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

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

The right-wing loud-snout cartoonist
Pus Limpsnout is the best tool we have
toward a rational political discussion.
Keep up the good work Pus !

[lthuedk 1]

Remember, General Powell? I believe it was July of '03, aboard Air Force One along with the W.H.I.G., on it's way to Africa.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/coffee_tea_or_treason.html

I do hope you whacked tyranny and neutralized the dictatorship by turning over evidence and testimony sufficient for the task. Still, such patriotic acts mean little if they never reach the light of the courtroom. A hero on hold, I guess.

[d julien]

Powell should quit the GOP, join the Dems and apologize to humanity for his UN speech, full of lies, which helped start a war of aggression in which hundreds of thousands of innocents were needlessly killed, millions of innocents needlessly injured, a country needlessly destroyed and a violent fundementalist group needlessly strengthen­ed.....

[pfc1369]

Nixon and his henchmen created the "Southern strategy" to win in 1968, but even Old Dick would be surprised to learn that this eventually led to the Republican Party mophing into the anachronistic New Confederate Party we see today.

[hyjanks]

I call them the DixiePubs (taking up where the Dixiecrats left off).

[NSeagle78]

That is what they are and I live among them, listening to stupidity everyday.

[eternalkerri]

actually thats what happened. the dixiecrats jumped ship and joined with the republicans.

[hhayden]

That aught to get you on the Algonquin Round Table, You'er a regular Dorothy Parker.

[hhayden]

The old Confederates were fighting for states rights, not slavery. That was an afterthought. When they lost, we all lost to the oppressive Federal Government.

[YellowPanties]

Um... no. They were fighting for slavery.

[mamacat]

They were fighting for the right of the individual states to decide whether or not they wanted to continue with slavery. By the end of the war they were forced to give up slavery, and they were forced to return into the Union, but they were allowed to continue to dis-enfranchise African-Americans living within the South for fully another hundred years. And today, there are those who complain that the first African-American president has not solved all of our country's problems in less than six months!

[pfc1369]

And no "state right" was more essential to the Southern aristocracy than slavery.

You can rewrite history all you want, but the fact remains:

No slavery, no Civil War.

[Heru1]

Powell just figured out that the GOP is rac.ist? They just used him, they can't stand him.

[neesy08]

I wish he would run for POTUS someday. He'd get my vote.

[josholland]

why?

[weatherwaxx]

He's better than 95% of what's left of the GOP, but he did lie, and keep quiet, while Bush invaded in Iraq. And Powell was involved in the attempted cover-up of the My Lai massacre back in Vietnam. I am glad he's speaking up, but I don't trust him.

I'm glad Barack Obama is our first African-American President.

[dennisrs]

Weatherwaxx-so you are happy with Obamas first 6 months?
Happy with all this change?

[eternalkerri]

find me a 100% trustworthy saintly politician and ill sell you this bridge cheap...

[hhayden]

What's left? Resent polls, if you can believe them, and leftists do when they go their way, maintain that more people consider themselves as conservative 2 to 1. The reports of a republican demise may be premature and more wishful thinking. Even the Obama Zombies may eventually want more than empty words and counter productive actions.

And he's only a Halfro American President, as white as he is black raised in paradise by white people.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, or having a truely black president.

[postman66]

Powell missed his window. The Republican nomination was his for the taking in 2000. H e could have saved us from Bush. He's 72 yrs old, what kind of future political career would he have?

[surfcitysteven]

He was a complete enabler of the Iraq disaster and during Vietnam he was twice as despicable. He is a very bad human being, not worthy or praise or admiration.

[NSeagle78]

True he is better than C. Thomas but would you reather be water boarding a hundred times or just drown. They both will eventually get you killed.

[citizensrus]

"Powell is the creme da la creme of the media's ability to create heroic caraciatures, exceeded only by their carefully constructed image of George W. Bush. Although Powell's military career dates back to Vietnam, he first appeared fullblown in America's line of vision during the first Persian Gulf War where, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he is credited with orchestrating that wild and bloody foray that ended in a Feb. 1991 crescendo of bullets in the backs of tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians promised safe passage back to Baghdad along what was to become the Highway of Death."
http://www.opednews.com/samples041704_his_masters_house-colin_powell.htm

[hhayden]

What is POTUS? Something like SMERSH or THRUSH?

[MajorKong]

President Of The United States

[lungfish]

The GOP is purging out moderate voices like Powells as its center moves to the far right. Coulter and Limbaugh and Palin are the defacto voices of the GOP. Supported by the Superstitious Right, there is no way that a moderate voice will make one whit of difference­...

[BeasleysMom]

Until the gops abandon the "spaghetti­-on-the-wa­ll" approach of working with the Democrats they will continue to have a problem.

[dennisrs]

Never heard of his "spaghetti­-on-the-wa­ll" approach?? Can you please explain this?

[surfcitysteven]

Never cooked spaghetti? I'll help you out. You throw the spaghetti at the wall, one a time, until one sticks. Then, it is ready. You picked an appropriate picture.

[hhayden]

As ling as the Obama administration uses that approach to politics we are all in danger. More internally then externally.

[GoogleMaster]

We have to admit, liberals and conservatives defend their own turf. Say something bad about Obama, liberals go into protect the president mode. Say something bad about a republican, the GOP goes into defensive maneuvers. Powell seems to be a rare individual who really does deserve the title, "Fair and Balanced". He thinks first, has no turf to defend and tells it like it is according to his conscience and morals.

[JessWonderin]

where was that conscience and morals under Bush . . . . ?

[NSeagle78]

You must not be counting the run up to the invasion of Iraq.

[Leftwingbloggin]

Only people who defend obama are obamabots, they are not real liberals as with the only people who defended bush were bushbots and were not real conervatives

[KillgoreTrout43]

Oh really?

[hhayden]

I prefer Obama Zombies or Obamatrons. But Obamabots is good too. It tells the true story in a single word.

[WiltonDiary]

I don't remember Bush being critized until after all the tax cuts for the RICH, lying us into a war of choice, however there were those who disliked Bush after only several months in office because he thought being President was an entitlement not a job. He spent more time on vacation than any president in history. Oh, and did I mention he was alsleep on August 6, 2001, when he was briefed on Osama bin Laden using airplanes to strike the US!

Bush failed us on 9/11 and eight consecutive years.

[hhayden]

And he has every right to - even if he's completely wrong.

[gs425]

Limbaugh should tell Powell and the rest of the Democrat Light Republicans to fcuk off.

[NevaforLeadership]

Good for you General Powell. You are the best!

[Cleanerman]

I really like Powell. His hopes are to change his party--but, I am afraid that is a dream. I would so like to see him in the Democratic Party and to try to "change" it a bit instead. The Republicans are so narrow-minded of thought and they are absolutely, up to now, not inclusive at all. Perhaps, if he were at least an Independent?

[maigesheng]

I believe that Powel lied to the Maerican people in the drumbeat-lead up to the invasion of Iraq. I dont think this should go overlooked or be forgiven. It was a horrendous mistak on his part.

With that said, I do believe it was a mistake. I think that he represents a rare breed of conservative these days in that, he is the kind of conservative I disagree with almost consistantly, but must still maintain a certain amount of respect in his opposing viewpoints.

The conservative wing of american politics was taken over by extreme right wingers and has become a party of people who deserve no respect for their views. Rascism, intolerance, homophobia and blind christian fundamentalism is, in my view, what the republican arty stands for.

I think that Powell aided this wing, by lying to us about WMDs in Iraq. He is implicit.

And yet at the same time, he is one of those conservatives, who actually have valid and respectable differences of opinion to my own.

Yes. I appreciate a Republican who disagrees with my based on rational views. It would be nice to see his party swimg back to him. But I want a democratic party that swings way to the left of him.

[citizensrus]

I'm always amazed at people who say they really like Powell. What is it about Powell that you really like?
He lied about WMD. Sure, he apologized afterward, but he knowingly made the choice to lie.
He is the ultimate career man. He does what he is told to do. Even his statements recently are in obedience to the GOP. He is doing their bidding accordingly. A good soldier.

[eternalkerri]

find me ANY politician who doesnt do that.

better yet. find me anyone who after years in politics doesnt turn into that. and im not talking about some Ralph Nader type who is just some sort of fringe.

in the world of politics, the first casualty is integrity.

[Bude]

The GOP, a zombie party.

[gs425]

especially no that most of them are more like Democrats. Take'm, they're all yours.

[maigesheng]

Hmm. I would argue that most democrats are like republicans. I dont see Republicans out there pushing for healthcare and equality and tolerance. Those are democratic values.

[Lionsden]

No one in the GOP likes Powell.

He needs to get lost.

[Bude]

No one in the GOP likes anyone, especially themselves.

[BIG JOHN]

AND NEVER HAS SO MANY DONE SO LITTLE FOR SO FEW=THE G.O.P.

[hunt49]

But independents who could consider voting for the GOP if it ever rights its course really like him.

He needs to be at the helm.

[gs425]

If the GOP want to right its course....­they should tell Powell and his DemoLite croonies to jump off the ship.

[MaggieMamacat]

Those in the GOP who don't like Powell are those who're ruining the GOP. The crazies, the chickenhawks who love war but scorn real soldiers, the racists, the fundies. If saner Republicans like Powell can't wrestle their party from the clenched fists of the crazies, they should leave and start their own party.

[Tommygun264]

I don't agree with General Powell on a lot of things, but he has a hell of a lot more integrity than the rest of the Bush/Cheney administration. And unlike them, he's not a draft dodger. The biggest mistake of his career was associating with that band of criminals.

[Quaoar]

If no one in the GOP likes him that means that he does have some redeeming qualities after all.

[Steamboater]

So for Powell racism is bad and homphobia is ok. He makes you sick to your stomach.