Powell Whacks Limbaugh And Republicans For Calling Sotomayor Racist

Colin Powell, who hails from the same Bronx neighborhood as Sonia Sotomayor, said on Sunday that the Supreme Court nominee was of a "liberal bent of mind," but not so much that it would be "disqualifying" to her confirmation prospects.

In his appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," the former Secretary of State saved his sharpest jabs for the Republicans who have painted Sotomayor as a racist.

"She ought to be asked about everything from both the left and the right," said Powell, who endorsed Barack Obama towards the end of the presidential campaign. "What we can't continue to have is to have somebody like a Judge Sotomayor, who is announced, and based on one simple, tricky, but nonetheless case that the Supreme Court has now decided, have her called a racist, a reverse racist, and she ought to withdraw her nomination because we're mad at her."

Powell expressed relief that the GOP senators who sit on the Judiciary Committee, "after a few days of this kind of nonsense," decided to drop the Sotomayor-as-racist frame. But he would go on to argue that the Republican Party still had a major problem when it came to reaching out to minority voters. In the process, Powell took what seemed clear to be a jab at radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh for some of his more inflammatory rhetoric.

"If you look at the results of the election last fall, and make a judgment on the basis of how the party did with respect to the Hispanic vote and the African-American vote, realizing that President Obama, candidate Obama had a significant advantage with those constituencies, we haven't done well enough," he said. "And when you have non-elected officials, such as we have in our party, who immediately shout racism, or somebody who is quite prominent in the media says that the only basis upon which I could possibly have supported Obama was because he was black and I was black, even though I laid out my judgment on the candidates, then we still have a problem."

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Comments

[drbillybob]

Call me carzy, but I thought that when a person judges people based soley or even partly on race, that made them a racist. Anyone who believes in racial preferences in hiring, promotions and admissions fits into that category.

[mamacat]

Powell reminds me of how most Republicans, from Goldwater, to Rockefeller, to Reagan, used to be.

Today's GOP bears no resemblance at all to the Republican Party of my younger days, and we are all worse off for it.

[MajorKong]

I'd say he's closer to Eisenhower than Goldwater.

A preemptive nuclear strike against the Soviet Union would not have been out of the question under a Goldwater administration.

[hhayden]

They said the same about Reagan, but he brought down the Soviet Union without a shot.

[mamacat]

I can't argue with you about whether or not Goldwater might have started a nuclear war with the USSR, although that is a question that was on everyone's mind at the time. I would like to think that he would not have.
What I was thinking about was the way that Goldwater treated other people, in general. In that respect, he was a gentleman. For instance, he and JFK had agreed to travel together while each campaigned for the Presidency. Goldwater did not attack people just to drum up campaign finances, or to keep his name in the news. So, Powell and Goldwater have much more in common that either of them did or do with virtually all of today's Republican politicians on the national stage. I think it is nearly impossible for the youth of today to realise that the GOP was, within the lifetime of anyone alive today, a much more reasonable and culturally liberal organisation.

[drbillybob]

JFK was to the right of Powell ... its the Democrats who have shifted dramatically to the left. All society has.

[hhayden]

So far. I hope that's cyclical too.

[Tuckerndfw]

Both parties shifted creating a huge divide in the middle. It's what was once referred to as the "silent majority."

I voted for Barack Obama but I do not support the Democrat platform.

At the same time, I do not support the GOP platform.

It's time for a third party, one not beholden to extremist groups and corporate lobbyists.

[MajorKong]

Eisenhower wanted to establish a "Department of Peace", had a 92% top marginal tax rate, warned of the dangers of a "Military Industrial Complex" and oversaw a public works project on a scale that Obama can only dream about.

So WHO's shifted over the years?

[mamacat]

I don't see it. Examples?

[PWM]

Rightfully so.

[Bettysdad]

The only problem Republicans have is their un-American, anti-majoritarian ideology.

Fix those, they'll be Liberals and all problems will be gone.

[hhayden]

Since when is freedom, liberty and justice unAmerican? I think the bankrupting of the Nation and a destruction of incentive and the free market system are unAmerican. It only creates problems not solves them. Why do leftists think that everyone has to be just like them? Every president should have a healthy amount of scrutiny. The Zombies won't do it. Power really does corrupt and it's even worse if the president is antiAmerican going in.

[noradunn]

So, the country was bankrupted AFTER Bush left office? I think the country deserves your silence.

[CarolinaDem]

Uh,. it was all those incentives from top to bottom driving the housing/derivative bubble that ruined the world. Only small-minded economists talk about 'incentives'. The 'free market system' screwed itself, as anyone with bat's brains knows it always will if you don't control it.

[billythehut]

The torture, wiretapping, and disinformation that came out of the Bush white house makes it clear that freedom, liberty and justice are un-Republican. The Republican party of today is shameful and presently only the Democrat party has any claim to these virtues (not that they don't have their issues as well).

As a centrist I long for the day this country once again has a real conservative opposition party.

[MajorKong]

"Power really does corrupt and it's even worse if the president is antiAmerican going in."

With that line you've pretty much lost all possibility of me ever taking you seriously.

[Bettysdad]

Apparently, you don't notice that freedom, justice and liberty are rare in CONSERVATIVE societies.

Liberals expand those things. Conservatives shrink them.

There has never been a popular uprising against a liberal govt.

Don't embarrass yourself by confusing economics with governance. Communists are conservatives, as their entire basis is in creating a society that benefits the few. Just like Republicans.

[ReealOne]

General Powell, you're right, however, I think that you're speaking on deaf ears within your Republican Party. It seems that the Republican Party sees no value in minorities... at least not enough to make them inclusive in the party..... but yet, they expect their votes come election time(s).

As it stands now, the Republican Party needs to go through a "cleansing". First to pry away the paws of the right-wing so-called christian evangelicals who have hijacked the party. Then they need to "update" their principals to match this "big tent" they're always spouting about... but with zero proof of it's existence. And most importantly, the party needs to be able to convince folks that they have the citizens of this country's best interest at heart, and not just their need to be in power and control, taking care of ONLY the needs of big business, and their inherent need to keep this country engulfed in war(s). At least that would be ways to start to "renew" the spirit of this once respected political party.

[hhayden]

How many of these so called evangelicals are in the leadership of the GOP or in congress? An outdated whipping post. I think you all are supposed to be beating up on Palin and Limbaugh now. You need to get on the same page. The new Big Bad Wolf for the Obama Zombies are corporate executives now. There are new boogie men to spread fear about now. Bush did more for Africa than any other president. Bush had like 13 percent minorities in his administration but he was giving jobs to the best candidates, not by quota in Sotomayerian fashion.

The republicans should go through a cleansing however - they are only marginally better than the democrats.

I think the principles of Truth Justice and the American Way are still relevant. Freedom, liberty and free speech too. I'm a conservative (Not a republican) and those are my principles. And I haven't had an evangelical over in weeks.

Gee, you start one little war to depose a vicious dictator and they never let you live it down. Still fond of LBJ's war? Talk about torture, he dipped his enemies in acid for his amusement and killed his own family members for starters. Where is your outrage about that?

When did democrats ever respect the republican party? They didn't even during Reagan and he was the finest president of the twentieth century.

[MajorKong]

"I'm a conservative (Not a republican) "

But you probably always, always, always vote for the Republican. Don't know why you're ashamed to admit it.

[ReealOne]

Wow hhayden... you've got a lot of issues. But keep believing Reagan was the "finest president of the twentieth century" if it makes you feel better, but you should know ALL of his history, not just the "spinmeister and ideological" part of it..... I'm not "qualified" to help you.

[smoovejef]

I don't believe conservatives should be deriding Colin Powell at this point... he's actually the Republican most qualified in America to be President. He has no real stains, he's willing to listen to opinion from across the aisle, and he is for more inclusive party participation. I won't even go into his governmental pedigree regarding foreign affairs, national security, etc.

As a matter of fact, if anyone can name a Republican who honestly has a better shot at unseating President Obama in 2012, I'd REALLY like to know who it is, and WHY.

[hhayden]

Mitt Romney

Just because.

[Rogan]

Romney won't ever do well in Massachusetts again... the locals there got a heavy taste of what it's like when Romney runs things. (I left and moved to Florida.) (I know - big damn difference, right?)

[AsianAfricanAMERICAN]

convincing argument...

[mamacat]

Powell refuses to leave the Republican Party, but he has no chance at all of attaining any official power within it. The right-wingers have a strangle-hold on the GOP, and they have no intention of letting go. Powell speaks up for what he thinks is best for the nation, first, and for what is good for the party, second, and that infuriates right-wingers.

[RedPower09]

Actually he 'allegedly' was involved in a controversial event while in the military that has been fairly well shut up. At least that's why my father (a military judge) says he hasn't run for president yet, he doesn't want that to come out.

I like Rick Perry from Texas, despite being in a recession his state actually has a budget surplus so I think he could help in Washington. However, much of that is possible because the State Senate only meets like 100 days per session or per year or something like that, point is they do it as a side-job. Obviously Senators don't work other jobs.

I also like Bobby Jindal from Louisiana. He has good conservative values about the economy and has attracted lots of jobs by lowering taxes, in fact a new car company is opening up in Louisiana in the next few years. However, he is a downright AWFUL speaker.

[zezel]

Geez General just join the stupid donkeys already.

[hhayden]

He has.

[IcedTee63]

And because you can't see that he is correct in what he's saying, is why your party is going the way of the Dinosaur. Large animals...tiny brains!

[carygranite]

extremist as phony pretend patriots strut around babbling 'support our troops' 'our heroes' until one of our heroes doesn't agree with them politically. then they get real nasty and want to destroy them.

[GabrielXL]

Co-sign! Wholeheartedly.

[hhayden]

Oh, I used to be a dinosaur
I thought I was so cool.
Future fossil fuel,
that's all I ever was.

When I was a dinosaur
Everybody knew my
name (Hey aren't you
T-Rex?)
Everyone respected me (Wow!)
I had a mighty roar
When I was a dinosaur.

[Chorus:]
When I was a dinosaur
I almost weighed a ton,
I had a lot of fun
Cavemen on the run.

When I was a dinosaur
I stepped in lots of mud.
I walked around and
snapped my teeth
And ate a lot of crud.
When I was a dinosaur.

I had a little bitty brain.
I never thought of anything
I never knew before.
When I was a dinosaur.

[Chorus]

When I was a dinosaur
I thought I was so cool.
Future fossil fuel,
that's all I ever was.
When I was a dinosaur.
that's all I ever was.
that's all I ever was.

[hhayden]

The song lyrics depict Dinosaurs as "future fossil fuel" something we can use. Congressmen are swine who just produce pork. (And not the delicious kind).

[elfish]

Yes Please! As soon as he does, the average IQ of the GOP will drop 10 points.

[lonecrone]

When a Republican parts ways with the conservative, lunatic fringe of the party, those people turn on him or her like animals eating their young. Thank you General Powell for speaking up so fearlessly, knowing full well that you will be attacked.

[AsianAfricanAMERICAN]

As long as he apologizes for his WMD case for war, I will take him...


Have anymore moderate voices you want to kick out...? We might as well fast track the ReWhigs' demise.

[RedPower09]

Yeah I know. Those ignorant Republicans. How could they believe that Hussein had WMDs??

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

"We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S.Constitution and Laws, to take necessary actions, (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and more. Oct. 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Dec. 16, 1998

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

I could go on and on. But you don't see Conservatives calling them to apologize or blaming them for leading Bush astray (at least not sane Conservatives). It was an honest mistake and we've moved on.

[confuseddemocrat]

I find it incredulous that Powell seems to be perplexed by the overt race baiting of the GOP and their mouthpieces.

Where has he been for the past 40 years? The GOP has made it an art form with regards to creating code words and political campaigns to foment white resentment against minorities

1)Richard Nixon's Southern Strategy= strategy whereby GOP sought the to capitalize on southern whites' frustrations and hatred of the civil rights movement and the Voting right bill

2) Law and Order= strategy used by Nixon AND Rudy in NY to stoke fears of the minority criminal and to ignore and justify police brutality

3) Welfare Queen= Lazy promiscuous Black woman with illegitimate Kids (used by the Reagan administration to justify cutting entitlements which primarily helped poor whites)

4) Willie Horton Ads= used by Papa Bush to capitalize on the fear of the black criminal killing and maiming innocent whites

5)Jesse Helms Ad= suggesting that unqualified blacks that we taking jobs from whites

6) The Current Anti-immigration fervor/ English as first language movement= stoking fears of a Latino takeover

I think Powell is in shock that these same people who use to smile at him and sing his praises are now publicly and rudely showing him the door......he should have left years ago

[PWM]

when has the GOP not been racist? Even Bush told the president of Brazil something along the lines of: oh, you have blacks too.

No kidding.

[RichieB]

Powell is telling it like it is but the the right wingers are not listening, to the detriment of the gop who will pay the price in 2010 and 2012.

[hhayden]

That's yet to be seen. I think there is a lot of wishful thinking on the left. I think a lot of the Obamatrons are waking up, but that may be wishful thinking on my part.

[IcedTee63]

How can you not see that RichieB is right, the Republicans had better do something to bring more people into their fold or they will continue to lose. Moderate Whites are not voting Republican and neither are Blacks or Hispanics, it is a race issue, but more importantly to your cause, it is also a numbers issue.

[mizdeeva]

You're right, It's just wishful thinking on your part. NEXT......

[AsianAfricanAMERICAN]

Yet the Bushbots are still sleep at the wheel...


Hilarious...!

[hhayden]

Counting chickens?

[TenThings]

Interesting Photo....Is he saying...."this is how long Obama's no-no is". So don't mess with him.

[hhayden]

He's trying to remember that one and one is two.

[rabrophy]

When Powell speaks it's always about and for Powell. He may be thinking about 2012

[eternalkerri]

hey two black men running on opposite tickets. now that would be awesome.

[carygranite]

he will not run in 2012.

[dizzypdx]

I thought his wife wouldn't let him.

[slim1921]

First, he's got a little 'splainin' to do recarding WMDs and why he hasn't come out and said:

"The Cheney/Bush administration misled me into being a patsy for their phony war and I sincerely apologize to the American people and to the families of the fallen soldiers for not having the cojones to stand up to the Draft-Dodg­er-in-Chie­f and Mr. Bush."

[hhayden]

At least Bush served in some capacity. Better than Our Dear Leader.

[NoSandwiches]

Mr Powell, there will always be a problem with racism in the Republican Party, and the dirtly little secret is that there is also a problem with racism in the Democratic Party. There is no party for fiscal conservatives who believe in racial equality or the woman's right to choose. Sorry about that.

[TenThings]

That's assuming that the Republican Party and Democratic Party are going to survive.

[hhayden]

They will - unfortunately. Nosesandwich is right, there is plenty of racism to go around. Political correctness just drives it underground. It would be better if it weren't - we'd know people foe who they are.

[eternalkerri]

there can be! who says that there has to be two parties?

unfortunately one party or the other will always morph into a form of "coalition party" unless the dynamic strongly changes.

[InfosolutionWiz]

Without a shadow of doubt, there is absolutely NO room in the Republican party for anyone who believe in and work to achieve racial equality or support a woman's right to choose.

[lib2dbone]

@tuckerndfw:

Since racism is not in the past... if you choose to believe we are in a 'post-racial' nation, you do so at the risk of being surprised on many occasions.

The HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) exist because white conservatives never wanted Blacks to learn to read or write (it was illegal in America), or go to school with their (other, legitimate) children.

If you call that racism, I'll have to agree, but not from your point of view. If Blacks wanted an education, they had to do it separately (and as per Jim Crow law, equally) or not at all. So now, because you believe that everything has been settled and there are no more racists in America, Grambling, Howard and Tuskegee Universities should close, or by your definition, be counted as racist?

Conservatives like the house & senate GOP, Pat Buchanan, Rush, Hannity and the Fox news group are all obvious in their irrational hatred of all things not elderly and white.

Search outside your own private life and thoughts to see the full picture about America's racial climate.

[Tuckerndfw]

I never claimed racism does not exist. Racism is equivalent to xenophobia (fear of foreigners, people & things that are different) and will ALWAYS exist.

What does NOT exist in the US today is institutionalized, legal discrimination based on race.

That is as good as it is gonna get. Race based organizations serve no useful purpose as they once did when "coloreds" were considered little more than animals & LEGALLY treated as such.

I find it hard to believe that so many people think that racism is okay so long as it is their preferred race.That's the same philosophy followed by the KKK and all other racist organizations.

According to what I've read, historically black universities are having a hard time keeping their doors open now that "coloreds" are allowed to attend any university that will accept them, hopefully, based on their qualifications, not skin color.

I believe Grambling is currently recruiting "hispanics" due to the lack of support from the black community. Which is a good sign for the US. It's time we eliminated all racist institutions & organizations.

Anyone who belongs to or associates with a racist organization, including La Raza, KKK, NAACP, etc. is unfit to be a judge.

Period.

[Tuckerndfw]

Racists on either side are living in the past.

I was raised in a time when it was illegal for a "colored" person to apply for a "white" job, attempt to rent or buy "white" real estate, or use "white" facilities (public restrooms, water fountains, roads, sidewalks, etc.)

The current civil rights movement has made a mockery of those who fought against those practices.

Sotomayor's participation in race based organizations, in any capacity, should disqualify her from being a judge of any kind.

It is no longer 1955 and "colored" people (and women) have as much opportunity as anyone else.

Time for "colored" racists to be just as vilified as "white" racists.

They are not qualified to be judges.

[citizen of the universe]

How white of you

[dubster]

HAHAHA, my thoughts exactly.

[hernan1333]

unfortunately he is the only one left in his party who thinks this way...

[SiberianRat]

Exactly, so why he doesn't just drop the GOP label is beyond me--at least just declare he's an independent.

[thepoliticalcat]

Seems like Colin Powell is the only Republican who is not afraid to speak out against Limbaugh. Even Dick Cheney won't openly call Limbaugh on his unwarranted, unacceptable remarks.

[hhayden]

The left makes way to much of Limbaugh. He's just one commontater out of many and has as much right to speak his mind as anyone else. That pesky free speach thing , remember? Why does the left fear alternative voices so? Rush was spot on when he said that the difference between Obama and God is that God doesn't think he's Obama.

[Rogan]

And Powell didn't refer to him by name...