CNN Political Ticker:
The Republican party must stop "shouting at the world" and start listening to minority groups if it is to win elections in the 21st century, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday.
In an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria for Sunday's "GPS" program, President Bush's former secretary of state said his party's attempt "to use polarization for political advantage" backfired last month.
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Sometimes I get a vibe that this man will one day be Secretary of State in Obama's administration.
They have to stop their bigoted ways, anti-A rab and anti-M uslim sentiment, anti-immigrant and anti-latino rantings, their wild conspiracy theories about all democrats who run in presidential elections, their bashing of h omosexuals, and for crying out loud kick out the southern old time Republicans who STILL spend time at w hite only clubs. Purge the party of the h ate. Remove yourselves from Limbaugh and Hannity - only the n utjobs take those people seriously. Those people always vote Republican.
And also, actually GOVERN properly. Don't blather on about small government and fiscal responsibility and then make the government bigger than it has ever been and drive up the debt. Govern with some sense and true country first spirit - that selling out of the auto workers is not going to help them.
The GOP have to do more than listen. They have to show that they genuinely care about the problems of nonwhites. They have to get rid of racists views, and the redneks in their party like Lott, delay, graham and others.
They have to grow a soul? It might be hard for some.
When did this brother wake up? After he found himself used and abused by Bushco, Cheney and Dumsfeld. After Limbaugh, Hannity , Beck and Bortz called him a turn-coat. After Condi.....messed up all he was trying to do
?
Powell makes sense and is a decent man but a misquided one that is TOOO late to the party!!!!!
It's called the military. They program you to think like your leaders.
Powell seems to just go the way the wind blows.
The leaders of the republican party would rather see this country burn to the ground than to not be in power. Does anybody realy think that the leaders of the GOP cares anything about what Colin Powell has to say?
Frankly, I can't believe ANYONE cares what Colin Powell has to say. The last time I listened to him, he lied to me.
You aren't very wise, are you? Anyone who doesn't hold Powell partly accountable for Iraq isn't very bright...but anyone who thinks the man doesn't have anything valuable to say is just st*upid. Then again, if you delete your whole resume everytime you lie, that's your business.
I'm so sick and tired of Republicans. They are going to bring our country down. The US is on the decline just like the Roman Empire. The republicans will see this as a good thing. I'm moving to Europe!
To Rome, I assume... ?
I agree totally cdaw Even their own Greenspan said they are failing because they put power over principle a couple of years ago, but they cannot seem to get over that-in they just get worse.
This country had been slowly evolving into that which we have sacrificed countless lives opposing--a militant nation with an agenda driven by religious extremists who promote freedom of thought only so long as it does not conflict with their own ideas. Sound familiar? We had become the enemy.
Ever since the 1960's, the GOP consistently has been, and will always be, the party of exclusion, the party that attempts to diminish those who look different than themselves, pray to a different deity, or follow a different lifestyle. They are the party that uses fear and hatred as a weapon to intimidate any who do not share their points of view. The GOP offers 20th century solutions to 21st century problems.
It is time for a fresh perspective, a new philosophy of America's place in the world. It can no longer be us versus them at all costs; the world is far too small for such a narrow-minded point of view.
It is time to embrace those who are different than ourselves and accept them for who they are--it would be the "christian" thing to do. President-elect Obama is the perfect person to lead our nation in this cause and once again transform our nation into a positive, democratic beacon for the rest of the world.
Powell: How can you associate with the GOP??
You SEEM like a better person than that.
The GOP is elitists, robber baron, torturers, war mongers, war profiteers, corrupt cronis.
You seem to care about people.
You are with the wrong crowd.
If you can't fight 'em, join 'em ... and try to make change from within. I think this is what General Powell had hoped he'd be able to do. I guess they showed him!!!
Conservatism and Republicanism isn't bad in and of itself, but this brand of Republicans and conservative wanna-be's, and what they've become over the last 25 years, is a stain on our national political landscape. As a Democrat, I believe in a two-party system - maybe even a three or four party system - because we need that kind of healthy debate. But this Republican Party has become no more than the Party of Opposition and Opportunism, and they bring nothing meaningful or even relevant to the dialogue.
"If you can't fight 'em, join 'em ... and try to make change from within. I think this is what General Powell had hoped he'd be able to do. "
Was that BEFORE or AFTER he lied to the world?
where the hell has he been for the last 8 years? or 16 years? He must be running for something or seeking something for his own personal gain to be speaking up now for crying out loud.
they can shout all they want. we stopped listening.
You're absolutely right, General Powell! If the GOP thought like you do, they wouldn't be lost in the wilderness these days. For the life of me, I can't see why they haven't woken up to that fact--oh wait, they feed off Limbaugh, Hannity, Colter, et. al., so I guess they're in a zombie trance.
I think although Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, etc. represent a chunk of Republicans they alienate just as many who would probably consider themselves Republicans.
Their hateful rhetoric finally ended up working against them.
The GOP is going to have to do more than "start listening to minority groups". Please.
They're going to have to stop being greedy, corrupt incompetents.
They'll never sell me, and I am white. I honestly don't know how any minority can support these people.
Powell is one of a very few Republicans I have respect for. The GOP will not listen. If they listened then they would be admitting they aren't perfect and hell will freeze before they will ever admit that.
I have great respect for him, as well. However, I was sadly disappointed, being convinced finally by his presentation before the UN, given subsequent history. I am still not sure if he was duped or a "good soldier".
A conservative family member gave me Powell's autobiography some years ago. It caused me to like him a lot less as his tone was that of a climber. But I will admit he might be trying to make up for his past mistakes. As to whether or not he was duped or a "good soldier," I think the answer is probably that he was both. He missed his chance to resign and he has missed his chance to switch parties. Hell, even Churchill switched parties twice.
shouting? heck, they'd be happy if we just stopped shooting & bombing whenever we don't get our way.
Powell represents an extremely tiny minority within the Republican party - not African Americans but moderate, rationale men who respect those whose opinions don't match their own.
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First Posted: 12-11-08 07:48 PM | Updated: 01-11-09 05:12 AM