sense" accepts them, so they go where they are "pretended" to be accepted. We call them "tokens". They are very insecure men and are not accepted in other communities because they have that sick idealogy that they are "better" than everyone else because they are "high value, high moral" republicans. Don't be fooled. Oh yeah, add Larry Elder, the craziest of all of them who claims there is no "racism" left in America. Go figure. I guess they are all waiting for the republicans to change their ways and "let them in, really in"; well, I wish them luck with that. They really don't get how ignorant they look as they appear stating what they do on Fox News. I don't watch, but I do "channel surf" from time to time. I refuse to give Fox News a rating of mine.

[Nyla785]

Well, Rush Limbaugh did help dissemble ALL the talking points that backed Bush's disastrous policies. As did all the other right wing media types and Fox News. They are responsible for this debacle of an administration. And continue to divide and misrepresent. Powell is right--these people can only drag the GOP further down.

[markinaz]

And that's a bad thing?

[tweedy54]

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!