CNN

[...] is engaged in an ideological struggle that seems to be alienating the party's chances at a diversified platform and widened [...]

[...] is engaged in an ideological struggle that seems to be alienating the party's chances at a diversified platform and widened [...]

[...] Powell's analysis of what is wrong with the GOP:Colin Powell examined the party's problems and concluded that the party is too polarized, shouts at everybody and listens to Rush Limbaugh too much. [...]

[...] Large Intestine Powell says the Republican Party needs to shed its White image (though it draws 90% of its vote from Whites). A White party is a "polarized" party, says General Poopchute, unlike the Democrats, who win 95% of the Black vote. "In another 20 years, the majority in this country will be the minority." The idea that Whites still matter is an "appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts," he says. And those who don't understand that Diversity has conquered their formerly White Christian country but think they can continue to defend the interests of their people through politics are "shouting at the world and at the country," says Doctor Defecate. Listen! Their hearts and minds are calling to us. [...]

If Obama was white would Powell have voted for him?

Yes, Mr Powell we all need to be just like the deomcrats, just like John mcCain. Oops! John lost. Looks like if we are just like the Democrats people would rather get the real thing. when they run as a real Conservative like Reagan, which is what Limbaugh is espousing, they get elected.

Powell decided to become a limp wristed liberal when he realized he couldn't get any farther than secretary of State. He is one of the most bitter angry people around.the values of conservatives have not changed...and should not.As long as liberals offer "minorites' stuff for free and conservaties don't, liberals will get the vote. Powell, a sorry angry loser.

If only the GOP and conservative talk show hosts would become as accepting as the liberals have been towards their counterparts the past 8 years!! You idiots are hilarious!! Since when have democrats reached out to anyone but themselves?

You Democrats are very entertaining. As are you "Republicans". Unfortunately for you the almighty and dominating and pure Obama barely won despite truckloads of scandelous contributions and all of the media kissing his butt. You will have to do more than censorship to win in 2010 and 2012. If the democrats don't start taking our Constitution seriously they are going to piss off a lot of people and get steam rolled in the next elections.

Why does he, or anyone else, think he is a Republican. He is the biggest band-wagoner there is. He claims to be Repulican, when it was politically benefical for him to do so, and then when the party has lost his usefulness, he runs to the dems. He is "fake conservative", and "fake repulican". No credibility.

Vomit

Please tell me that you liberals aren't buying his honesty.
It's political on both sides.
Also racism at it's best along with Oprah and the rest of the supporters in the middle east as well.
It's a political machine set to set up world government and take away our freedom.
Powell is just getting in line for power in this one world government. He could give a crap about you liberals, us consevatives or anyone else. He has no integrity. Just smoke and mirrors.
Davamundo roars!!!

Powell is an idiot ... gutless to the core. No, I will not succumb to EVER thinking like a liberal DemocRAT. Lowlife forms of sludge that they are. He makes me laugh when he says its OK to be 'socially' conservative ... since when has socially correct while remaining ignorant to the principles of being economically sound ever got anyone anywhere? (i.e.: FRANCE) This guy is a putz ... the 'other' kind of magic negro like Obama, a liar and a farce. DONT DRINK THE KOOL AID

Limbo and his apostles have felt the cold hard slap of irrelevance

Powell is like most Beltway types – he's with the prevailing wind. Democrats run campaigns based on pandering to spacial interest. Conservatives ( who, mind you, had no dog in the fight for the '08 election) appeal based on the common needs and desires of all people. Where they fail it is because they try to act like Democrats. Even then, a RINO like McCain only lost the election by 6%.

It is obvious from Powell statements and those agreeing with him in these posts, that they don't have a CLUE what Rush talks about on his show or what conservatives believe.

Settle down kids. Republicans lose one election, and all of a sudden, everyone on the other side of the aisle thinks we should be more like them–no just like them. Nice try, but its not going to work. Nearly 60 million people voted for John McCain. That's a LOT of people who disagree with you on a lot of things, we're not just gonna throw in the towel 'cause we lost one Presidential election. You didn't do it in 2000, or 2004, in fact, you ramped up your hate and lies to an inprecedentedly nasty, nasty level of 8 years of bile-spewing. NOW we all should get along and do things your way? Again...nice try.

The GOP didn't polarize in this last election. They made many concessions to liberal ways of thinking (think Bush's prescription drug program, and McCain wanting to buy up all the bad mortgages). If conservative politicians would stand up for conservative values, they would find themselves back in power (think the popularity of Sarah Palin and, even though it upsets Mr. Powell, Rush Limbaugh). This Nation still leans right, but maaaany are disenfranchised with broken promises and deaf policy makers.

Colon Powell is upset that he looked like an idiot before the UN and he has no one else to blame than himself. He was an absolute failure as Sec. of State and all of the neocons that he now lashes out at, knew it.

Jeez is this some sort of Liberal hate fest. The GOP will rise again. Especially after the Obama-nation!

what amazes me is how vile the left is in it's words + accuazations...BUT,heaven forbid that a conservative express thier opinion!Life has a unique ability to balance itself out,unless one let's the mind get poisoned by all the b.s. that some people put out!!

Powell can say that to CNN but he wouldn't get away with it in the same room as Rush.

In other words, Powell's argument is indefensible.

All one need do is learn that there are plenty of "minority" conservatives.

I would like to listen to Powell debate with Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams.

Powell is smart enough that he will never get caught doing that. He'd lose big time.

Mostof you Dems are so nieve, there are just as many rich whilte guys in the Democratind Party and Republicans. I happen to be Independant. The difference between the parties use to be self reliance or not, big government or not, right to pursue happiness, not guarantee. Hey Dems, read a book once in a while.

Like I would listen to anything this guy has to say about conservative values when he abandoned the conservative party in favor of the most liberal presidential candidate in this century, simply because of race. Puleeze. The Republicans will only regain and retain power by staying TRUE to their conservative principles, and the more conservative the better!!!!

There is no difference between the Republicrats and the Demopublicans. What do I care what this tax parasite, government killer has to say.

I don't take anything Colin Powell says these days with any seriousness. He's a flake. We need Rush to keep the sane people in this country sane. All of the ignorant people that don't understand the importance of free speech can move.

Powell who?

Hey Republicans..

This is your wake-up call..

Half of you, in looking at the comments completely missed the boat. You don't have to agree with everything he said, but you should at the very least appreciate the spirit to which it was given..... Let your past forever be your prolouge...

Gen Powell: I am shocked and diappointed. Give us some specifics please...this stuff sounds nice but is meaningless. How, exactly, do Republicans exclude minorities? Here's a question for you: when you lead in the Army, did you adjust your policies and principles to accomodate based on race (or any other factor)? Or did do what you thought was right for the organization? I'm glad you didn't bring race into your Army career.

"Ironically, conservatives like Limbaugh had strongly opposed John McCain during his presidential campaign, while Powell donated $2,300 to McCain during his primary effort."
Colin Powell IS A HYPOCRITE

Is there anything quite as worthless as a liberal republican? This man is the wimp who didn't run for president in 1996 because he was afraid of being shot...interesting philosophy for a "military" man...

The GOP should ignore Rush when the Liberal Democrats ignore Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Jane Fonda, Rev Wright, Rev Farrakhan, Rosie O'Donnell, Alec Baldwin, MoveOn.org, Castro, Chavez, NAMBLA, etc.

What a disappointment. The last thing the Republican party needs is to give up its core conservative values. I've lost all respect for Colin Powell. As for El Rushbo – Thank you! At least there are a few who still stand up for whats right and good in America! Keep up the good work!

You have got to be kidding me. Anything that comes from CNN is strickly BS and spun by the Democratic party

It just may be Gen Powell is jocking for a position with the new administration. The problem with Republcans is they left their core conservative values in the last election. Reaching out to the liberals does not work – ask John McCain.

"I think the party has to stop shouting at the world and at the country,”Powell said" How about all the yelling, shouting, hate mongering and other negative aspects coming from the left over the last eight years. They have the print, the tv media, Hollywood, unions, academia, blacks, hispanics, etc. Talk radio has been the only media outlet available to right, and the left wants to take that away.

Shame on General Powell. He is a traitor to the cause.

I got about 20 posts into this and gave up. It is humorous reading a bunch of libs telling conservatives how to be better conservatives though. I don't really want to be part of a Liberal Lite party.

Gimme a break. The people didn't pick Obama the liberal media did. Where was Powell when McCain was called a Nazi?Where was Powell when the Obama camp called Bill Clinton a racist? Where was Powell when the New York Times accused McCain of cheating on his wife with NO Proof? On their cover too!!! Powell is an opportunist. He gave no specifics on what Rush Limbaugh says that is SO harmful to the GOP. As for Rush being a "bigot" try Jesse Jackson, Sharpton, and Rev Wright on for size. Sigh.

Come on General. Are you a child? It was an election year. Both sides polarize . . . and especially the underdog in an election. Grow up!

Rush is not a republican you fools, he is a conservative. Its obvious that many of you have never listed to rush or have any idea what your talking about. Rush is angry with the republicans for becoming the Dems of old while the current dems become socialist. Do you all not see that old white men are in power on the left, not just the right? Obamas marxist revolution will fail and all the promises that he made he will break. You all will just blame bush for all of eternity and never take individual responsibility for your own problems while begging the government (who created this economic mess) for your own life bailouts. Powell's obviously drunk with the obama kool-aid and thinks by "switching" parties he can somehow get a political "do over" and get a job with his new idol. Powell didn't stand up to bush when the missles were flying and we were fighting the terrorist. See the forest through the trees people....we need a new government with less power and influence on our lives. The current govt, both repub and dems alike are killing this country. The only way to get there is true conservatism.

When we try to be like liberals instead of our core conservatism, we lose. Colin Powell has always been a liberal and will always be a liberal. Go and put a D behind your name and that goes for alot of other so called conservatives. Rush and Sara are right. Stick with core values, do not try to out liberal theliberals nd you will get elected.

Lest we forget .... Democrat officials blocked the school steps in Alabama, Democrat officials enforced "seperate but equal" for decades, democrat officials put on the white sheets for weekend hijinks. In more recent days, Democrats displayed the finer points of the English language with the many facets of what "is" is. Powell, and the rest of you, can try to paint the situation differently for whatever reasons, but history tends to view a little more impartially.

I don't see how the minorities are going to become the majority if 60% of their pregnancies end in abortion, especially with the expanding of abortion rights with bills like FOCA.
Sounds to me like Powell has become a liberal and wants the conservatives to do the same.
Old white men? Harry Reid, John Kerry, Chris Dodd, Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank, Joe Biden . . .

Bush has only done 2 things for social conservatives. We got 2 judges out of him and that happened only after his girl Harriet got vetoed by the base. Bush is NOT a conservative. He's a big government republican. He only got away with that crap, because conservatives felt required to support the war. The war in Iraq wasn't even conservative it was "neo-republican". Powell is an idiot. We lost because we were fiscally irresponsible period. Had the economy not tanked ol' McModerate would have gotten in there and played the same games Bush did.

Palin was the ONLY ONLY honest legit person running last election. The only one who cared about the people making decisions for ourselves. She is personally very conservative, but ran Alaska with a very libertarian streak. She even stopped a law was meant to ban gay rights. Sarah is like Reagan. She encourages conservative values, but believes in the Constitution. She wants us to decide how we want to live not judges.

She'll never make it at the federal level. She's just not corrupt enough. She actually balances her states budget. She actually succeeds while all the rest fail.

He is right about one thing and that is the minorities will be the majority. The sad part is that they will turn the USA into a 3rd world country just like they have everywhere else they are in power. I think it is time for whites to start reproducing like rabbits and try to keep some balance for our own good! Go ahead call me what you want just because I have the nuts to say it!

Regarding the question of listening to Limbaugh–Yes. No doubt. The freedom of press is paramount to a free society. We must continue to listen to opinions that are critical of both sides of the political spectrum–the first amendment.

Yet , the greatest danger of this past election is that the major "watchdogs" of freedom, the major outlets of press, have become slanted–biased, to the point of almost being a closed press–will it lead to a closed society?

Do we produce a political party based upon biased driven wants, or do we stand upon principles of freedom regardless of minority color–white , black, brown, yellow, tan or whatever.

Mr. Powell. Are you interested in winning elections, or standing firm upon principles of freedom, democracy and free enterprise?

Time will tell.

All you have to do is turn on or turn off the channel on the radio. Some conservatives are somewhat popular, others are greatly popular. Why? Because some make much greater sense because they greatly prepare for their programs. These hosts become so popular that all sides of the equation turn on to listen. Others, usually the more liberal ones, have a very small group of listeners because their talk is like a child throwing a rock at another child. The Radio audience is much more soffisticated than TV.
As to politicians, who was the group who had the confirmed crazys during this election ? The Dems. Rev Wright ! Resko! Ayers! Socialistic /Communistic Policies=Obama. But the blind hatered of Bush, whose sworn oath is to protect America he fullfilled, led them to not see the actual in your face crazys of the Dems. Evil can never see good becauce evil thinks all think like them.
And finally, the difference between a lib and cons. -When you see someone driving a vehical with two small American flags waving in the wind, HOW DO YOU FEEL .WHAT DO YOU THINK

Well, I can see that if you are not a card carrying socialist who drinks the liberal kool-aid you are not likely to get posted here. Clinton News Network shining Obama's apple!

Powell is wrong in his belief of Obama, however he is right about the party. Somehow the republican party became the hate party. At McCain rallies I would hear things like "Obama will give blacks the power to take over!" and other disturbing language that I can't mention here. I believe strongly in conservative values, protecting the instuition of marriage, defending christmas and not the politically correct "holiday whatever". However I notice that many conservative likeminded individuals were expressing a lot of anger at anyone who did not think as we did. I even noticed that conservative whites have started playing the race game more than Al Sharpton! Everytime a black preson accomplished something conservative whites would say "Oh it's only because he is black and got special treatment." I also noticed how many conservatives have started attacking intelligent people by calling them elitist. WE SHOULD ALL STRIVE AND WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE ELITIS!

Somehow we as republicans have lost site of our core values being smaller government, the rights of states, and a moral core and have allowed ourselves to become a party ran by angry, bitter, white (sometimes bigoted) people. I am afraid of the future, because minorities will be the majority and the republicans are so tied into the shouting rehotric of "they are out to get us" that minority groups will be scared to join us and conservative values will become powerless and the nation will be ran by liberals!

There is a lot of Rush (drug addict,bigot ) on this board ,it seem one person keep posting under adifferent name. Get a life! oh don't forget in 2012 I already got my sticker for the republicons "I told so"

Colin Powell is a racist and a coward. He did nothing to rescue 19 brave soldiers in Mogadishu when Bill Clinton decided to sacrifice them so he wouldn't look like an aggressor. Powell should have been court martialed as the traitor he is. Why would anyone be surprised that he abandoned his party. He joined the other 96% of his tribe and voted for Obama.

Here in LA, Hispanic gangs have been ethnically cleansing African-Americans from their neighborhoods, and there is huge animosity between the two groups. Sorry, General, but they have different things in their hearts.

And if the subtext is that the only way to win Hispanic voters is a policy essentially of open borders, then the majority of voters, both Democrats and Republicans, disagrees.

The Republican party just nominated the most left wing Republican in decades, a man that Rush Limbaugh and most conservatives hated and the party lost badly by going with such a liberal Republican. The lesson from this isn't that the Republican party should become more progressive and cast away true conservatives like Limbaugh. The lesson is that we should never nominate a man like John McCain ever again. If the Republicans want to win they have to get back to nominating true conservatives, not phony Republicans like McCain, Powell, or Bloomberg. John McCain was nothing more than the liberal insurance policy in this election. Republicans would have lost no matter who would have won this election, except things would have been worse for us Republicans if McCain had won because he would have destroyed the identity of the party by acting like a liberal. At least now all the liberal mistakes that Obama makes will be pinned on the Democratic party and Republicans can take a clear conservative opposition to Obama's liberal policies. What happened in this election is good because it will help Republicans find their way back to their conservative roots. Republicans care about what Colon Powell says about as much as Democrats care about what Joe Lieberman has to say. Not much.

All the people saying that they're happy about Colin Powell's remarks, and that he's right about the changes needed to the Republican party ... would NEVER vote for a Republican.

You people like to maintain the illusion that you're "moderate", and that you would give the Republican party a shot, but you're really just lying to yourselves.

Liberals are the most divisive, narrow-minded people of all, because if you speak up with an opinion that differs from theirs, you are ridiculed.

Just look at how they treat "talk radio". Instead of being open-minded and all-inclusive, they would shut down the free speech of talk radio in an instant, if given the chance.

I don't know how you immature people live with yourselves, especially those who remain liberal beyond the age of 30.

I posted a comment on this site and it did not appear? Is this site censored?

Who cares what Colin Powell says now? He is just as incosequential as George W. Bush is these days. Rush will continue to be the voice of the conservative movement in this country, not the Republican party.

Why not talk about principles?

Powell's a twit.

I'd like to see any Republican who could have won the Presidency this term.

Pat Myles-

I think I know what evil is....evil is killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people in the name of spreading democracy though you do not need a third grade education to see it was more about stabilizing the oil market.

Evil is diverting funds from needed levees in New Orleans and then blaming the destruction of a major American city on "God's will".

Evil is pandering to corporations like insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies and allowing your own citizens to get sick, become disabled and die all in the name of "the market".

Evil is thinking you know what is right for your citizens, saying you are about freedom but then telling them what they can do with their bodies and who they can love.

Now I will say evil is bipartisan but your arguments placing it all on the left are shoddy. We don't "attack" religion, we say do not impose your particular religion. We do not want to take away your ability to protect yourself, we do not want you to bring the violence to our parks, our restaurants, and our streets.
And seriously....the left is not going to "take" your money. You live in the greatest society in the world, you (and the rest of us) have a responsibility to keep it going, to help those who need help, and to make our country better for EVERYONE.

Collin has never been a conservative or Republican. He had used that as a ladder. He is a back stabber and an oportunist. He used the affirmative action to rise. The reason liberals hate Rush Lumbaug is because he is fearless and tells how it is. He is not afraid of naming names. As long as Rush has a voice he will help us to find the truth. He is a real American, more than the moron Colin. He cross party lines? My foot, he has never been a real Republican. It does not matter that Ogama is total incopetent and uncapable of doing the job of a president. He only has a goal in his mind. To turn this beautiful country into a socialist/communist pilot. His dream is to make America like Cuba, Venezuela, Russia. Idiot, he went to Germany ant appoligized for us. For what? For America defending Europa and liberating them from oppresors? I am sick and tired of the liberal mentality.

Colin Powell would do well to start listening to Rush and learn the meaning of American democracy, freedom, & patriotism. The Republican Party will win back control of this blessed country if more and more of the good people listen to and understand the Doctor of Democracy when he so eloquently defends the conservative truths and the meaning of our great constitution.

Who the hell takes any creedence in what this war criminal says? Powell is one of the traitorous criminals who lied to the American People and preached that Iraq must be invaded! Remember THAT? 4,000 American troops and over ONE MILLION Iraqi civilian deaths later he STILL has not been brought to justice! And here we are pretending that he is an American HERO!!!!!

hey Moron, unless I am mistaken it was Blagovitch who was indicted, are all republicans as dumb as the one in the White House, guess so. Oh by the way Fitzgerald went out of his way to exonerate the prez-elect, but you probably missed that and decided to just jump to conclusions, typically republican.

Can't wait to hear Rush's comments tomorrow!

No General Powel that's not why the GOP lost the election. They lost because they took the attitude that you have, give up what you believe to be liked, when the whole time those telling you to give up are NEVER going to like you, they just want you to give up. We are headed towards a nationalized and socialistic government. Where the government has a stake in private business, so that it can tell it what to do and when and how. Some will say that our system is broken, no the system isn't broken it's the people who are running it that are broken, they have love of power over love of country. "To this we pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." why do elected officials no longer believe what our founders did.

This is an amazing study in political science for students.

The conservative paradigm has shifted to where being a conservative today is equal to a being liberal 20 to 30 years ago. Bush has not governed from the right. But he has kept us from being attacked since 9/11.

Rush is right. True conservatisim works and will win every time it is tested. McCain isn't a conservative. Remember, conservatisim today is being a liberal light.

Liberalism is a religion to the left. It is also a mental disorder. You don't have to think and be intellectually honest to be a liberal. All you have to do is FEEL.

But don't try and have a conversation with a liberal; they are the smartest people in the room, and will happily tell you.

One of the more interesting Limbaugh segments was the one after the Republican Party leadership formally apologized to the NAACP for using "racially divisive" tactics in the South. Rush almost had a stroke. It was very entertaining (and enlightening.) If it hadn't been for Rush's tantrum, I doubt anyone would have noticed. As it was, he certainly made it clear where he was coming from. I hate to tar a whole political party by the actions of one TV entertainer, but judging from the posts here, he is a hero to a significant number of Republicans. A racist, recovering addict whose main talent is his big mouth. I would bet the world he will be attacking Obama for the Governor of Ohio's blatant corruption, even though there is not even a hint Obam was involved.

Wow!!! I love the pinko dems posts. They talk about the people that make up the republican party, mostly common people. And let's look at who basically supports the democrat party.

Union bosses, homosexuals, welfare recepients, black (94% for Hussein Obama), and the NEA. So it looks like democrats are people that depend on the Government to take our money to support about 3/4 of their support.

Sheds a different light when you really look at it. Take a look at the US map of the 2008 presidential vote, colored by counties. What do we see?

Obama won 20 states, McCain 30
Population of counties won by Obama: 127 million, McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100K residents in counties won by Obama:
13.2 By McCain: 2.1
Square miles of land won by Obama: 580,000 McCain: 2,427,000

So who are the really uneducated pinko nutcases?

I don't want a party that panders to the gripes of whiny minorities. I want a party that knows, believes, and practices truth come hell or high temperatures. I want a party that LEADS, that can articulate a coherent, cohesive, realistic, hopeful and persuasive message which will change the hearts, minds, and attitudes of people who have utterly lost sight of what America was created from and for. CP, take your touchy feely namby pamby multicultural politics and start a tea party somewhere.

We will never have one America until we lose the concept of minorities.

Most of the posters here confuse values and integrity with hate and divisiveness, a sad commentary on our media, schools, parenting, and politics.

Mr. Powell hasn't been right since the first Iraq war when he counselled the first Bush to halt operations because of media concerens. Since then his score has been perfect zero. So of course we are suppose to listen to him. The reason the GOP failed to win the election is that those running things jettisoned the conservatives. Bush I and II are not conservatives. Those around them are not conservatives. Despite what the left thnks. For the most part the last eight years the GOP was acting more democrat than the democratic party. Then they ran Bob Dole II John McCain. The only fresh inspiration was to put Palin on the ticket. Think there was a reason why she was more liked than the "maverick" presidential candidate? She seemed to be the only one interested in winning. But old Colin he knows best. Keep listening to him and there will be a third party. Because there won't be any GOP left. Just a shell.

I love it when the budding socialists bash Rush Limbaugh. They look on themselves as apostles fighting the right fight. Wait until they get a real good dose of CHANGE. I wonder if they will remember what Rush has been telling us to watch out for when their freedoms are gone.

Boy!!! The Limbaugh, Hannety, Ingraham, and Coulter supporters have certainly shown their true Christian kindness and respect for others tonight!! Palin, Rush, and Hannety worked to bring out the base – and that is what they got – the very basest of humanity with all of its hatred and nastiness. And America has rejected you.

Wow all the paid Republican Rush Limbaugh American Hating conservatives are out in full force. Colin Powell is a great man and has accepted his responsibilities just wondering where the rest of the GOP is on self responsibility?

Powell says more of what lost the election is the ideal Rx for the Republicrats! I really wish RINOs (Republicrats in name only) would be honest & move over the side of the aisle they like, & let the Republicrat party actually become a viable alternative to the Demoncrats.

Instead, all the Republicrats like Powell can say is they'd take us to heck in a handbasket a LITTLE slower than the Demoncrats.

Elections have consequences. I'm not sure this nation will survive the consequences of this one.

Ultimately, we get the leadership we deserve. As a morally-corrupt & depraved society, we're getting 'leaders' commensurate with that.

Both parties have such great ideas and truly great people that are committed to America. And then there are the rest who lie and try to divide us. Both parties will continue to have scandal, but if we remember we are Americans first, then we will always succeed.

Jumping, that was stupid. Whenever we are acting like moderates, we lose. that goes for liberals too.

Here is the plain, SIMPLE truth. The 2008 Election HAD a candidate this year who was exactly as Colin Powell describes – his name was John McCain. He lost miserably. Every time a middle of the road Republican runs, he loses. Conservatism wins when its presented as it should be. Moderate Republicans LOSE. Plain and simple. Anytime a Democrat wants this kind of Republican he wants them simply because they know they'll be defeated. Wanna know why the media was so afraid of Palin. Because they knew she'd do exactly what she did – inspire and fire up the Conservative base. If it had been a Romney/Palin or Hckabee/Romney, Romney/Huckabee, Huckabee/Palin ticket we woukld not have a President Elect Obama. And when was the last time you EVER heard anyone suggest a Democrat lean kore Right to win votes? hmmm....

As a voter who votes not for the party but for the canidate. I would like to ride the libertarian train. but we at War.
It is sad that some American can not see that the nation that has been the true progressive country. Which has in two world wars lead the world from the brink of total disaster. Showing many totalitarian states to the good side of the of Universe. Country's such asGermany-Japan ect.
This last President 43 was ready to walk and talk peace until we were hit with the worst attack on America in Peace time. Now a war time Comander in Chief. He has kept the States safe. With a wedge! Irag drawing islamic killers away from the rest of the world. Then dealing with the worst natural disaster Katrina. in American History.The second comming a year later. Then as Congress through Fanny and Fredy gave homes out to those who could not keep up with the payments.. This started the Crisis on the economy.Only time will tell if the act worked..

Lately Rush sounds whiny. His program used to be interesting. Now it sounds a little desperate. I tink the country is bone weary of divisive rhetoric discussions that don't devolve into name calling sessions but rather start out that way.

Rush had his day but I think his trip is about out of road.

It's too bad that schools don't teach what our founders believed – that rights require responsibilities – self government, if you will. People who won't rule themselves will eventually be ruled by tyrants, as history makes clear.

Too bad Colin believes that our citizens have become so wanton
in their behavior they are beyond repair, and must be indulged if one wants power badly enough.

So sad that people (particularly children) have been and are being encouraged by many of their role models to be covetous of others. Lives will soon be over, and they never will experience the blessings of blooming where they are planted. One thing is sure: this life is short, but Eternity is forever.

Thanks to the General for standing up for truth and honor when he saw the real thing !

We need more Rush, Bill and Sean. These racists and misogynists will drive all but the wackos and relig right from the party. Nothing wrong with that.

Reading the comments left by all the liberals just proves how much of a failure the educational system is in America. As John Hewwood once said "There are none so blind as those who will not see". Powell is a liar for ever claiming to be a conservative. He wants to censor Limbaugh now. If he does not like listening to him, turn off the radio, but don't tell me what I can or cannot listen to you idiot. Government is inherently inefficient with all the layers of bureaucracy. Big government is akin to socialism. Socialism has never worked anywhere in the world and will not work in this country. I am a conservative because I believe in a less obtrusive, smaller government.

So in otherwords, It is okay for the LIEBERALS to speak ..but they want to hush the Conservatives... That is exactly what Powell is saying... There is that thing called Freedom of speech...If you dont want to listen to Rush, dont listen..If you do, that is your choice. I dont think Colin Powell has the right or the power to say nobody should be listening to him.

It;s just another way of Libs censorship. The Majority in this country right at this moment happens to be Illegal Mexicans, Blacks, Hispanics, Somolians, Vietnamese, Muslims..Let's HOPE that in a few years..they are the Minority again!

I think Powell's comments are a throw away. He's a moderate liberal, why should conservatives be taking any advice from him? Is Powell interested in reducing the government influence on the individual, or reducing the amount of an individual's income they waste? Is Powell interested in confronting the despots of the world, or is he more interested in having tea and biscuits with them?

I accept him as a reasonable liberal, but I don't accept as anyone who has any idea on what conservatives need to be. Of course he is commenting about Republicans not conservatives, but what Powell is reccomneding the GOP do is the very same strategy that the GOP took as it lost the congressional majority and then lost the president's office. Me-too republicanism just doesn't win elections Colin Powell, you have enough of a knowledge of history, that you know this. Palin is what's right with the GOP, Powell, McCain, and their ilk are what's wrong with the GOP.

Mr Powell was a General, He barked orders and made others jump, yes he defended our country for FREE to enjoy our 1st amendment rights. What is he saying now to SHUT UP...I think not sir. Keep the mic's loud and clear Mr.Rush, Mr.Hannity and Mr Beck

Its really sad.......The only way this egomaniac can make the news is to trash Limbaugh....

Hey diva got punked , And colin powell is a traitor to his own party , we should stop listening to him......

The fact that Republicans DIDN'T listen to Rush was the problem in the last several elections. It's time we stopped trying act like the other side in order score points and win elections. Rush is right. Conservatism wins every time it's tried! Wimps like McCain who go out of their way to be liked by the enemy are not what we need.

I had a lot of respect for the General. I think that Obama Koolaid he drank has clouded up his judgement.

By the way Libs, Didnot Sen Obama say he was personally against Gay marriage?

It's too bad that schools don't teach what our founders believed – that rights require responsibilities – self government, if you will. People who won't rule themselves will eventually be ruled by tyrants, as history makes clear.

Too bad Colin believes that our citizens have become so wanton
in their behavior they are beyond repair, and must be indulged if one wants power badly enough.

So sad that people have been and are being encouraged to be so covetous of others. Lives will soon be over, and they never will experience the blessings of blooming where they are planted. One thing is sure: this life is short, but Eternity is forever.

Powell has been a disappointment for years, including his time as Secretary of State.

If he thinks "Polarization" was the big issue AND that the Republicans were the primary sponsors of "Polarization" he show less intelligence than he is given credit for having, or he is blind.

It is especially weak to resort to attacking Limbaugh, who makes no policy and has no political position. That is the mark of a small person.

Wally Lind from Minnesota: I guess being from Minnesota and voting for one idiot already, Al Frankenstein, it might be OK for a vote for Colin Powell. It's hard to believe that the Minnesota idiots are voting for a failure in everything he has ever tried. Franken is a jerk that wants to steal an election.

Democrats are not smart people.

Secretary Powell might be a great leader of men in the field, and a great diplomat, but he's just dead wrong here.

When Conservatives stick to their core principles of smaller government, with less interference and regulation, they win EVERY time. The base turned out for Governor Palin, because she was espousing Conservative principles, and wasn't willing to budge on them. She said "this is the way it is" and stuck to it. And, you notice, while the electoral vote was somewhat lopsided, the Popular vote was actually VERY close.

Pres. Elect Obama won by a much smaller margin than Pres. Bush did in 2004, so don't think tat his victory was some great mandate, because it isn't. Obama knows this, which is why he hasn't yet tried to rock the boat with far-left appointments. He knows that if he does, he'll lose control of congress faster than you can say tax increase.

The base HATED John McCain because he was wishy-washy. He tried to play nice, while the Liberals simply used him, and then spit on him.

We have 2 years to plan this. Let's let the Democrats and Liberals make fools out of themselves for 2 years, and we can run TRUE Conservatives that believe in Smaller Government, Cutting Taxes for EVERYBODY, Supply-Side Economics, National Defense and Secure Borders.

Let's just hope that the Liberals don't bankrupt us in the process.

I dont understand why you Liberals continue to think that the Republican party lost because it listened to Rush Limbaugh. If you knew anything about Rush you would know that Rush has never liked McCain politically and has been vehemently opposed to him for years. The Republican party lost this election precisely because it did what you fools think it should do, it acted like Democrats Light. Why vote for the diet version when you can get the real thing? Republicans won't win elections again until they get back to their roots of being fiscally conservative, and Constitutionalists.
I also don't understand where you get off suggesting that Republicans are somehow racists; because the only racist comments I heard this election cycle came during the Democrat primary, Democrats on Democrats.

By the way Libs, didnot Sen Obama say he was going to visit all 57 states?

Can we continue to listen to Colin Powell?

Gift of the Maji:

Nice talking points. Do you get those by email, by watching Faux News or does Larry Craig slip them under the bathroom stall for you?

Zowee, and to think, I'm a liberal, make more money than you, pay more in taxes, worked my own way through college, work hard every day, started my own business, donate at least 20 times what you do to charity, go to church, commit tons of time to my neighbors and my community, employee dozens of people who are paid well, treated fairly and happy in their jobs and lives and, well, I'm a liberal.

Hey, and speaking of your heroes who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, where did Herbert Walker and George W. make their money? Oh, right, they didn't. They inherited it.

Does your radio not have an "Off" button? Good grief, people! Take control of your lives. Colin Powell is a RINO (Republican in name only). Of course he backed Obama, but remember that President-elect Obama is NOT black. He is bi-racial.

Some posters are so angry because Powell endorsed Obama while he is a republican. He read what was given to him by the American Intelligent services in the UN Security Council! Iraqi war is a brain child of Karl Rove and Condi Rice.

Blaming is easy but finding the truth is very..very.. hard. I hope many Bush administration officials have to face the court proceedings in coming months for misleading a nation and corruption.

General Powell has done a great service (again) to his country and, if only they would listen, to his party. Such 'patriots' as Rush Limbaugh, Michael 'Savage', draft-dodgers all, degrade and defame the very idea of America when they begin another of their endless rants.

Mr Limbaugh in particular, who avoided service to his country by virtue of a strange problem with his posterior, purports to lecture others on American identity and patriotism. His right-wing absurdities, masked by phony humor, are nothing but endless insults, deformed ambition, and childish paranoia.

It is clear why he appeals to dunces. It is not clear why anyone takes him seriously.

Thanks and hats off to General Powell for telling the truth about these obnoxious 'Republicans'. General Eisenhower and Senator Goldwater would be ashamed by their endorsement.

Ruch believes in freedom, small government, limited taxes and the individual. Colin do you even listen to Rush? The day Rush leaves the seen is the day America is dead. All most Americans want is the government to get out of the way. Let us keep most of what we earn and don't make decisions for us. Instead, we have government that wants to design our cars, tell us the earth is getting hot when it is not, and taxes that are so high it limits freedom. Really that is all I've ever heard Rush talk about in the last 15 years. Maybe Colin you should find a spider hole like Saddam and climb in it.

This might be the biggest gaggle of mind numbed robots I've ever encountered. If Rush delivered an Obama victory and Democrat gains, why would you want him gone?

It appears to me that Limbaugh is, and always will be a threat to the true enemy of minorities in this country. Those enemies being the democrat party, and their decades of failed social experimentation.

Rush preaches self reliance and less dependence on the government. No wonder he's such a threat.

I alwalys find it strange when Demos tell Repubs tell change our views so we can win. Please demos continue what you are doing and Repubs will be back soon.
Demo's policy-give people with no jobs/no income a house note.
1+1=4 will never work......Barney Frank, Chris Dodd leading the fix
of money problems will never work......Nancy P. and Harry R. never have worked. This a dream team?

Rush Limbaugh and others present an opinion. Are you seriously thinking that the way to oppose those opinions is to censor them? Sounds a bit problematic too me. Who gets to decide what one can say and what one can't say? Doesn't even the thought of that scenario bother you liberals a little bit?

Rush scares the left, because he's not afraid to say the truth, and doesn't appease anyone. Rush is entertaining and funny. You libs need to lighten up. I'm sure that will never happen. Rush is so honest and decent it makes you lefties shrink with fright.

Colin Powell is absolutely correct. The Republican party used to be the party of fiscal conservatism and the belief that gov't should stay out of social issues except in cases of enforcing equality. Sadly, the Republicans have been hijacked by bible thumpers and other religious nutcases and have run this country into the ground with cronyism and warmongering

They need to lose this conceit that they are the party of morality, because it is so obviously not true. No one holds the monopoly on morality, *no one.*

Quite frankly, the current state of the Republican party is anything but conservative. The Democrats have been the ones balancing the budget and otherwise cleaning up the messes the Republicans make.

They need to stop trying to control womens' bodies and who you can fall in love with and stop hating those who are different and upholding the separation of church and state if they are to continue being relevant. The days of old white men being in power are slowly coming to an end.

as both sides argue over how right one side or the other is just remember 5.3 out of 10 voted for obama – 4.6 out of 10 voted for McCain. This country is still very up for grabs at any point by changing the mind of .4 out of 10 people

Rush Limbaugh??? Did he mean Herr Dr. Joseph Goebbels?

I don't know why Powell is surprised that paid entertainers like Limbaugh and Coulter should have become the spokepersons of the modern day Republican Party. Their biggest hero is, after all, a movie star who was upstaged by a monkey. It is interesting that one of the few Republicans to reply on this forum refers to Powell as a "socialist" who got where he did because of affirmative action and voted for Obama because he was black. Talk about missing the point! I doubt anything will change the clueless Republican base, but as long as there are moderates like Powell, there is still hope for the party.

Republicans are the bigots? Oh really? What segment of the population voted 90% for the guy who has the same skin color as they do? Including Powell? And the irony is that your hero is half white. That fact is lost on most of you, isn't it? BO himself in one of his books stated that he had to disown his white heritage (or words to that effect). He calls his own grandmother a "typical white person." Here's a newsflash. If it wasn't for white people, BO would NOT have been elected. He's as big a bigot as the rest of the racists in this country. Doesn't that strike any of you as the exact opposite of what made Martin Luther King such real hero? A real man with common sense who knew content of character, not color of skin is what matters? Divisive? Look to the Democrats. Vicious? Look to the Democrats. I've never, in all my life, seen such a more mean-spirited, nasty bunch of people. Compare the comments here.

Powell...said the GOP must see what is in the "hearts and minds" of African-American, Hispanic and Asian voters "and not just try to influence them by… the principles and dogma."

This only works if we can get past all of the stupid political correctness and racial double-standards that are in play. No group is above criticism, and until we can criticize each other in a constructive and civil way, inclusiveness is but a pipe dream.

Powell bailed on our Country and HIS President when we were at WAR! Need I say any more?

Colin Powell could have / should have been the first black US President.

That said, I respectfully differ with him now.

Right is still right, wrong is still wrong and if everyone agrees to lean left at the same time just for the sake of harmonizing our voices while singing praises to our newly found saivour – then the boat will capsize into socialist hell.

He of all people should know the importance of having a vigorous but loyal opposition. Let Rush continue to be heard and let the American be informed. We have already seen that Mr. Obama is just as willing to try to squash unflattering yet important news as was Mr. Bush. Healthy opposition is the only thing that holds absolute political ambition in check otherwise you end up with Putin or Mugabe.

Listen!

Plain and simple:

Conservatives want less taxes, smaller government and the same liberties and opportunities for ALL!

Conservatives want individuals (black, white, pink or polka-dot) to live up to their potential, and that doesn't happen when government is constantly trying to level the playing field.

Our replican leaders have not been very conservative of late. That's their fault for being idiots, and our fault for electing them. But our downfall was allowing them to get away from the principles above!

Great general... but weak conservative. Sorry but Rush is way more correct than the narcisist hero worshipper. Colin should remain in his garage fixing his collectables vice voicing an opinion that at best is chest beating. Again, great general, lousy SecState.

Three cheers for Mr. Powell!

@Mike, who said "As a Republican white male who voted for Obama I believe I have a right to say that Colin Powell is the exact opposite of what Martin Luther King envisioned for America. Here we have a man who voted for the color of a man's skin and not the content of his character."

I'm a white male Republican and I'd vote for Powell in a heartbeat. If you ever listened to him talk before the election, you'd know he was as thoughtful as ANYONE about the issues. I can guarantee you he voted for Obama because he believed Obama was the best choice. Sure, many blacks voted for Obama due to skin color just as many whites probably did the reverse...guess what that's life, and we're slowly getting better at that. But Powell is a very thoughtful, smart guy and I respect him immensely.

I'll even go this far. If Powell had thrown his hat in the election even just a year ago, he'd be the President-Elect right now. Guaranteed.

I second this : " Powell is correct, but he also forgot to mention the likes of Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Bill O'Really? and Neal Boortz. They are all hate mongers and would rather see the country go under than see Obama and the democrats do something positive and good for the country and the world."

Let's see....
Let me get this straight...
"W" (or the Republican party) arguably ceded (or CON-ceded) the most significant transfer to the idea of a complete and total socialist state in the history of this republic to the opposition – while simultaneously cultivating an atmosphere where the first non-Caucasian won a free, unencumbered, unchallenged, fair election to the office of the most significant office in all of civilization and someone is 'BLAMING" it on Rush Limbaugh! From your point of view you ought to be thanking him, for crying out loud!
You and your ilk literally make me laugh until I have to run to the bathroom peeing in my pants.
Unbelievable! I just love this kind of humor. Maybe a stint on late-night TV? Prime time? Just too funny to be true!
A parody of a parody.
Laughing all the way to the bathroom.
Puh-leeeeez! I just can't stop laughing.
My stomach is cramping from so much laughter.
Keep it up. Honestly. Laughter is great for the soul.
Say more! Say more!
Sincerely,
John-Ohio

Lets not forget a few years back when it was the democratic party that everyone thought was on the verge of extinction. The pendulum just keeps swinging.

By the way P. Allen, first you say that conservatives are vile, evil, wastes to the human race, then you ask them to be respectful. If you are teaching school you need to be fired. Do you think before you speak?

It's quite obvious General Powell rarely, if ever, listens to Rush Limbaugh. Rush has a brilliant mind and understands human nature. He also recognizes and emphasizes those principles that have made this country great.

Millions of people have been and continue to be inspired by Rush. New listeners will be similarly inspired.

Colin Powell is a continuing disappointment. Nobody really knows for what he stands. I wonder if even he knows.

Colin Powell has almost lost ALL respect from true Conservatives in the United States, and he might as well get comfortable in his new bed and pull the wool of socialism up around his neck to keep himself warm. He will never amount to anything more than a bug on the windshield when Sarah Palin gets elected President in 2012. The Republican party has ALWAYS been the party of Blacks since Abraham Lincoln, and ANY black that would vote SocioCrat is a traitor to their own birthright, and has sold it like Esau for a mess of stew (demoDollars) and fleeting popularity! Good luck Colin, our one time brother, believe me, you are NO Rush Limbaugh. Perhaps you are the one we should never listen to anymore!!!!

As an Independant voter, I would be very surprised if any thinking Republicans would be interested in the opinions of an individual who took Republican career-handouts for big money jobs yet, at the first opportunity, turned and bit the hand that had fed him by supporting the other party's candidate.

Republicans are so determined to see America collapse.

Yes. This guy goes to the UN with nonsense drawings of
fake WMD, helps start a war and now that he supports Obama
I guess that is all okay. This is crazy man.

"Campbell is getting on my nerves with her constant critique of Obama"

Yeah, you're right. We didn't see this at ALL over the last x years from Bill Schneider and the other liberal attack dogs masquerading as "journalists". What goes around comes around. Besides, I don't think she's being unfair...I haven't read anything by her yet that is unfair; she's simply asking questions and asking Obama to talk a bit more, which he is.

What's your problem other than someone is asking the next President of the U.S. to be a litle accountable and talk a bit? Or is asking anything like this of Obama now officially off limits?? Is it starting ALREADY?

Hey Gen Powell.

Why don't you go look for Sadam's Winebagos of death in Iraq. We remember you at the U.N. and how you lied to us. But that is ok, you will have a different opinion tomorrow. That is what is truly wrong with the Republican party. Quit worrying about what people think and have some courage, ethics to stand up for what is right. If you do that the majority of people, regardless of color will follow.

Thanks

I think Mr. Powell is on the mark. But what is funny is the attitude of conservatives on her. Rush is a druggie of the first order and had he not been so well connected he would be a felon. Or ,why was the paragon of family values taking erectile disfunction medication on vacation and he was single ..hmmmm? One thing the maker of the Republican majority (Lee Atwater) knew very well was that it was IMAGE not substance. Men like Powell that served in Vietnam, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and had given his life to service of his country is villified by folks who could not even show up for Guard duty or they never served at all but instead obtained waivers because they were rich enough. Even better by making a hero out of an actor who loved to wear cowboy hats. Nothing is funnier than seeing white anglos try to be the myth of the cowboy, based on a hollywood they villifiy, but use as historical truth. If the Republican party was like my last favorite Sen. from Arizona ..BARRY GOLDWATER I would so be a member. I voted for McCain before he went begging to the American Christian Taliban for their support. The complete sell out to them picking Gov. Palin was so vile. Sen. Goldwater knew in his time that the religious zealots would be fanatics that you could never satisfy. Fundamentalist can't even believe that Catholics or non-fundamentalist are going to heaven ..much less Jews, muslims, Mormons, etc.

Powell is spot on. I am a long-time Republican activist and some would call me a "strategist". We Republicans have no "bully pulpit" to shout down from, and GOP doesn't stand for "God's Own Party". Republicans have to honor their legacies to Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan, but also recognize the changes in the world in which we live. America is broke folks. The foreign companies that dominate our auto market have plants in America now and employ Americans. They shipped their jobs overseas to America, and do not have their hands out for a bailout. The Democrats shouldn't be overly comfortable as a result of Powell's criticism however, as their party is embroiled in scandal, without Obama having even been sworn in....

Yeah he's an army of one alright, lol. McCain is a moderate, he is compromise and reach accross the aisle/can't we get along. News flash McCain lost, it doesn't work. Obama brought chicago style politics to the national level. Obama won and that's what works! Historical president to be, earliest scandal investigated even before inauguration. Maybe he'll make another historical first and have to pardon himself on the first day, lol. Man, doesn't Obama have enough respect for the position of president to atleast do illegal things after being inaugurated. Obama has to crap on it while hes not even in the position yet.

I have to say I agree with Mr. Powell. I respect his opinion. It is not the politics of the GOP I object to, though I do not agree with it. I respect debate and having opposing views – I even considered McCain in 2000.

My problem is letting anti-immigrant rhetoric become hateful, using anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiment as a political tool, relying on Rush Limbaugh who marginalizes women with terms like "femi-nazis", having GOP leadership who spent time at white only clubs, etc.

It has become frightening. That is not the America I believe in. I can respect a desire for smaller government in certain times. But I cannot respect accepted bigoted rhetoric at rallies or from a radio DJ. The GOP must renounce this hateful atmosphere and speak to all Americans regardless of race, gender, religion, and yes, sexual orientation. Bigotry has turned me and my family off the party entirely.

Gift of the Maji – December 11th, 2008 9:02 pm ET

Wow, nice to see a Repub. that isn't completely vitriolic and divisive.

Oh, and by the way: it's "Gift of the Magi", Einstein.

Colin nailed it. He also should have said the GOP needs to stop listening to Sean Hannity as well. He and Rush are just alike.

if you kool-aid drinking lemmings would open your eyes and ears and listen correctly to Rush on a DAILY basis, you would discover that BOTH parties tell you what they want you to know!!!! He's a REAGAN CONSERVERATIVE!!!!! look that up at heritage.org. You'll expand your IQ immensely!!! As long as someone else handles it or it's on a sports show or video game or internet blog, must be right huh? America has become a bunch of lemmings and followers. Rush is right, thank god for public screwls and kollege digrees?

Right on target Gift of the Maji. Thanks.

I disagree with Powell. I have a slide deck that he put together some number of years ago about leadership and Obama falls way short.

The ideas in the deck are conservative, not liberal.

As far as I can see, Powell jumped the shark a few years ago.

Powell is no more 'Republican' than Obama, nor has he been for some time. The Obama victory has emboldened Powell to the point that he's attacking 'his' own party. He is positioned/positioning himself for something in the Obama administration...or beyond.

Powell is so wrong it's silly.

Rush Limbaugh offers clarity and an honest dissection of the issues. He's entertaining and extremely well-spoken and intelligent.

Posted by P. Allen: "It seems my understanding of Conservatives was correct – you are
terrible, grotesque, evil examples of the human race."

Take a good look at this and other posts here...how can you Democrats even START to believe you're any better than Republicans?? There are petty, stupid, mean-sprited people in EVERY party...how about trying NOT to be one of them.

Open your eyes, Dems...for every extremist, bile-spitting Republican there's a Dem doing the same thing...just read these posts objectively. Many of you won't...you won't be able to believe and/or accept that DEMOCRATS can be petty, mean, etc. Wake up.

It's time we all started doing better and treating each other better, don't you think? And it starts with mutual respect and empathy.

Powell is an opportunist. He was a rhino when he could get more power and money and now he's aligning himself with the new party in power so he can further advance himself.
The republicruds need to get back to basics – like constraining the fedgov with the Constitutional chains the founders put on it. The last thing they need to do is act like the demoncrites who want the fedgov involved in every aspect of our lives and who are quite adept at dividing and conquering. Unfortunately, the last thing they need to do is exactly what they have been doing for a very long time now.
Also, how hypocritical of the leftists to claim that the republicruds aren't racially inclusive , yet Obama was elected because of his race. A bit of racism on the left' s part ? Obama sat in a "church" (NOT !!) listening to a bunch of racist / hate filled rantings by a lunatic and hung out with terrorists who had no qualms about killing innocent people. Very inclusive – of racists and terrorist, anyway and was it his mother or grandmother who he said was a "typical white woman"?!! He's a real uniter !!

Both parties have mouths that America would be better off if it was shut. Both parties have had major politicians involved in scandals. When you look at voting records, both parties. It is time to give third parties serious consideration.

Mr. Powell is a smart man. He realized long ago how to ride that conservative horse as far up the ladder as he could and got off that horse once he could no longer benefit from being a closet liberal. What a hypocrite. He has lost all creditability with all true patriots. Now that he is a confirmed liberal, I am sure CNN and MSNBC will be using him as a new analyst as he would have soon faded to obsecurity..

The Republicans are never going to change, except to get crazier and crazier.

They'll never be in power again, they're going the way of the Whigs.

For someone who has endeavored to have it both ways by publicly supporting the Iraq war and so as to insure he was included in the DC social cabal circuit expressed of record he did not believe the Iraq war prudent and moreover and most important to be the fly in the ointment that insured the DC and Pentagon could not consider anything except his conventional warfare concept is a travesty. He considered the only way to conduct war to be his "Powell Doctrine" and not to consider irregular warfare or Petraeus type tactics. Powell and his minions need to be aggressively challenged as the media bias has not found the rational or guts to to do while Rush stands alone in that challenge. The Press is as derelict in its duty as is Powell for not encouraging such tactical discussions.
"Today in Iraq, we are benefiting from the leadership of officers who were studying counterinsurgency and irregular warfare precisely when the Powell Doctrine made such ideas unpopular and seemingly obsolete. Just as the so-called Petraeus Doctrine is apparently supplanting its predecessor as the conventional wisdom, there is, thankfully, another small cadre of officers questioning its tenets." Armed Forces Journal
Powell and his socially inclined officers were derelict in their duties for not considering the tactics that are now finding success in Iraq. Irregular warfare is not new. Tito found success with irregular warfare as did the WW II OSS.
If you want to be a Dem then declare your political afflictions as you did with Obama. Powell's political proclivities have finally been revealed. We now understand his reluctance...

Wow, I once said that I wanted this guy to run for president. I take it back now! He's a loon!

Rush 10 - Powell 0 Powell is no more a Republican then I am a giraffe. Any one who voted for Barack is not a Republican, don't care what they say.

The hypocrasy is mindblowing!!! I doubt 10% of the people posting here ever even listen to Rush Limbaugh. What exactly does Limbaugh say that is so upsetting to you? I'd guess most of you dolts shouting "yeah Rush is horrible" are either participating in a propaganda campaign or know you're lying. This is image of conservatives as hatemongering and bigoted has been created and propagated by the main stream media and liberals. They've truly subscribed to the Hitler teaching that telling a big enough lie will most often result in people believing it. I see no examples of what makes Rush so polarizing or horrible. Just a bunch of agreeing with the false image perpetuated by the main stream media that Rush obliterates on a daily basis by exposing their lies and misinformation. To all you people blasting Rush (who of course never listen to him) do you understand you're being manipulated? You're railing out against a person who only wishes for people to be independent and self sufficient yet some how he's the villain. This lie has been fostered because people like Rush are a threat to the media. The hilarious and misleading things he exposes about them embarres them. They want to control what you think so they retain their power over you. Why would you hate someone who advocates for a government with less power of your lives?

I find it truly mind-boggling that General Powell suggests that "we may be better off not listening to Rush Limbaugh". Does he remember that "freedom of speech" is one of our most important freedoms?

Powell is right; Limbaugh is old news, we repubs should not be listening to his stinky attitude.

Powell is also right that it's no longer a white world, so we whites (me included) need to embrace reality.

Colin you are a RINO. Just go to the other side and stay there. Don't waste your time by trying to convince us that you are a Rebpublican. Oh! and all you have to do to stop RUSH, is turn the dial to the non-existant "competition" from your side. BTW, be a man, and start your own talk show...Like who is going to listen to you no spine Liberal?

Right on-let's all stop listening to Rush and go directly to the SAVAGE NATION. Michael Savage was SO right on today about the mess in Illinois and Rahm Emmanuel's connection-holding a seat previously held by a certain Illinois Governor with a bad hairdo. this is only the beginning folks-more arrest to come.

Generals should be generals when we are at war, and then retire with some dignity. When they try to "hang on" and be something they are not, it is bad for them and bad for the country, e.g. Ike

"CHANGE to appeal to a LARGER AUDIENCE." So an ideology is to be thought of as a script for a TV serial during "sweeps" months? I almost hate to be the one to break it to you, but the steadfast belief among some in personal liberty and limited government won't roll over and die, as could more justly be expected of the empty-headed and counter intuitive trash pedaled by the likes of you.

This is rich, TRUE(I don't consider Rush truly conservative but merely a puppet of the RNC. Glenn Beck Is a true conservative) conservative talk radio is the problem now,huh? The Republican party swerving off to the center or even left of center is the problem. These RINO's, such as Powell, are the main problem. Coservatism at it's core needs to return to it's roots of Pro-life platform, The marriage protection act, shrink the size of government, cut taxes on everyone who pays them, not the dead beats who live off the system. Powell at the end of the day, will probably get his wish. With the new chairman of the FCC that obama has chosen, it will only be a matter of time before the"fairness doctrine" is reinstated, which will let the rats in Washington run free to do what they see fit!

Powell should bone up on his American History and review exactly what party supported Black Americans for voting rights and etc. Hint, it wasn't the democrats. As for listening to Rush, as far as I know we still have the freedom of speech and if he doesn't like that he can always twist the radio channel knob and tune in Airhead Amerika.

According to the "conservatives" here I am liberal.

I believe: the death penalty is wrong
abortion is wrong, but should not be illegal–who am I to judge another?
the government performs many services better than my neighborhood or town can, thus taxes are a necessary evil
the budget should be balanced...we should not be borrowing from China
war will never bring peace
George Bush should be in jail
Love your neighbor as yourself
Christmas is a Christian holiday...there is no "war on Christmas" except the one created by Bill-O
How do any of these things make me liberal–they are core values that any Christian would have...yet because I believe in helping folks with tax dollars, I'm an evil, mean, stupid liberal. God I pray for these close-minded people to step back and figure out for themselves what this country should be.

WHAT WE NEED IS MORE SEAN HANNITY, THE BEST TALK SHOW HOST IN AMERICA !!

General Powell;............that name sounds familiar. Oh yeah, I remember now. He's the guy who played political games to get the US Army Corps of Engineers to go down to his ancestral island in the Caribbean to rebuild the slum villages that the local crooks wouldn't take care of. He did it with the stateside taxpayers' money, too.That was mighty whi.. er, Liberal of him wasn't it ? I THOUGHT that name sounded familiar !

Ya, follow the crowd. Don't live by principles or what made this country great. The country is losing its values so we should too if we want to get elected. Colin Powell is a bitter moron that will sell his soul to the highest bidder. The Repubs DO need to pull their head out and get BACK to conservative ideas.

Powell is right. Limbaugh is past news and us conservatives need to go elsewhere. His attitude stinks.

Powell is also right when he says we can be conservative and embrace reality... it's not a white world anymore. And I'm white, so I think I can say that.

Wasn't Colin Powell the same guy that argued most vociferously for the Iraq invasion? Or was he just fooled by the all evil and incredibly stupid George Bush? Didn't the democrats label him an "uncle tom"? when he towed the republican line? I don't really care for either party as I can see both sides are corrupt. The only thing I will state is that "fans" of the democratic party are less logical and spew far more hatred than the average conservative...only the lunatic left uses words like hate, stupid, immoral, etc...

Powell is an idiot.....he's out for himself as you can be, The only way this guy can ever be a team player is if he;s head of the team e.g. America's Promise, but he doesn't have the chops to be a real leader, because he lacks thecourage of conviction. He only wants to play in closed systems. Ignore him.

The Republicans trusted and honored Colin Powell for the majority of his career. So now, this is his comment to them. Shame on him. He is losing much credibility from those who admired him through those years with the opinions he is voicing today. Rush Limbaugh does not speak (shout) for all Republicans. Surely, Colin Powell is intelligent enough to know this. He apparently has some avenging to do with these reckless comments. They do not hold true.

Funny how most analysis says the GOP lost because of the economic crisis, and the tracking polls back that up. People blamed the party in power, which, fair or not, has always been the track record of the American voter. Powell knows better, though, McCain and the GOP lost because they didn't pander enough to minorities.
While it is true that conservatives must, must increase their emotional intelligence, Mr. Powell is actively encouraging the GOP to deemphasize [translate: compromise] principle to gain popularity. That is a dark, dark path to take, fraught with the unintended consequence of self-destruction. The GOP's recent dabbling with that path is the true reason for it's perilous state.
I urge conservatives to repel Mr. Powell's attempt to lead the GOP farther down that path.

Stu-florida, Why do you punks fear Sarah so? I know why. You can't stand an independent spirit. Your a bunch of goose steppin sheeple.You get 4 yrs to try socialism. If you don't waste it blamin all future failures on Bush.

Current day republicans have become very narrow minded, inflexible and bound to 16th century ideology. As times change you need to change and adapt to what is good and working .... T

he case in point is those republican nutcases (sen. Shelby and his Republican pals of foreign car manufacturers) who are bent on ruining the big 3 and turn the whole country in ti further misery and economic turmoil ....

I sincerely pray and hope that the big 3 will survive through Jan 20 till dems and Obama can address bridge loan to them ....

Hang in there the hard working blue collar workers of big 3. May god bless you and your families ....

First off, being a Conservative doesn't limit one to any particular party. Look at Senator Ben Nelson, Democratic Senator from Nebraska. The GOP might be on hard times, but Conservatism isn't.

Seconly, when Conservative issues went before the polls stripped of party affiliation this last election, they did very well, whether banning racial preferences in affirmative action or banning gay marriage. That point cannot be ignored.

Third, every generation seems to have to live through a "Jimmy Carter" type presidency to innoculate them from ever falling for that type of guy in the White House for the rest of their lives. Obama is that president for those of you who weren't trying to earn a paycheck in 1979. Those of you under 40, get ready to find all about the "misery index", which will soon make its reappearance...;-)

Hey, Colin and "Drive By" Media Players...

Thanks for stirring up the Revolution. As our Founders proudly proclaimed, don't tread on me!

Westy: your Republican president is an admitted cocaine user, as well. He is also a drunk. He also palled around with Saudi oil princes and their terrorist friends. Suck on that.

General, it's obvious that you've found a party that speaks to your values. A party that supports abortion on demand, gay marriage and the ACLU attacks on religious expression. You've found a party that speaks to you, Sir. A party that defends the free expression of the perverted while attacking traditional family values and the traditions rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics. You've found a party that supports corrupt politicians in Chicago, New York and Louisiana; which rewards the lazy by stealing the earnings of hardworking men and women. You stand with a party that ransacks institutions like Fannie Mae, lining their pockets with public funds. You stand with a party supported by corrupt public unions who fail to serve the public; teachers unions that fail to educate while lobbying for more money. You stand with the party that accuses your fellow Americans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan of war crimes while seeking defeat at all costs; who give aid and comfort to our enemies. You ask us in the GOP to become more like these craven souls, to appeal to a wider group.

I say 'NO!!!' No to you and to anyone who would ask me to set aside my principles for political expedience. You've found your party Mr. Powell and your endorsement of Mr. Obama becomes the declaration of your party affiliation. I'd rather burn the GOP to the ground before I let it become a pale copy of the democrat party, and the sooner people like you and David Brooks remove yourselves, the stronger the GOP becomes.

The Republican Party has abandoned the very values which it was founded upon. Values that President Lincoln strongly championed. When I turned 18 many years ago, I was so excited about calling myself a Republican and casting my very first vote for Bob Dole in 1996.

The GOP of today is a shadow of its former self. Fiscal conservatism has been jettisoned in favor of a militant Radical Christian agenda which holds that White Christian people are the only ones who have a right to call themselves Americans. To hell with minorities, non-Christians, progressive Christians, LGBT Americans, and anyone else who doesn't represent the very ugliest of the human species.

That basically sums up why I left the Republican Party in 2000. This year, 2008, I proudly re-registered as a Dem and even more proudly cast my vote for Barack Obama! I vote on social issues, not fiscal.

Mr. Powell made a total A– of himself years ago. He wanted glory and presitge and sold his soul – WELL, now he wants to buy it back???
Burn Colin, burn ,with your self serving attitudes!!!!

Can we learn anything from a general who only made it because of affirmative action? He blows with the wind. All I ever see him do is draw on a chalk board during the Kuwait war on liberal CNN. Now he is in the Obama camp because of color. Maybe if the liberal so called general listened to Rush he might get informed more. Then he might ask Obama to produce his real birth certificate from Kenya and not hide his phony one in Hawaii. He might ask why Obama is not releasing his Harvard tuition records. Who in the Arab world paid for his tuition Mr. Powell? Even the supreme court is in bed with the ones promoting the Obama machine. What about Obama being an English subject since his father was from Kenya? How can you be an English citizen at birth and also be an American citizen Mr. Powell the affirmative action genius? Why hasn't CNN had the guts to even report the news?
Herb Salisbury
Herb Salsibury

Rush may be full of himself, but he is right on the money 99% of the time. No one else on the radio or TV even comes close to him when it comes to acurately portraying current events...the why's and wherefore's. People were wanting a change, but I'm afraid the "messiah" is not the change they were looking for unless socialism and total collapse of the free markets that made our country great are what they want. They say you know a man by the company he keeps, and If you look at his friends, they leave a lot to be desired. The public will never know the truth about his relationships with all the Chicago politico's, which is a cesspool of corruption.

Hed Ted, I don't want to start an international 'situation' here but since you asked about Canada, let me tell you: It is the ONLY G8 country NOT in recession–in fact we expect modest GROWTH in our economy next year. No bank has failed here. Ever! And oh yes, Honda is still building plants here because the public health care plan means the cost of labour is actually LOWER than in Alabama even though the hourly wage is higher. In other words, the government pays for our health care out of our collective taxes so manufacturers don't have to.Thanks for asking Ted. BTW, most of us Canadians still love and respect the USA even though we can't understand why so many of you are bitter and angry–especially if you really believe what you say about your country. For me, and so many others,the election of Obama means America still has greatness at its core. take heart. And don't be afraid of gay marriage. Straight people still get married too.:)

When all of you educated elitist who think you are smarter than Sarah Palin, President George Bush, who by the way had higher grades in college than your hero John Kerry, get elected to either the presidency or governorship of a state, perhaps you should stop calling them dumb or stupid. I guess those of you who call the republicans all the vicious names seem to forget what is going on in Illinois and what went on in Louisiana. No one party is responsible for all immoral, illegal, actions. When our country goes down remember what you have done to help destroy it.

Balance please. I'm a vet, served as an em and got out as an O6, Colonel for you peaceniks and fools.While the Powell Doctrine makes for an interesting case study, I much prefer the Storm'n Norman approach to combating evil, as in Gulf War 1. Powell and Norm were at odds because Powell was a student of war and Norm was a warrior. I like and respect Powell but I want to serve under Norm. Powell was way to political and worried about what non-military types and the press would say. Norm was apolitical and wanted to let us loose the dogs of war and kill the bad guys, the more the better. Norm wanted to go to Baghdad in Gulf War 1, Powell convinced Bush 1 to stop. The tactical mission of a combat operations is to destroy your enemy's will to fight. Powell never understood this and I thank the good Lord that the commanders I served under never bought into the Powell's thinking.

Why are you "Progressives" so upset? So strident? The way most of you are reacting you'd think McCain had won. The reason he lost was he was a Democrat in everything but name. Maybe you're scared because you see the coming train wreck of the Obama-nation Administration. (It's starting even before the swearing in). Change??? His cabinet is just a bunch of Clinton re-treads. The Liberals, oops "Progressives " can stay with the Dems. The rest of us will just have to stay with the GOP and hope it will get back to its true roots.

I know the left disagrees with the right, but why does that make the right "haters'? It just means they disagree with the left. Please, you out there on the left, bring some clarity to these arguments. What an ugly statement...if you have right wing opinions then you have appealed to our "lesser instincts". How arrogant. Please tell us what these "lesser instincts" are, and why do you think your opinions are more elevated. This is kind of "hate speak" isn't it. "If you think like us on the left then you have great intellect and are a good person, if you think like those on the right then you must be stupid and you have "lesser instincts" and you are a "bad" person.

Let's see:

The right believes that evil should be confronted in the world.
The left doesn't even know what evil is.

The right believes that you should be able to keep the money you make.
The left wants to take your money and use it for it's own devices.

The right wants to protect the rights of the unborn.
The left can't tell when life begins therefore a baby has the status of a hangnail.

The right believes you should have the ability to protect yourself. The left wants to take away your guns so you won't have anything to confront an armed intruder.

Help me lefties...I'm searching for the hate here. The only thing I can see is that the right hates it when the left denies us our liberties and does everything to undermine the very things that have made this country great. Which includes attacking religion, and promoting secularism. Freedom to pursue monetary rewards. Freedom to pursue hapiness. A strong national defense. Even the boy scouts aren't immune to the wrath of the left.

Colin Powell is right on the money and you can tell by the comments. A bunch of conservatives shouting.

My God what a bunch of delusional idiots! Hey you have your boy in office! So quit whining! Oh thats right , thats what liberals do! Well enjoy obama while he lasts. If blogo doesn't bite him, surely his past will eventually. You talk about gop tactics! hahahahaha my , i guess that dems never look in the mirror! I'm looking forward to 4 yrs of entertainment. Like today when at the press conference... barry " i, uh , uh uh what i mean to say is uh i , we didn't uh meet um with uhh blogo. Yeah for a bunch of athiests you sure have alot of faith! Faith that barry is untainted by the cess pool that spawned him. I have faith that like typical losers , the liberals will devour each other.

Go Rush go!
I cannot understand why being "pro US", "pro military", "pro self initiative", "pro capitalist" "pro baby rights" is SO unacceptable the new "majority" in this country.

If we continue to lower the bar in celebration of achievement, de-emphasize all responsibilities and squash any pro patriotic sentiments this country won't be anything like it was. Some people think that would be a shame. That's all folks from the redneck South –

Oh I forgot one thing... Get with the program and learn Spanish now – I want you to talk to me in my tongue. Gracias -

I love lectures from republicans about how they accept "personal responsibility". Didn't presnit bunnypants just tell the West Point Cadets about how he regretted the "mistaken intelligence" that led to the invasion of Iraq. Notice how george convieniently forgets how he MANUFACTURED that evidence.

Nothing says "Personal Responsibility" like blaming the CIA for your own PHONY Intelligence

White House Iraq Group

nuff said

it's only Crimes Against Humanity

Mr. Powell is not a Republican, pure and simple. Regarding the minority vote he is 100% correct. The Republicans have to find a way to reach these voters to survive.

It still mystifies me based on Obama's political background this man was elected. But obviously he offered what our country wanted. Be careful for what you wish for.....

I know the left disagrees with the right, but why does that make the right "haters'? It just means they disagree with the left. Please, you out there on the left, bring some clarity to these arguments. What an ugly statement...if you have right wing opinions then you have appealed to our "lesser instincts". How arrogant. Please tell us what these "lesser instincts" are, and why do you think your opinions are more elevated. This is kind of "hate speak" isn't it. "If you think like us on the left then you have great intellect and are a good person, if you think like those on the right then you must be stupid and you have "lesser instincts" and you are a "bad" person.

Let's see:

The right believes that evil should be confronted in the world.
The left doesn't even know what evil is.

The right believes that you should be able to keep the money you make.
The left wants to take your money and use it for it's own devices.

The right wants to protect the rights of the unborn.
The left can't tell when life begins therefore a baby has the status of a hangnail.

The right believes you should have the ability to protect yourself. The left wants to take away your guns so you won't have anything to confront an armed intruder.

Help me lefties...I'm searching for the hate here. The only thing I can see is that the right hates it when the left denies us our liberties and does everything to undermine the very things that have made this country great. Which includes attacking religion, and promoting secularism. Freedom to pursue monetary rewards. Freedom to pursue hapiness. A strong national defense. Even the boy scouts aren't immune to the wrath of the left.

Powell is not a Republican. NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS!

McCain is not a Republican. NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS!

Obama won because
Blacks are racists
Whites feel guilty
Conservatives stayed home

The only differance between Powell & my Senator here in CT, Nothing,
just another RINO trying to change the principles of the GOP. No more RINO's, or David Gergen on CNN giving advise to or party

shrub and co. "presided' over the worst adminstration in U.S. History. 9/11 happened on his watch while he was asleep at the wheel. He lied to get us into a quagmire in Iraq, while the real terrorists celebrate in Afghanistan. And the bush financial debacle is the worst since the Great Depression (and it may get even WORSE than that).

Good riddance, shrub. You and your repugnican cronies have secured your shameful place in history (and hell).

Hey Gift of the Maji:

You are one angry person and your examples would be laughable except for your anger. Both sides have their wealthy, ignorant, corrupt, and worthless members (i.e. G.W. Bush never earned a penny of his own). However, I take exception to your statement that you "...expect the feckless Fed. Gov't to get out of my life and just leave me alone." Your party wants to impose one standard of religious thought on the entire American people. Your party wants to meddle in the lives of countless Americans simply because they value reproductive freedom or the ability to love who they see fit. When your party gets out of my doctor's office and the bedrooms of others, then we can talk about having the government stay out of your life.

Obama isnt even a natural born citizen, neither is Powell. These mongrels and all of the libs are bent on one thing, the destruction of the US. Just look what Nancy and Harry have accomplished since 2006 ??? Nada...then the financial markets crashed because Barney and Chris fondled Maxine Waters into stroking Frank Raines and Fanny and Freddy ate the big enchalada and presto the US sinks into depression because derivatives are full of loans that wont be repaid by Americans who have no or bad credit...Powell is so full of himself that he's insulted when Rush calls a Spade a Spade....see you all on CNN when the Big O takes the Big Dive.

What a bunch of complete morons! YOU who voted for the ileegal Kenyan Muslim mulatto from the Chicago political sesspool are actually listening to a Democrat operative who has disguised himself for years.

The ONLY reason Colin Powell is where he is is due to BOTH Bush Presidents. Otherwise, he'd be shining shoes Barack Hussein Obama's shoes on the streets of Chicago.

Rush Limbaugh has more brains in his excrement than any of you completely ignorant FOOLS who voted the Communist Party of America into office on 11/4/2008.

Hey Gift of the Maji, it's fridge not frig Einstein. Maybe you should proofread before you start pointing fingers.
"You see, being Republican means accepting responsiblity for yourself, and serving the needs of your community YOURSELF."
That's why Ted Stevens and Don Young took responsibility (that;s right, there's supposed to be an i between the 'b' and the 'l') for their selfish, self serving actions. Oh wait, they didn't. And republicans still voted for them.

Gift of the Maji...your comments should be posted over and over. I don't think anyone could say it better. It is what it is.

As for two types of conservative, or two types of republicans. I think that some are finding that they are actually libertarians. I discovered in this political season that i am actually not a republican but a libertarian.

I love Powell...now can he talk some sense into the idiot Republican Senators from the south who would be more than happy to have the Big Three fail to boost their own states at the expense of the Midwest? Does no Republican think of anything outside his own sphere? Or are they still mad about the Civil War?

Colin Powell turned traitor for a perceived benefit he will get from the administration that will be in office. He is doing what benefits him – like the majority of politicians. Forget about the morality of Powell – it is number one he is concerned about. The people on this site are accusing the conservatives of the exact same thing they are doing – that is called a HYPOCRITE.
Also, atheism is a religion – and the left is trying to push that down everyone's throat. The problem is – when you die, you will find out that there really is a God, and then it will be too late. Christians just want to have the freedom to worship God and live their life according to God's will for their lives, and just doing that stirs up so much hatred from the bashers of Christianity. But then, Jesus was crucified – and he rose again and sits in heaven on the right hand of His father God, the job is complete and evil will only prosper for the time God allows it to.

Don't forget, it's Powells and Schwarzkopfs fault that we had to go back to Iraq. Would 911 have happened if they finished the job? NO!

Republicans work to the pay the taxes that fund the Democratic entitlement programs?

You Dems that bash Palin for being unintelligent are Ha-Ha funny. Name me ONE verbal gaff she made. One statement that was factually incorrect.
There are 57 states? OBAMA
JOBS= a three letter word? BIDEN
I'm WAAAAAAITING.

Connie,

You are a complete and utter racist and that is why America chose not to vote with you this go-round. Choosing common sense, reason and dignity over blind adherence to extremist values and delusions of reverse discrimination (a term people like yourself made up) is a pretty sucky lifestyle for sure!

What is facinating to me is that Colin Powell would never have attained his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of State if not for conservatives like Ronald Regan, George Bush 1 and 2. Now that he thinks he is a superstar of wisdom, he turns his back and attacks the hand that fed him. Rish Limbaugh among others knows that the reason the republican Party has fallen on hard time is that we have been nominating RHINO's instead of men and women who believe in the true republican values of smaller fedral government, lower taxes, conservative values fiscally and morally. It is what made the party great and will do so again. Despite Powells beliefe that those in the minority now willsoon be the majority, he does not realize that a majority of those same folks are conservative, religious folks.

Colin Powell should give up the pretext of being anything other than what he is a leftover who sticks his finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing to keep adjusting his position. I guess this was his audition for a new slot on the party and dinner circuit in Washington DC.

You got to love these these career job seekers!

"Understanding the hearts and minds" of those who wanted a home even though they had no way to pay for it is what got our economy in the mess it's in now.

We don't need bleeding heart granolas as leaders – let those folks grow their own arugala and get out of the leadership business! We need strong, tough leaders who understand how to fight evil and corruption. Leaders who put America first and can tell the rest of the world to go fly a kite if they don't like it. That's what our founding fathers did – that's what generations of brave Americans have died for.

Understanding the hearts and minds of people doesn't make you the most productive, powerful, safest country in the world with the best medical care and highest standard of living.

Ronald Reagan "understood" what he needed to understand to take down the first Evil Empire. We need another of his like to take down the one we're fighting now. O-Bambi ain't it.

Colin Powell thinks the Republicans should be just like Democrats but act more like adults.
Colin Powell has no idea what Ron Paul supporters believe. He honestly believes we don't have an empire because all those countries WANT us there. He honestly believes that without the Fed, we would all be poor because we wouldn't have any money.

No one has to listen to Rush– so what's the big deal? Maybe the fact that about 20 million choose to says something– maybe nobody really gives a hoot what Collin has to say? maybe he's just jealous and just llike Jimmy Carter he will spend the next 20 year trying to be relevant– we will swing back to conservatism in time– all these things have cycles

Powell is right! We should be more like Al Franken, Barbra Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell and Larry Flynt – stalwarts of the democrats.
The "hearts and minds" of African-Americans is the sole property of the democrat party and there's nothing republicans can do to change this.
Only the minorities themselves can choose not to be used like they have been for decades.

If the republican party isn't the party of conservatives (like Reagan), then Powell must believe they should try to out-liberal the dems – the party of traitors, atheism and the urban elite.

Why all concern for the Republican Party? Right or Wrong let the party
members make their own decision.

If you don't like what is going on, go somewhere else. It's all voluntary after all. Let them make their pitch and count the votes. The result will
be counted, and the winner will be obvious.

It does not matter what Rush says, or doesn't say. If you hate him O.K.
He has a right to say it. What does that have to do with you? If enough people don't support him, He'll go the way of Air America.

If the majority agree, He'll succeed and the votes will follow. Black, Hispanic, or Asian will make no difference. Only the market place of Ideas will be the decider.

Can we stop listening to liberals masquerading as Republicans is the real question. The reason the part lost is because it tried to position itself in the middle to the left by running a lame bird like McCain. The true conservative base was uninspired and the middle of the roaders did not believe it. It is not complicated because people like Powell are the problem with the Republican party.

WHO IS JOHN GALT? If you cannot answer the question you are part of the problem..............

I am sure all you dumocrats have the Republican's best interests at heart when you tell them to abandon Rush. All of the advice is appreciated. We should lieten to you.

BRAVO!

Wow...this man has intestinal fortitude. Rush and Leno look alike Sean Hannity have steered or atleast helped to steer the GOP into a hell hole with empty rhetoric that increasingly appeals to knucke heads. I hope that Rush, Hannity and their followers continue to steadfast to their beliefs and dogma. I hope they never change and that even more knuckle heads follow them. This will ensure that either Hillary or Kennedy win the White House in 2016.

Powell shows his true colors, and the ObamaBlogogate continues, liberals are so stupid.

I actually began praying a few months ago that a revolution in the GOP would begin with kicking Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingram and Shawn Hannity to the curb. I consider Rush, Shawn and Laura as traitors to America because they put their own selfish interests and ambitions before the needs of this country. They would rather play mind games and play on the edge of racial division so they can keep their ratings up and their pockets lined with millions of dollars. The only way to keep a popular radio show is to shock listeners into continuing to listen. I think they don't believe half of the trash they sell to the American public. Rush Limbaush, the entertainer, recently signed a huge contract (around 400 million); not becuse he is so intelligent; it is because he appeals to the lower standards of humanity, the way Hitler appealed to the Germans when they needed a hero. The time is long overdue for intelligent conversation and exchange of ideas to begin and for division, racial divisive overtones and selfishness to end. May God continue to bless this great country!!!!

Powell is full of crap!! The reason the GOP lost is because they have already changed more to the center. We need to be CONSERVATIVE!
The current GOP leaders are not conservative and they are crooks and have no balls. They are wimps! The Dems never backed down even when they were wrong, they never backed down. Good for them!! We get what we voted for. I hope they are successful and as that we go so far left that everyone realizes the democrat is just another word for socialism.

Powell has shown himself to be a liberal democrat. A true republican measures nothing by the number ways a person or group differentiates themselves from others. Republicans consider every individual unique and value every individual the same. No favorites based on a measure of how different you are from some imagined norm. You do not get laws to help you because of your color, race, sex, religious belief, life style choice, disability, mental state, or any other factor.

The law should treat everyone exactly the same. This is why I cannot stand liberals. They measure everyone and everything by group affiliation and cannot see past stereo types. We are creating a society where different sets of laws apply to different people based solely on the stereotypes everyone claims to hate.

I really respect Colin Powell. He said it better than anybody.

The Republican Party needs to change and stop being the Christian-Evangelical 'towel boy'. When watching the Republican Senators, Congressmen, and Governors, you get the impression Republican politicians are in dreaded fear of crossing the Evangelicals. Ironically, it was John McCain's fearlessness of Evangelicals that made him a Maverick, but he too became a James Dobson Evangelical towel boy and ultimately McCain lost the winning edge.

Astonishing that a 4-star General, former Secretary of State, combat commander, who was one of the most powerful men in the world, is afraid of a talk show host who has a 3 hour a day radio show, a newsletter, and a website. In the world of people like Colin Powell, no dissent is allowed. No competing ideas. What Powell wants is the Republican party to be just like the Democrat party. This is the man, who waited until the election was all but over, to come out and endorse the presumed winner, hoping for 15 minutes of fame and a paying job in the Obama administration for the next 4 years.

this is a farce

I just love everyone on here who is so quick to sell Powell down the river for crossing party lines this last election. Everyone of you fools are the same people who put Joe Lieberman up on a pedastal for doing the same darn thing. Pathetic.

Powell is right. Limbaugh is a fraud!

had the up most respect for Gen. Powell till he let color deside is vote.
you don't like Rush,don't listen to him, change the channel, i know
the truth hurts and all you Democrants don't like to hear the truth.

UAW will being finding out what truth is, Obuma does not deliver.

Democrants tax and spend all they know.

Guess my post wasn't what CNN wanted.
Can you say CENSORSHIP.
Well...you won me over with your fair and balanced nature!

Powell's a jerk that should just go away. He's a disgrace to America, blacks and the military. the guys nothing but a political hack and America deserves much better.

Powell shows his true colors by saying that white people need to just fork over preference and money to blacks. He was a part of the most diverse political team of all time and still complains about 'diversity'. He wants handouts and went with Obama for only one reason...color.

I wonder what the guy who calls himself "V" does for a living. For a guy who has been joint chief of staff and secretary of state, I guess "loser" is a misnomer. 'V' you must be an ex-president or an emperor.

So the General is backing the baby killing party. We are not going to comprmise our values. So long to A TURNCOAT.

What a bunch of elitist tripe! And like we would EVER listen to full-bore, drank ALL the Kool-Aid moonbat liberals for advice! Conservatives would be WELL served to do the EXACT opposite of ANYTHING he advises.

Screw Powell. Backstabbing Uncle Tom, if there ever was one. I can't think of one black individual who benefited more from bending a knee than him.

Does Mr. Powell actually understand what America means? Sure don't seem so. My father crawled in the mud of Europe to defend Americans rights and freedom. I don't intend to capitulate to Mr. Powell's foolhardy ideas.

If you think the world will love you if you are just like them.. realize they are all different and against liberalism.

WHAT is Powell talking about?? GOP problems?? hhhmmm Is Powell really PROUD of the democrat Chicago corruption machine entering into the White House now.

Powell just further proves the idiot that he is.

General Powell should remember his oath as an officer included the promise "...to support and defend the Constitution..." We retired officers are still bound by that oath. For Powell to infer that we should abandon or compromise on our principles is despicable. Remember, when you compromise on something you already have, you lose. It is time for the minorities, mentioned by Powell, to understand that those principles are what made this country great. European Socialism, as is being pushed by the Democrats, is a sure formula for failure. It is time for people like Powell to live up to the oath they took and lived by, and teach the minorities that a Dependency Society can not last and only insures the destruction of the United States, the greatest country the world had ever known.

Why all this BS Mr Powell ?

Why do not you ask all these so called "minority groups" to be part of American mainstream first, and be Americans, instead of living in that makeshift world of "minority groups". Pathetic thinking.

Per your definition, I am also a "minority", but love to be American, live like an American, and want to be known as American, speak English instead of European, go to church that does not spew hate, and ride GM.

Obama will have the worst presedential ratings in history, worse than Bush, the economy will collapse on his watch.

I'm sorry, I didn't know that conservative principles only worked for white men. My understanding of conservatism was that regardless of race or gender one could rise to the highest echelons of power. Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice are two great examples of this. Those that critize Rush either don't listen to him or fail to understand his sarcasm of the hypocrisy of the elitist left and MSM.

Hey Colin, shame on you, Ronald Reagan brought you to the party not Hussien Obama.

Go look up the 25 most dangerous cities in America and tell me who's in charge. Then go look up the 25 least dangerous cities and tell me who's in charge there. I dare you.

You can spin. You can dance, but facts are stubborn things. Go live in Detroit hypocrites. Go live in cities run by democrats for the last 50 years and then tell me about hope and change.

Gen. Powell was made 4 Star General by Pres. Reagan a Republican.
He was made Nat. Security Advisor by Pres. Geo. H W Bush a Republican. He was named Sec. Of State by Pres. Geo. W Bush a Republican. He would not be known to very many and owes his recognition to the generosity of Republicans. Gen. Powell decided that race trumps loyalty to the people who made your career. He was too much of a coward to run for office himself and used his friends to gain wealth and power. He stabbed the Republican Party in the back by backing Obama over McCain and as far as I'm concerned he should be treated as a TRAITOR to his friends and mentors, the Republicans. His views should be boycotted or ignored by any respectable Repulican and people of honor. Gen. Powell has lost all respect and can not be trusted! Gen. Powell you are a sellout!

Powell is a turn coat! With all the censorship in the media, it's refreshing to hear another side by someone who is well informed! Powell and his cohorts only wish the people of this country remain in the dark and uninformed. I'm so disgusted with the likes of that man! I am thinking expletives!

The so-called Fairness Doctrine is nothing more thana veiled attempt to limit free speech by getting rid of one of the few people on the right; namely Rush. We are quickly losing our democracy. Look at the bias of the mainstream media. They and their Democratic pals want us to hear only one side.
This Fairness Doctrine is nothing more than an attempt to limit diversity of thought.

We should not listen to Colin Powell, he has no back bone or spine! He should just shut up and keep doing his YMCA dance like the loser he is. Right on Rushbo Baby!nDittoes.......

Hey Jerry Kurl,
I wonder how many of the 58 states Barack Obama can pick out on the map.

Jerry Kurl December 11th, 2008 9:00 pm ET

The GOP is so over. Who cares what they say anymore? They did all the work digging their own political grave. You don't nominate a Sarah Palin (who can barely pick out the lower 48 on a map) when you've had 8 years of Bush the Dummy. You betcha!

There is so much to say and so little time. We will have Obama prove our point, the conservative point that is. Rush haters, you are afraid of him and rightfully so. He infringes on your apologistic claims of public servitude that you claim your reps possess. Come on peoples. They are in it for themselves. So apparant, but you are fed the media BS day in and day out that you can't tell anymore the differance between the media mouth and the bunghole they talk from. Fresh example on my mind. Did you see how they twisted Reverend Wrights claims that we bombed Japan on Dec 7 when that was the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. Instead of making him sound like the dummy he is, they changed it to make his character seem less moronic because he is a liberal, a flaming liberal at that. If he was conservative, wow what an outcry we would hear from the media of the idiocy of his statement. We need to stop listening to Rush! Psh, you guys need to stop listening to media. Two way street and their is only one right direction. No hope for the conservative cause? We might be small in numbers, but like our fore fathers who were outnumbered by the English, we will fight our battles and win the war and if we are right about Obama, how much easier will it be for us in 2012.

Colin Powell seems like a great, wise man, doesn't he? But, the fact is, that he was a miserable boss! The State department, under him, was a mess. He was a primadona, who treated those who worked for him, like servants.

So, I don't think he is qualified to be shaking his fingers at anyone! Clean up your own house first Mr. Powell! Start making a round of calls to apologise.

Amen! Now if the Republicans would only listen and do what he suggested, but for some reason I have a feeling that they won't.

Rush, Sean, Savage – they're the reason the Republicans lost. McCain and Palin sounded just like them.

Rush Sean, Savage, etc. all think that their 1st Amendment rights are going to be taken away. They are wrong. We want them to go on talking so they'll lose the next few elections too.

We must start to listenen to people of color? About what? When we
came here from the world over be it "Europe,Asia-What did we do?
We when to work doing anything to better our selves. This has been
lost in most part because of the give aways by our government and
it's welfare system. And today it's call BAILOUT!!!!!GIVE,GIVE make
it easy give out taxpayers money away:" don't make hard for them, just
scew ye old taxpayers. You have it wrong Gen. Have them try hard work it might just work.

Thank God there are people with enough guts to speak the truth like Colin Powell did. As a democrat, I'm willing to listen to different opinions. There are things I respect about the Republican platform, like lowering taxes, which the current administration has betrayed.
But, in general, I think their party's coalition is breaking apart because I've always believed it's based on an artificial alliance.
The Christian right seems to be willing to ignore science, economic disparity, and separation of Church and state to move their own agenda of being pro life... I respect that, but it's time we look at more than one issue and try to come to a consensus on the conservative agenda. does it really matter whether gays marry?
otherwise, the NRA crowd, for the life of me, I can't understand the hardcore principles. No one is arguing against the right to bear arms, but do you really need a semi-automatic weapon to hunt? Don't we want a safer country?
To me, this argument of to each his own and be independent is great, but true capitalism has its problems in the sense that people are left out, hoping, praying for those of us better off to help them out. During these last 8 yrs, without oversight, so many things have gone in the wrong direction, especially in the realm of environmental safety. Companies and even individuals don't always look out for the little guy. while I agree we need an efficient government, government has its place in terms of infrastructure, education, defense, preventing catastrophes like Katrina. we should all agree on that.
I cannot understand how people who make less seem to think the Republican tax policies of late benefit them... Do you think you're going to get rich now? People like Joe the Plumber just sound dumb – you're own wallet's taking a hit, but you don't want anyone else getting your money, forget that you might benefit as well... There's a point there, but to me most people are getting manipulated by their fear of the government, science, and the world in general.

Its time for the Libertarian in each of us to break out of the two-party cocoon.

Who among us does not want the government to be fiscally responsible, socially tolerant, and constitutionally adherent?

Who among us does not want the chance to succeed by our own merits, to enjoy the fruits of our OWN labor, and live our lives lawfully and without interference?

The intolerant social conservatives have taken over the Republican party. It is the moderate thinkers with conservative values that must surely win the day if the country is to survive and prosper once again.

Fiscal liberalism (socialism) is a plague. Central planning is both dysfunctional and immoral, no matter how altruistic the aim. Capitalism is the greatest system ever devised for the creation (not distibution) of individual and national wealth. But capitalism cannot survive if companies are not allowed to fail.

The fiscal conservatives (like Romney) make MUCH more sense in the current economic climate, and it is this path that the "conservative" movement must travel.

Rush is constantly appealing to our BETTER natures, encouraging people, and having reasonable discussions with liberals and conservatives alike.

The worst thing Rush does is show the libs for who they really are by turning over their cozy rocks, deconstructing their propaganda, and nailing their hypocrisy.

Fascinating that "truth" is the new measure of "hate" How do we know it to be truth? Imagine the sh**storm if there was a lie the libs could refute!

I say we need to kick the moderates like Powell out and let them be what they want to be "A Democrat". Rush is right Powell voted for Obama becouse he is black, period!

Wow, funny stuff. Everyone is bagging on Rush because HE IS RIGHT! The GOP does not need to move to the left, that is what screwed it up to begin with. Crazy spending and pandering to the single-digit-approval-rating, do-nothing Congress is what killed the party. Remember, the Democrats have been in control for two years (just about when things started crapping out). Liberal ideas only function when they are FORCED on people...hence Cali trying to overturn the prop 8 vote...gotta be forced on people. Colin Powel is the one ruining the GOP.

As for shouting at the world, there was one overriding factor for why I disliked and distrusted President George Bush so vehemently. He did not know how to make people believe in themselves. Instead he spent more time placating personal fear rather than promoting hope. I have all too often come to learn how many of the more conservative republican leaders respond punitively and judgmentally. They complain relentlessly about all forms of welfare and entitlement spending yet there is limitless funding for excessive penalties pertaining to people in poverty and corporate giveaways that have no return in sight.

I am wondering, what differences should there be between Dem and Rep? So the Rep should be more, or exactly like dems just so they win elections.

There was a day when Collin Powell was both believable, and respectable.

The Obama House of Cards is falling — maybe the media and all the henchmen will start to put it together again. If they hurry, most brain dead Americans won't know the difference.

What part of Rush does Powell not agree with? Be specific. You bloggers out there, what is it other than his arrogance that bothers you. All Rush promotes is self reliance, abstinance, anti-abortion, capitalism, no affirmative action, and smaller government. Personally, I have followed those values and have been successful and prospered even during hard times. I am not rich, but happy. And is that what life is all about

Powell is retarded. Full on ignorant. You've got 8000 blacks murdered in year in America. The majority of those victims living in big cities run by democrats. Exactly how do the dems propose saving the lives of their voters?

Religion is NOT killing blacks in the inner city. Liberalism is killing blacks in the inner city.

Yeah! How about that Republican Presidential Primary? Their candidates using race and gender to battle one another, while trying to pit our poor citizens against the rich ones. Oh wait, that was the Democratic Primary.

And Colin Powell? One word: IRRELEVANT.

I wish Colin Powell would have had the fortitude to speak to the powers that be when they were the powers that be..... Why now and not then?

Powell's comment about Limbaugh is downright silly. Limbaugh is not the spokesman for the GOP any more than Keith Olberman is the spokesman for the Democrats. Place the blame where it belongs. The GOP is losing because of their own actions and failures, not because of the words of a controversial commentator. Good grief.

What a pile of dog droppings. Limbaugh is as supportive of minorities as anyone. The only difference is that he wants them to stand up and be all that they can be rather than living on Uncle Sam's plantation.

Powell is a joke. I am a Republican, married to a minority, and neither of us see that as incongruous.

This prissy attempt to feign racism in the Republican party is stupid and Powell should be ashamed. Maybe Obama will now appoint him to an office with the rest of the knee jerk liberals.

Did you find those WMDs yet, Mr. Powell? What you say is not very credible. Sorry.

You seemed to have had no problem with Limbaugh while he was proppping up the farcical Bush Sr. & Jr. administrations of which you were an integral part. I believe you may be an opportunist in search of a new patron.

T J CLUCK WHAT WAS THAT RACIST STUFF OOZING OUT OF YOU?THATS THE KIND OF PALIN , MCCAIN STUFF THAT KEEPS PEOPLE DIVIDED! AND YOU WERE IN THE MILITARY, SO WAS I... I'M GLAD I DIDN'T SERVE WITH SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

One look at the posts to this article, and it's easy to see why America needs a second Civil War to polarize and eliminate steal-and-redistribute socialism.
This isn't about so-called "liberals", "moderates", and "conservatives". This is about a fascist neo-feudalistic international monetary and tax structure that was put into place by a bunch of elitist control freaks without any public input, discussion or voting.
All you so-called "liberal", "moderate" and "conservative posters who think you know enough to justify your demonizing others, watch Canadian artist Paul Grignon's BRILLIANT animated movie, "Money As Debt" at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279.
Both Powell and Limbaugh know about this problem but won't talk about it because it's allegedly "too esoteric". That make them both lower than whale leftovers on the bottom of the ocean in my book!
To you clueless ad hominem "lefties": when the crunch comes, do as you please, but I'm going to be on the side with guns!

obviously powell doesn't understand conservatism anymore. neither to the sean hannity's of the world either. CONSERVATISM is an individual liberties, and limited government ideology. CONSERVATIVES understand that the more government there is the LESS freedom and liberties people have. conservatism at its core does not believe the race, or ethnic backgrounds are relevant to freedom. all men are created equal. this bullsh!t that is going on today is NOT conservatism. its a bastardization of the ideology that has developed over the last 20 years. it has NOTHING to do with limbaugh, or hannity, or any other that mr. powell has problems with. IF we ever get back to conservatism it will benefit us all, but at the rate our politics are degenerating that will never happen.

Colin Powel has shown his true colors to the American people, and its NOT pretty.
He abandoned all his principles and supported the opposing party's candidate not because of qualifications but because he was BLACK
lets call a spade a spade
This mas is simply IRRELEVANT

My God, most of the people commenting here know nothing of the situation. Firstly, the gov. is not Obama's friend as is being insinuated. Being from the same state does not mean they are friends. They are coworkers. It would be impossible for a senator to try to run his country and represent his state in congress without working with his Governor.

Secondly, Powell is not a democrat. He does not believe in most of the democrat ideals. If you watched the interview where he endorsed Obama he spent most of the time critiquing the direction of his party and ended up choosing Obama because he had little faith in a McCain Administration.

I also read comments saying Powell is a patsy for whichever party asks him to help and that he is betraying the republican party. So should he decide not to represent his party in a Democrat administration and instead let a democrat take his positions? Seriously, is it a crime to help out the country when you are asked. You people are just bitter. Go cling to some guns or something

I don't Colin gets the humor and satire.

Was it Powell's instincts that got us into Iraq? Was it his instincts that then turned him on Bush as though he didn't have anything to do with talking the U.S. , our allies and the UN into going into Iraqu with false information? Is it his instincts that now make him want to hide in the Obama camp purely because of skin color? Our country is "Bigger" than those instincts Mr. Powell. Republicans with intelligence, morals and values don't need your instincts Mr. Powell. Americans need truth, not the lies that your new camp continuously tries to hide as it uses the liberal media well to do just that. And to think,.... these comments come from a General that claims to fight for freedoms. What a difference blindness of racism on Mr. Powell makes.

It's not just Rush. It's the whole wing of the Republican Party that has hijacked responsible discourse and the debate of ideas in favor of petty, overly emotional, shock-talk, and wedge issues.

If the Republicans want to be competitive again, they'll need IDEAS. Rush, Palin, et al, are not the sort of folk who sit up late nights working out the details of policy proposals or trying to understand the complex needs of the country.

Face it, governing the US is hard. It's going to take excellent thinking and lots of hard work in the 21st century.

I used to think Mr. Powell was such a terrific guy. . . . but now I realize he is just like so many of the others. I had no idea what a racist he is. . . how disapointing. Just another Obama puppet. . . tsk. tsk.

Colin Powell:
"I'm the Dude, that supported the Dude, because he IS a Dude!"

Rush Limbaugh should be taken off the air? Listen to yourselves! You are against the right to free speech for ALL not just for your viewpoint. Funny thing, those who actually listen to Rush Limbaugh for a few weeks find they were all wrong about him. They experience a complete change of view. Hate-mongering? If you think that, you have never listened to his program. He does not represent the Republican Party - he teaches conservatism - big difference! I challenge you to listen to him for 6 weeks with an open mind. I dare you!

Wow, Rachel Hull says of Limbaugh; "Even when he speaks the truth it brings discord. Debate and discussion is healthy, but discord causes strife for everyone. We are TIRED of it! "
You would prefer untruth over discord? Really? You would seriously prefer not to feel "strife" rather than know the truth.
Are you seriously tired of hearing the truth about the crooks in government of all parties? What has happened to the people of this country. The only way for the GOP to gain ground is begin pandering to minority groups? Oh jeez. Lets have a day without a white heterosexual male next year and see what happens. Oops, I mentioned a race other than a "minority" race, that probably makes me a racist in your mind.
I see Dem People. Oops, I made a derogatory remark about dems, I must be an uneducated hate monger.
I guess I'll just head back to the shooting range.
Seriously, best of luck to all of you.

They don't give ginormous contracts to people who are unpopular. Rush will continue to be listened to because so many believe in what he is saying. Since Ret. General Colon Powell has crossed lines, I don't think the GOP is going to be listening to him anymore. He has no more pull with the Republicans and the Democrats have already used him for what they needed – to get Obama elected.

So I guess this is Powell's swan song. So long Gen Powell, you were going to be remembered for your service, but now you'll be remembered for your actions as a political traitor. I hope you can find a new place in the Democratic Party.

I am amazed at Powels take on this. It shows how "out of touch" he is with conservatives. What he is suggesting is exactly the campain that McCain ran. Don't say anything that "offends" anyone, stay in the middle of the road. Abandon conservative principles.
He didn't recognize that all races can be American without a hyphen. All of us want the same things, good schools, jobs and the American dream. It is the same for all of us. McCain is not, nor has ever been a conservative. If he had been, he would have won.
There is a major differance between being a conservative and a republican. Powell has also never been a conservative. He chose to support a true liberal instead of a "liberal lite" which was McCain.
Powell just doesn't get it

It's about time someone in the Grand Old Party has the guts to say what needs to said. I have become so tired of watching the GOP turn into a stupid, myopic and silly bunch of whiners. Tiresome and boring.

Excuse me John I am white and I voted for Obama because he was the best person to lead us out this mess. Obama is my President and I agree with Sec. Powell – The Republican party only takes in White Man,because the woman have left that party.

I completely agree with Colin Powell. the Republican party needs to
stand for something other than what they hate. Rush Limbaugh is nothing more than an uneducated fool, and I have never understood why anybody would waste time listening to him. some of his rants are so hate-filled that I worry that he incites internal terrorist activities.

Look Powell is hardly a conservative. He is just like the rest of the libs, what can I get for free. If he had been any kind of "general" he would have finished the first Iraq war so we would not have had to go back. Such a limp wrist is not someone I am going to follow. Rush is right, face it. You don't agree then obviously you are not a conservative so just join the rest of the free loaders on the left.

Powell is a racist! Note is identification with groups, raising one group against another.

Sherman should have been allowed to finish the job in the South and we wouldnt have this problem today.

Well, Powell has finally come home to roost on the perch of his blackness. Since he's gotten everything he can from his Republicans, and they can't hurt him, he's just now revealing his true inner self. He has lost all credibility with anyone not liberal or Communist, so let those who believe in Conservatism shun him and his ilk from here on out. He is very similar to O.J. Simpson isn't he?

I am with you Mrs. P.

I wish all of you that dislike Colon Powell's comments understand that he has a brain and is fully capable of using it. His thoughts and decisions are just as good as the next person's. He is not a puppet. And, he is educated and has good sense.

You have not right to say that he is a liberal and they he is a loser just because he is not saying what you want him to say.

I admired him when he was working for Bush and did not agree with some of his issues about the war. And, I still admire him.

People....learn some understanding and get a life. Thanks!

I think it's pretty obvious from the comments the kind of audience CNN caters to.

I'm amazed. Here's someone who could have had a positive influence on the party he still considers his own and perhaps changed some of things he finds wrong. But, instead, he chooses to be an arm chair quarterback. How easy it is to point out what's wrong and then do nothing. Why? Perhaps he's not the man everyone thinks he is.

So it is bad to have a former rock dj as a party spokesman but not a community organizer as president?

Powell is correct, but the rePUBICan party has been like this for YEARS. Why the hell did he wait so long to attest to it?

Turn off the radio .....if the truth offends thee.

Are you losers still crying about Obama and Bill Ayers? What about McCain's ties to convicted domestic terrorist and right wing radio darling G Gordon Liddy? You don't want to talk about that do you?

Powell is a RINO, who cares what he thinks!

I wondered why there are so many loony left posts. Then I noticed this is on the CNN site.

A year from now when the USA is on it's knees and the country realizes the huge mistake they made in trying to solve our problems with socialism, Rush's conservative ideas will become attractive to a majority and the pendulum will start to swing the other way!

What a giant!

Colin Powell was definitely "too good" to remain in this administration. He is truly a man of rare integrity and lofty ethics.

His comment on Rush Limbaugh is more than the truth. If this country were even to "lean" in Mr. Limbaugh's direction, we'd become a "Balkanized" collection of bitter zealots, descending into the chaos of name-calling and unwillingess to see any good in the "wrong party"...

I'm neither a Dem nor GOP fan; indeed, I appreciate men and women of character in both parties. But what is so un-American and frightening is the demogoguery championed by some radio "hosts" in the name of "conservatism."

Powell has exposed this corruption...may his voice be just the opening solo of a national choir!

If Rush is so irrelevant, why so many comments? Me thinks you leftists/anarchists/democrats/radicals protest too much.

Dearest Dem's,

I just spent a few minutes reading through the commentary below this article. It's so interesting to read the liberal pleas for "intelligent, cerebral, discourse" and shortly thereafter, make statements about the "ignorant south" and "retarded" Rush ditto-heads. The humor of it all is that you likely have never listened to a Rush Limbaugh show or lived in the South. You have perhaps heard 10 second clips taken out of context on CNN and MSNBC; or swallowed wholly the anti-Southern stereotypes of uneducated hicks and hillbillies that has been spoon fed to you by your lop sided media outlets.

I was once like you, even as a conservative, I thought Rush must be some demagogue fool appealing to base and neanderthal like instincts. But as an "academic exercise" I gave the show a chance, and then another. After a while I realized how out of context my textbooks, professors, and media had taken the show. Is Rush controversial at times, yes intentionally. And why? Well quite frequently it is to make a joke, or to accentuate the foolishness of an argument advanced by liberals through use of their very own line of thought but using a different set of characters.

Conservatives may have lost this election but don't be so fooled as to think the GOP is dying. You should also remember only a few years ago it was Democrats who were in the same position as Republicans are currently. And quite frankly the only reason the GOP did so poorly this election year was because George W. didn't act much like a fiscal conservative, and John McCain didn't exactly reflect those conservative values either. The GOP was more excited about Sarah Palin than John McCain (a figure who the liberal media fears, hence their concerted effort to destroy her before she gets the opportunity to do some real damage.)

And finally, as to your civil discourse, please remember how silly (and hypocritical) you appear when call George W. Bush school yard names like "buffoon" and "idiot." After all, it was that "idiot" that defeated your party two election cycles in a row. More practically however, it makes you appear utterly ignorant when the best you can muster is "idiot."

Who is he kidding? He has never won an election and honestly was a poor to mediocre Sec of State. What he did prove is that being a middle of the road kind of guy is a losing strategy. He turned on the people that supported him, when no one else would. So as far I as I am concerned, he is the last person that I would listen to in these difficult political times...

LOL! I love it!

Ever since Colin Powell endorsed Obama, the Republicans have been using the same old line: "Colin Powell was never a TRUE Republican"; whereas before he was one of their token minorities used in argument to disprove that the party's agenda amounted to division almost to the level of segregation. Economic segregation wasn't going to be enough for McCain-Palin to win, so they bought a hyphen and added "socio" to no avail. If there are any Republicans with a good pair, Powell won't be alone in the coming days of media storm. It's time to pay the piper Republicans; continue this dialogue and re-define your comfort zone, instead of trying to always find ways to rally around your self-centered agenda. The subliminals have become ineffective, even at the very non-subtle divisive tone that was employed by McCain-Palin. Powell's one of your obvious leaders to lead this debate and I applaud him for having the courage to take on this fight. Tomorrow's gonna be an interesting day in the media. LOL!

Yeah Powell...You have a lot of room to talk. You and Bush led us to war. I'm also a Republican, but was dead set against the war from the get go. We had Hussein contained. But you and Bush cost 4,000 American lives. This was not our war!

RightWingIt.com

It is sad to see the Republican Party, the party that liberated the slaves in the civil war, the party that gave us Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Regan, be reduced like this. As this election has shown, with enough minorities you make up the majority. I believe that in order for the Republican Party to heal, they must first sit down and take a good hard look at their beliefs. I personally, want Colin Powell as the new leader of the Republican Party, if you don't agree with me, read his biography.

Powell has alwaYS BEEN A REPUBLICAN IN NAME ONLY. He is in the shadows and does not represent conservative America

Powell is a sellout for the Democrats

Here is the problem with Colin Powell, John McCain and all of the other Democrats in the Republican party. We don't care what color, religion which sex or nationality. The only thing that should be catered to is the pursuit of excellence to the degree that anyone wants. If they don't achieve their goal and they quit trying then so be it. The problem in most minority groups want standards to be reduced so everyone feels better. The problem is that the more you lower them the worse it gets over time. Those of you who believe that you cant make you are right because you convinced yourself of that. The sad thing is you tell your children they cant make it either and they will probably believe you also. How sad!

Powell can stop listening to Rush if he wants, it's his choice, but to suggest that "we" should stop reeks of the communism he seems to have adopted.

Whatever,

This board is full of lefties trying to tell the Republicans and Conservatives what to do or how they need to change. The fact is the Republicans are losing now BECAUSE they are acting like Democrats. SPEND SPEND SPEND killed the Republicans in 06 and 08. Start embracing the CONSERVATIVE ideas and they will be back. Powell is a RINO. We need to purge the RINOS from the party.

Let's see any issue that the Dems have a better idea on???

Energy? don't ever drill libs hate it.
Immigration? Hey lib want them to let them all in.
Education? Libs want our kids in awful state run schools
Health Care? Libs want to turn it into the DMV of medicine

As for Palin she is the ONLY reason McCain did as well as he did PERIOD. Unfortunately Stu-Florida she is a force and will be president one day. She took on corruption unlike Obama.

Look at the mess we're in now. Freddy and Fanny were run by Democrats for Democrats. Frank and Dodd should be in jail along with Rangle.

I'll sit here and enjoy the soap opera from Chicago. Let's see how many end up under the Obama bus. I can here it now He's not the man I knew… LOL

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reily should all be waterboarded until they agree to retire. If they refuse, then we send them to Guantanamo Bay for a nice vacations in cages next to terrorists. Terrorists and conservative talk show hosts both enourage hate, fear, and division as public talking points.

If we do send Rush, Sean, and Bill to Guantanamo then someone has to get naked human pyramid pictures of them. Now that is fair and balance... and gross!

We ain't never gonna git no dang change until we quit votin fer the crook that promises the most money. The only change we git twixt either party is pocket change. Let's start writin t' our reps and tell them they need to cut back on their pay or we just might lay em off. No mo limos neether, a regular cab Ford Ranger with 4 cylinder and manule stick and AM radio is good enuff. If they want ahrcondishnun they can rol down the weendo. Both the demoncrats and repugnicans got a corn cob stuck up theyer hershy highway.

Colin Powell is a typical blackman is todays society and politics. He was all white toothed grins and and giggles when Bush gave him the plum job of Secretary of State. When he failed at the job, as could have been predicted, and Bush fired him...he sticks his tail between his legs and runs to the other side. Doo Dah, Doo Dah!

Unreal, that someone actually said being Republican means taking responsibility concidering none of you will even admit voting for Bush, we have a nation in which not one person i find voted for the guy...now that is real responsibility aye? yeah wake up. The Democrats are so on point with all this, you people are losing your minds. Powell is now hated because he expressed his opinion, something in which everyone is thinking lately, which is....what the hell are these morons thinking...of course the morons wont get it so they go wild as seen. What a circus show.

The Republican party that is operating now does not resemble the Republican party that some seem to be quoting. Taking responsibility for oneself, remaining governmentally and fiscally conservative, and encouraging individualism: c'mon, folks! Anyone critically looking at the last eight years won't find anything like that going on in the Republican party of 2008. Turning a surplus into the largest deficit ever, wiretapping, killing or displacing millions in a war based on false information, and putting unqualified cronies into plum government positions highlights the problems faced by the group now operating under the GOP banner.
I've spent most of the past ten years working in non-profits serving a variety of social causes. And of all the people I've met volunteering for agencies helping advance the condition of those most needy, the environment, or medical services, less than ten of those people identified themselves as Republicans. All the rest were Democrats and the so-called selfish and elite liberals, working in the trenches and doing what needed to be done to change it into something better. The only thing the GOP has demonstrated to me is their love of making money at the expense of someone else; the desire to control someone else's behavior; and that if one believes in their God, than they will be successful and considered a "real person."
Not a party I'm interested in.

Apparently Colin Powell doesn't believe in freedom of speech or the right of millions of Americans to listen to Rush Limbaugh if they so choose.

Frankly, I'd rather spend the morning listening to Rush than an hour with Colin Powell. Rush makes more sense.

Colin Powell is not a republican. He has no business presuming to speak for us and counsel on what will help the party. He's a liberal democrate in his heart no matter what he says with his mouth. This "wisdom" he spoke shows his ignorance of the republican party and the American people. Shame on him.

Oh Powell what a disappointment you are. Do you even listen to Rush? All he espouses is personal responsibility (something the dems don't believe in) and LIMITED government. He is not a hater, he is not a racist, he is not mean. He just thinks that liberals SUCK and are destroying the country and that the Federal government is putting its nose where it doesn't belong...like getting in religions business by trying to force churches to marry gays. Marriage is a religious institution and there is seperation of church and state so the government has no right to legislate that churches must be forced to marry anyone...civil unions are their only business. Powell has always been a lib who took advantage of opportunities offered to him by bad old republicans.

I didn't know that the Gov of Illinois was a Republican!

Wow... the libs are out in force on this story (including Powell)! Clearly a majority of the people posting don't listen to Rush Limbaugh regularly or they would realize what he actually supports. The same people preaching about inclusion are spewing their own hate about people with religious or conservative beliefs. You complain about a lack of diversity, yet all you do is put people in categories (black, gay, white, religious, etc....) and all in the interest of quotas and "fairness"; not wanting to fail or succeed on your own merit. I can't wait to see the direction of the country and the "what happened" comments when B.O. struggles – Socialism just doesn't work. Not sure what it will take for you people to realize that "everybody gets a trophy" leads to lack of effort, complacency, and mediocrity – but it will probably occur about the same time you figure out that Barney Frank & Chris Dodd should be facing inquiries rather than leading them. Stop getting your information from Katie Couric, Keith Olbermann, and Ghris Matthews and think for yourselves.

Me thinks in 4 years....maybe less......the GOP will be the heroes. The Dems are quickly going down in flames in a BIG way!!!! Nancy Pelosi will be history in no time at all and we all know Barney Frank will hopefully be serving time for the mess he's created. Oh, yes, poor Prez-elect Obama is up to his eye-balls in a huge mess involving his Governor and his advisors.....what a shame!

I love reading the responses on these stories. Powel is 100% wrong. Republicans started to gravitate toward appeasement after the loss of Tom Delay. Pandering to all groups and forgetting the core principles of Reagan conservatism. I think the lesson is that a luke warm republican party is a losing proposition. We need some strong principled leaders like Sarah Palin to regenerate the party. We were born a Christian nation where opportunities abound for anyone willing to work hard and take personal responsibility for their success or failure.

If the democratic candidate was a white Calif. liberal who had a Obama like thin resume, Powell would be standing by his buddy McCain telling us he would be the man for the job.

This has to do more with identity. How many mainstream african americans came out for McCain... How many Viet Nam vets came out for Obama, how many Mormans wouldn't vote for Romney. We need to be a bit more honest, and so does Powell.

Powell suddenly had an epithany...he could have used one prior to him unloading the PR WMD piece he did.

He appears to be now doing some contrition, by blaming his party. It would have been nice if he put his two cents in from 2003-2007. Just another fair weather politician.

It's hard to tell if Mr. Powell is doing his best to sound like a RINO or a blue-blood, country-club Republican. Either way, it's just plain lazy political expediency. It's easy to read polls and spew what people think they want to hear. It takes hard work to create a political movement. Clearly, Mr. Powell and most other current so-called Republicans are not up to the task. It's time to purge the party of lazy, wandering generalities, and replace them with real leaders. Unfortunately, Mr. Powell did not join the Republican Party to be a leader.

Colin Powell, irrelevant. A nice looking, mushy, centrist politician. PC serviceman. General,I know.

Rush, a Man, no parsing, no gobbledy gook, just says what he feels.Fun. Entertaining. Right.

Since when is Colin Powell the spokesperson for the republicans. For sure he is not a conservative. He only has the nerve to criticize, not the nerve to run for anything. Put up or shut up! The republicans will win again when they return to conservatism and stop being democrat-lite. And to liberals out there...enjoy the ride...four years is all you are going to get unless Obama gets involved in a sex scandal. Then we'll keep you all around for the entertainment.

Gen Powell is right. The GOP has for quite awhile talking to the base of religious zealots and uber right wing fanatics who want only to dictate their twisted views on everyone else.

Too bad for them, America is a whole lot bigger than that. People like Palin are just what the BASE love; someone whose very narrow view of what they think America should be. If the GOP wants to win any big election, they need to embrace all American voters, not just this Base.

And the GOP needs to look to the mailstream voter, not just to the right or left. And try not to dictate to anyone, just listen!

Hmm... McCain did all of the above to attract everyone "BIG TENT REPUBLICANISM" and it didn't work.

For the people that do not listen to Rush but ridicule him as if you did... try listening to him for let's say a week and then see how you feel. It's called Freedom of speech people!

Powell is right about one thing – - the Republican Party can't be just a party of white folks. Too many whites are secular socialists and can't be relied upon to vote the Right way. The GOP must work to bring more Hispanic and Asian voters into the party. Hispanics are natural social conservatives based on issues such as abortion (pro-life) and traditional marriage. Many Asian-Americans are natural Republicans based on their pro-small business outlook.

That being said, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Powell has never been much of a Republican and is certainly no conservative. He's a liberal – - on affirmative action and gun control just to name two issues I've heard him take positions on. He voted for Obama primarily because of race – - plain and simple. John McCain is no arch-conservative and had he run against Hillary or Edwards, instead of Obama, I'm sure Powell and many like him would n't have voted for the Democrat.

GOP don't fall for the B.S. about having to move to the left to win. Abide by your principles – - which W. didn't always do – - and the real Americans will come home.

As a registered republican for the past 7 presidential elections I have to agree with the esteememed Mr. Powell. Let not the conservatives stoop to the level of the libs. Rise above and educate the people who do not understad that conservatism mean less gov't interference in their lives. As a Christian I am also appalled that the right has been hijacked by the moral majority. It is not up to Chjristians to preach to the others that they will burn in hell for not having the same beliefs...educate, pray and lead by being a humble Christ-like example.

Obama won because 20% of conservatives voted for Obama to teach McCain a lesson for "reaching across the aisle." Many more just stayed home for the same reason. Turn that 20% around, and McCain would be taking the oath of office in January. The only reason McCain didn't lose more votes is BECAUSE he picked Sarah Palin – and scientific polls have proven this out. She enhanced his ticket, and that is inarguable.

Republicans didn't lose this election because they went too conservative. Far from it. They lost because they tried to pander to liberals and moderates, and the alienated the conservative base in the process (without whom they will NEVER win). When they finally started coming around in the latter months of the election cycle, it was too late. McCain voting for that infernal bailout didn't help, either.

Mark my words, unless the Republican Party returns to the conservative values it professed to hold in 1980 and again in 1994, then it will go the way of the Whigs. This year was NOT one of those years. Anyone who claims otherwise is either blind to the truth (indicative of most of the posts here tonight), or angling for favor in Washington (that would be Colin Powell).

Wake up.

The General is making the full transition to the Progressive side as he now wants to tell us what we can listen to. In a perfect world, we will all think the same also. Here comes Skynet where the machines are perfect and seek to exterminate the opposition humans because of their imperfect thought habits.

Right, becasue turncoat Colin Powell tells republicans not to listen to Rush it is going to happen...Pffffft...whatever. I am sure that Rush is losing sleep over this.....NOT !!! Especially when you consider that a large chunk of his audience is liberals. LOLOLOLOL!!!!!

Most of you CNN viewers.....Keep drinking that Kool-aid

Colin Powell has, is, and will always be a liberal. Why has he never voted for a white liberal before?

If his support for Obama is not racist - I do not know what is...

You can't be against EVERYONE that isn't exactly like you and expect to win elections.

With freedom must come tolerance. Thomas Jefferson

Thank you all for giving me so much material! I'm going to have one hell of a great show, tommorrow!

Colin Powell is not a Republican!!!! He is an opportunist who is on the side of who can do the most for him. Who is he to tell me I shouldn't listen to Rush - he believes as I do.

The only reason Colin Powell is commenting about Rush is because Rush pointed out, during the last election when Powell threw his support to Obama because he was black and because he is an opportunist.

Colin Powell, and the other "so-called" Republicans who acted like deomocats, are the ones who caused us to lose.

Colin Oscopy get a life. If you and your bully pulpit would use your fame for the good of self reliance, maybe the rest of the infected public could heal.
What an anal, self indulged, arrogant, typical Jamaican. I was married and spent three years with a typical, self anointed Caribbean loser with lots of college to prove her ignorance.
Go to Haiti Colin, where people really need help.

Powell is free to turn off his radio at any time. At least Rush is honest about his political views, unlike most of the rest of the liberal media, including CNN. What people like Powell dislike is the power of Rush's reasoning and commentary.

Liberals in the media - an admitted 90% and the rest lying about it - skew the news to the left 24/7/365, and then hide behind a shield of self proclaimed neutrality. The 0 McCain race should have put that issue to bed for even the most retarded of Liberals. Rush, on the other hand, will tell you 100 times a day that he is Conservative and has nothing to hide.

Like all liberals, Powell cannot tolerate dissenting arguments. The level of leftist hate for Rush correlates directly with the power of his reasoning, political intellect, and argument in defense of Conservatism. Rush effectively and powerfully communicates his Conservative positions and because the left has no reasoned or rational response, they resort to demagoguery and name calling.

Notice that Liberals never never never never ever discuss or debate the issues raised by Rush, nor do they ever debate his reasoning. They don’t because they can’t, and that is what frustrates them the most. No, all leftists do is attack the man at a personal level.

The tried and true debate strategy is that when you have lost the argument; try to affect the credibility of your opponent by attacking him personally. The goal here is to lessen the power of your opponent's words in the mind of those listening. But as we are seeing, even that strategy has failed for the leftist; ergo the leftist’s reintroduction of the censorship doctrine.

Who cares what Powell thinks, he could have run for President but refused. He needs to retire and go away. He's inconsequential

Powell voted for obama the liberal. Powell is no republican. Rush is at best a liberal conservative. Palin was the only reason that McCain even came close. Course I'm not sure that the democrats didn't cheat at least 5,000,000 votes.

A guy that has NO principles telling me that I can't think for myself. Go back to the nursing home and be the little racist you've always been. It is you that voted for the Marxist only because he was black.

The same comments were made by democrats in 1992 and see what happened. Less government, lower taxes for all and yes that means the rich. What America will follow is accountability and that doesn't include bailing out companies that are running poorly. I like Powell but minorities have nothing to do with it. People will follow leaders who lead and make their lives better. McCain was a joke for us conservatives and a big reason we did not show up at the polls. I guess we will see what happens in 2010.

THE GOP DOESN'T SEE THE BIG PICTURE! AMERICA IS MORE THAN JUST ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE... THATS WHAT GEN. POWELL WAS BASICLY SAYING IN A NUT SHELL... THE GOP SHOULD WEIGH THE VALUES OF ALL AMERICANS, AND STOP TALKING AT THEM WITH ALL THAT HATE... GOP CHECK OUT YOURSELVES ON THE YOUTUBE DURING THE ELECTION AND THE DEMS SHOULD CHECK THEMSELVES AS WELL...

What this country needs is a leader. Someone who strives to make us better. Stay out of our pockets and our bedrooms. Let the church take care of the widow and the poor and the gov't take care of defending this country. You have problems when the two get confused. If you truly want separation of church and state, then don't do what the church should be doing. If you want separation of church and state, then don't do what the gov't should be doing. Since when can a gov't run a car company. Give me a break. How much do you think a car will cost when they pay 5000.00 for a hammer? There is not a nickel difference between any politician now a days. Wake up America we are becoming lost and we don't even know it.

Gift of the Maji, that was a Brilliant attempt at deflection & hyperbole.

Granted the charges you leveled at Democrats are correct, you( of course) you whistled past the obvious transgressions of you're beloved GOP....

There are at LEAST 3 more GOP screw ups to every Demora flop.

While Democrats are predictably flowery, dumb, spineless and sickly they're far, FAR less dangerous than you're beloved racist, greedy GOP.

But hey nice try...

Listening (reading, whatever) to all you morons scares the hell out me. Anyone who thinks anything is going to CHANGE is a moron. Anyone who puts so much faith in any politician is a moron. Anyone who thinks one politic party has the moral high ground is a moron. Believe it or not our generation didn't invent this crap. It's been going on for thousands of years. The greatness of America and our democracy is that we get to vent at the election booth instead of killing each other OR being controlled by one single party or individual who gets to decide everything.
Anyone who thinks that there's something new and earth shattering going on now is a moron. It's politics as usual and people are jockeying for position to reap some rewards, or they're trying to reabilitate their reputations (Powell) to get on someones good side...so they can reap some rewards and get invited to all the good parties.
If you put all your faith and hope in a mere mortal you are in for a hard fall. Guess that's why someone invented religion.

This Republican isn't interested in what Powell has to say. The media was most biased this election cycle and he's complaining about "Republican shouting"? Yeah, whatever.

Limbaugh became irrelevant when he ignored Ron Paul.

As a conservative, the Republican party has left me behind. After this election I officially stopped considering myself a Republican.

Republican party elites, go ahead and move to the left. You lose my monetary support as well as my votes.

Rush Limbaugh is not the spokesman for the Republican party, he's a spokesman for the conservative movement. Just a guy on the radio. What would Powell do? Try to get Rush kicked off the air?

There's nothing stopping the Republicans from coming up with their own Republican spokesperson. Who will it be? Colin Powell? Sounds to me someone is rationalizing flawed personal actions...

Rush Limbaugh is more positive than any of the other media. I like listening to someone who provides some hope. Also, he can almost always back up his stories and that sort of credibility is what makes me trust him. There's a lot to be said for that when you consider some other media outlets. Colin Powell needs to shut his yap.

Colin Powell is the most overrated political personage in the last thirty years. If you read the comments above, what is he talking about? Vague generalities, like "polarization". Blaming the Republicans for Rush Limbaugh.

Do you know why Colin Powell has never made a real run for elected office? Because he has nothing to say. He really has no plan. He just walks around looking dignified, saying nothing of substance, and people think he's important. I appreciate his service to his country, but that's it.

What a parrot! He could at least put this tired old stereotype of Republicans in his own words rather than reading it verbatum from the Democratic party's playbook. I don't know what's worse; him reciting that line or the people who think it was brilliant!
If minorities want to know how liberals will help them they only need to observe what happened when Affirmative Action in lending was forced on the banking industry. Initially housing prices went through the roof and later dreams of homeownership were dashed as foundations of good intentions crumbled and again paved the way to hell for far too many Americans. God help them.
General Powell is one of our military heroes and we should honor him for that but earnestly question his judgement on politics.

"Inclusive"...a wonderful thought. Problem is, we in the politically correct U.S. and the idiots we elect, allow for separatism. Take a little drive through parts of Los Angeles and you better speak Spanish, cause if you speak English, nobody in the neighborhood will understand a word you say....businesses, signes, etc...all in Spanish......Perhaps the movie Spanglish showed it best when the little girl came to California from Mexico, turned a corner and said it was just like being home.....problem is, that the movie aside, we can't afford to denigrate our "homes" into Mexico...although the start of the the Obamessiah Presidency is already beginning to look like Mexican politics....crooks.....crooks......crooks......way to go Dems.
Stop the pandering Powell....time to start the "inclusion"......if you don't read English....learn (there are actaully people who have lived her for 20-30 years and still don't speak English, incredible).....no more government publications of any type in any other language then English. Want to sue in the US....pay for your own interpreter..... want to be a citizen..do it right and LEARN THE LANGUAGE. How about a few words on the subject Mr.Powell?

Powell is no more republican than Obama. He's lost all conservative credibility when he supported that socialist. It is unfortunate that Limbaugh's personality should get in the way of his basic message. Most people get it instinctively. Those who don't have made a conscious decision to sell out to their own selfishness – i.e. "the government owes me a living because I voted for the guy who will give it to me". In that group you will find the Democrat interest groups like welfare leaches, labor union robots, teacher union robots, and similar ilk. Fortunately, Powell is fairly harmless now. When his balloon of hot air is spent, he will will simply sputter off limply to some obscure corner of history.

This is truly pathetic. Liberals are so hate filled and blinded by ambition to even enjoy their victory. You forget that Rush is on the radio and if you do not like what he says you change the station. I did when he was indicted and never went back. Censorship is a slippery slope and what ever goes around comes around.
I lost my faith in the good general when he called off the troops in Iraq because it would have been a blood bath on the highway of death. War is a terrible and should be avoided but a toothless UN resolution is even worse because it emboldens dictators and terrorism.
The shame of it all is that the dems have already started to screw it up even before the inauguration. I stated this in prior posts and even I did not think it would come so quick.
Power corrupts absolute power corrupts absolutely.

We get crap and lies for news from everyone accept Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh has the correct analysis of the situation and good insight for Conservatives.

Moderates like Powell are the biggest problem Republicans have right now. They want to "get along" and "compromise" until every freedom is gone.

If you liberal Democrats and pseudo-republicans were honestly against polarization in this country then you would have refrained from your prejudiced hate-talk and lies against President George W. Bush for the past 8 years. If you were as rational as you claim to be then you would have been honest enough to listen to the President's speeches impartially and pay attention to the facts in order to avoid swallowing the lies of his enemies in the news and entertainment industry. If you were open-minded you would have recognized his refusal to defend himself against the continual attacks and hate-mongering for his two terms in office. He has spoken graciously to and about those who have made themselves his enemies and insulted him at home and abroad - including former Presidents, Carter & Clinton - they have shown their true colors, as has Gen. Powell.

Sorry Powell and the fellow simpletons here. I have an opinion that is similar to Limbaugh's -live with it. I tolerate yours. That's what make America great.

By backing Obama, Colin Powell slapped the faces of the 911 Pentagon victims. William Ayers just was not as proficient as Mohammad Atta, and I guess Powell was happy to overlook his behavior.
Foolishly, I always hoped he would man up and get beyond race, but we see that didn't happen.
He did, however, find the guts to create a thinly veiled racial threat to the pending white minority.
Rush Limbaugh exhorts every individual to realize their positive potential, and that message transcends race to those willing to listen.
By the way, Colin, where were you while Al Quida was training 30000 killers?

DOWN WITH POWELL!

When the white majority disappears, America disappears with it.

Southern California and other parts of the country occupied by the Mexican Invasion are no longer even recognizably American. They are Mexican, third world slums where white people cannot even travel without risk of physical violence. The Mexican invasion involves the ethnic cleansing of Americans and the transformation of American cities into filthy stinking third world slums with all of the political corruption, filth, crime and cultural dysfunctionalism that characterizes Mexico and other third world hell holes.

Mexicans have had their own country for 500 years and the only way they can achieve a better life is to run away from their own land, invade white neighborhoods, destroy white public schools, bankrupt white hospitals, and suck up enormous amounts of tax dollars for the huge amount of public services they consume. When whites are gone, they will sink back into third world stagnation.

I would suggest that Mr Powell change radio stations if he doesn't care for Rush. I would much rather listen to Rush than Obama's former pastor rambling on about GDing America.

Lets finish off Rush with the Fairness Doctrine.

Powell left me a long time ago. I pay NO attention to him any longer. He has turned radical leftist and no friend of me OR my family. Go away powell. Bammie is lying in Chicago along with the rest of the Chicago gangsters.

Did he have a power point presentation containing "proof" that Rush Limbaugh has WMDs?

Powell is a punk. Rush is right about him.

Powell is a typical sellout homey. I thought he was different but he reverted to his genetc inferiority of liberalism. He is an embarrasment to evolved conservative black Americans.
Homos are inferior.
Liberals are inferior.
Conservatism is the mathamatical superiority of evolution.

All other should be illiminated for the good of mankind. I mean without God and a separate value for inferior life why let them exist. If I agree that there is no God they must be removed to make way for the fitest.

Excellent!
Very well expressed!
Somebody had to say it! The reality is that we need to work towards the creation of harmony amongst all people, here in this, STILL the greatest nation on earth where reason prevails.
Fredom of expression.
Food for thought!

God Bless America!

Powell is a republican? Odd then that he would vote for the most leftist senator in congress. More likely Powell voted for his own skin color.

I am a proud Reagen Conservative, angry and my party for not having convictions for those principles that make me a conservative. I am for cutting taxes, less government spending, less beuracracy, and less government control. I am for a strong military defense, and believe that every life is precious, and believe strongly in State Rights. I believe, all men and women are created equal and that affirmitive action is the anti-thesis of that, and is reverse discrimation. I am against it. I believe heterosexuals and homo sexuals should be able to live in a society that does not judge them or disparage them because of their sexuallity, however, I believe that marriage should only be between a man and woman, because morally it is right, and if the USA is to lose the basic moral fundamentals, then we will destroy ourselves. (BTW, many democrats think this way, since in CA the liberal cap of america, they voted down the gay marriage amendment). This in a nutshell is what I believe, and so do many other Americans. John Mccain was affraid to talk to this way, and thats why he lost, because many who think like I do stayed home.....When the Republican Party starts acting like real conservatives, your democrat party will cease to exist. Untill that time, Colin Powell why don't you just go and fly a kite. The sorriest mistake the Republican party made was to ever give you any credence. You are an SOB, a disgrace, and a coward. The same party you hate, is the same party that gave you a life....

Cecil B Home – What plannet do you live on. What most of the American People want is for the Republicans to stop their racist and thinking they are the only real American and everybody else is not. You go figure or are you to far to the right to understand.

I grow weary of these snobs, like Powell these days, who think that my party or anyone's party should fall into line with the thinking of a majority or of a consensus.

Political leadership, conservative or otherwise, must fall into line with a platform of ideals that are based on fundamental, moral values. Today's McCains and Spectors and Powells try to include everyone into this "big tent" where we can all hold hands and sing Kumbayah.

They have a name for a bunch of actors that meet under a big tent and fool the crowd with freaks and tricks and sleights of hand. It's called a circus. America does not need a circus. We need leadership and a decisive and limited government.

It seems that his years with the State Department destroyed Powell's better abilities. I wonder how effective Mr. Powell would have been as head of the Joint Chiefs if he had tried this big tent back then.

I served under Powell in the 1980's. Way, way, way under Powell! I was proud to carry a rifle under the command of leaders like Reagan and Powell and LTC Abrams. Their leadership was decisive and clear from the top to the bottom. Walk softly and carry the United States Armed Forces. Lower taxes and exponentially multiply tax revenue. Be a great friend, be a relentless enemy.

I miss Ronald Reagan.

You should all be downright ASHAMED of yourselves. I have never SEEN so much negative CRAP smeared across my screen. Liberals are dumb, Republicans hate America, blah, blah , blah...

A person is not defined by one single thought, opinion, party affiliation. It's a part of our make up, but not the one thing that makes us who we are, so making blanket statements about people on either side is just plain ignorant.

Stop the juvenile name calling and try to work together to get something done for a change.

Obama was only elected because the voters are sick of Bush. Four years from now, the pendulum will swing again. I believe most Obama voters had no idea what they were voting for, they just knew what they were voting against (thanks to the media).

Those that say conservatism is dead miss the fact that 57 million people voted Republican.

And the only reason we conservatives have to consider appealing to the minorities is because we allowed the liberals to keep our nation's borders wide open for so many years to help grow their own political interests.

All you have to do is read the comments by the rightwing nutbags and you can see just how correct Powell is!

I wonder if any of the nutbags can turn hate radio off for one month?

I doubt it, they aren't strong enough.

Rush Limbaugh is one of the few bright spots, other than Gov. Palin, within the conservative movement today. The Republicans did not win the white house because we nominated a person just like Powell is describing.

If conservatives want to win elections they need to act like conservatives, not liberals dressed like the GOP.

"Gift of the Maji" – DUDE! THAT WAS AWESOME!!!

My God! Liberals are some of the most disillusioned and hateful people on the planet! But I guess worshipping Democrats like the Obamessiah and Hitlery will do that to a person. Colin Powell is dead wrong! The problem with the Republican party is that it is infiltrated with too many RINOs (like Powell & McCain). If Condoleeza Rice had run for President, she would have won the primary in a heart beat. Republicans love her. She is incredibly smart, a great leader and competent under extreme pressure. And for all you liberals who flunked history ... the Republican Party was created to END SLAVERY! The great thing about conservative politics is that it benefits EVERYONE regardless of your income, race, age or color. As for George W. Bush ... his IQ is higher than John Kerry's. Stick that in your hookah and smoke it.

Drop dead! We need an army of conservative street fighters! Let's roll!

So, going by most of the posts here that I've read, Conservative, and dare I say it, Conservative Christian are monikers now have the same meaning as the title Jew did to the vast majority of Germans not too long ago. The stark raving rabid hatred in these posts is only lacking in violent manifestations to the degree that at this moment in time, you would still go to jail for murdering (crucifying) the likes of me. Alas, alas, as has been promised before this world was formed, you will have your moment to wage war against us and purge us from your utopian society (you would all make Adolf proud as would Mr. Powell and Mr. Obama) us as you're obviously aching to do, but mark these words, your victory in the battle is your defeat in the war.

Powell threw away his credibility as a Republican when he endorsed
B.O.

Colin Powell lost all credibility saying hes rebublican and then endorsing the most liberal candidate in the entire senate for President. So I have to say, shut up Colin, youre a Democrat now! Its you and other liberal Republicans like John McCain and Free Spending Bush that got us in the mess we are in! Rush is the answer for our party and I wish Newt would come back and we could sweep back through with a contract with America again but this time lets sweep in a whole bunch of Sarah Palins who will not fall in love with Power and forget their conservitive roots! Rush keep leading and I want that the Colin Powells and George Bushs and the John McCains (wolves in sheeps clothing) of our party will go away and fiscally responsible conservitive Republicans will take thier place!!!

Wow! A taped interview...on Sunday...on CNN...with freaking Colon Powell, no less.

Everyone, set your TIVO for this snore-fest.

Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, and their fellow travellers called moderate and liberal Americans Communist, Marxist, Stalinist, and Socialist. They convinced fools to barricade themselves against empirical science by calling global warming a politically motivated hoax. They called the Democratic candidate "Messiah" while at least one of them confused his own talent with the movement of God in the universe. They sold us a hardline pitch for capitalism at all costs, and, sure enough, we are paying all costs!

What price do they pay for their lies? Do you prosecute? Do you force them to listen to recordings of themselves at high volume until they break? Or do you "let them down easy" and restore fairness in this land of the free?

Hmmm, wonder what position Powell is lobbying to get?

B/t/w, excuse me, but WHO played the race card in the election? it's widely understood that Obama played the race card over, and over, and over again.

I believe it was John McCain who demonstrated the courage of his conviction and kept race out of the election by refusing to invoke Reverend Wright. What morally courageous conviction has the President-elect ever demonstrated? He may be from the most politically corrupt city and state in the nation? Did we ever hear him, even once, condemn the political culture of Illinois.

Hey – Republicans did stop listening to Rush Limbaugh – we elected John McCain to represent us! And look what happened!

You fools!

Wow, you right wingers really need to get a hold of yourselves. Look at what your colleagues on this blog are saying:

Rich @7:18 is probably a racist. More right wingers than I can count are blaming everything wrong in this country on the "liberals" and the "Democrats" and the rest of them are revising history by blaming the left for all of the racial problems in this country.
CNN just does not have the space to refute all of it. So, let's keep it simple. The Democrats have made lots of mistakes in the name of "equality" and not leaving anyone without a life jacket. For me, this is preferable than the right wing mantra of unfettered capitalism and get all you can at whatever cost even if it bankrupts the country in the process.
The Democrats have some culpability for our problems but the Republicans have at least as much if not more. And yes, they have practiced the policies of divisiveness from the 60's through the Southern strategy days starting in the 70's through Reagan-era crucifixion of "liberals" in the 80's, the racial divisiveness of the Willie Horton-era of the 90's through the Rovian slime of the last 8 years. Democrats have Governor Rod and Rep. Jefferson. The Republicans have Ted Stevens, Vic Fosetta, and the last 8 years.
So the question is: are we all going to comprise and fix the mess we are in or are the right wingers going to pout for the next 8 years and stop all change?

The Republican Party is dead! There is nothing it can do to make a comeback from death.

Socialism is the only way! We need to take the guns from the right today. Either get on the bus or get out of the United Socialist States of America! It is our turn now!
USSA!
USSA!
USSA!

Collin Powell, a man of questionable allegiance, never got it and never will. The republic stands or falls on its principles. Those who worship groups and identify with groups can pack their bags.

Collin Powell is a RINO. A man who voted for Barrack Obama simply because he was scorned by the Bush Administration when he gave advice not to invade Iraq. This had very little to do with Obama as a person, or character for that matter.
As for Rush being the problem with the party....thats idiotic!
He is the solution.
We already tried that "reaching across the isle crap" with the milktoast candidate we ran this year named John McCain.
Didnt work too well now did it?
Forget all the angry posts on this site, or posts from liberals trying to give advice on how to be conservative...which is laughable at best...
The majority of America is still conservative to a certain degree.
We just need some LEADERSHIP that is actually conservative to apeal to it.
Look how wild people went over Sarah Palin.
Look back at how Reagan beat Carter in one of the biggest landslides in political history.
They both appealed to people because their IDEAS were better then the opposition.
Not because they "reached across the aisle at all".
I respect Colin Powell's service to this nation...
But he has no idea how wrong he is by attacking Rush Limbaugh...
or the conservative movement simply because the libs won a few elections...as of late.
Its as simple as that.

The republican party did try Powells moderate approach (John McCain and W) and look what it got us... more dem's. The uninformed figured if they were going to vote for a weak politician why not vote democrat. Hey, in that case Powell should run.

Powell and all the democrats are just afraid of Limbaugh... Please

It is amazing. I have yet to find a Rush Basher who is a critical thinker. A name caller, certainly. Why can't you look at an issue and talk it through? It's not a much fun as calling someone stupid, a fool, a redneck or whatever. It makes you feel so good. Unfortunately it also shows your inabilty to think, martial facts to bolster your position and then really listen to the other viewpoint.

Maybe, just maybe, it would be best to learn to think critically and remember the law of unintended consequences. Nothing in politics operates in a vacuum. That includes General Powell who may just be looking for a new job in a new administration. I guess we'll just have to watch.

I am a very conservative, Bible believing, evangelical Christian – but on this point I have to agree with Colin Powell. The Republican party is so white it can't grow! If any ethnic group should be embraced by the Reps it is the hispanics. But go to many white, conservative gatherings with your hispanic friends and or relatives and see how they are treated – especially if they have an accent -even though their values are solid and biblically based – and they sacrifice more of their your people in our armed forces than any other ethnic group. I am also white – but I am able to see the person in front of me – not just their color. I think there are others like me who were appalled when they watched Republican party rallys and had to look really hard for a "minority" face.

If you all want to know whats wrong with both parties, just read some of these posts. Instead of discussing our opinions pertaining to what Powell said, we are using our voice to bash each others political stance. We are worse than congress with all the bickering.

I would like to remind us all that whether we are democrats or republicans we all have something in common, we are all human beings. I hear complaints all the time about elected officials not listening to the people they represent. How can we expect them to hear us, when we are too busy screaming so loud at each other. I am not by any means saying we should not express our views with each other. I am just asking that we as part of the human race, and as citizens of the USA, engage in healthy debate and listen to each other with respect and dignity. That is the way to change things. There is more strength in numbers as opposed to one person ranting. After 9/11 we came together to protect the country we love and the people we cared about. We can unite again and restore our country to what it should be. Only this time we should unite permanently.

Rush Limbaugh and conservatives have a broad appeal to Americans because Americans are conservative. Not many people follow Colin Powell any more, he is a has-been.

When he endorsed Obama just due to race, that just made him even more irrelevant.

Powell is more of a politician than he ever was a soldier. His great "success" in the 1991 Gulf War was entirely the result of General Schwarzkopf's brilliant leadership and command; Powell himself has limited combat experience, but has held a lot of desk jobs in the Army and his promotions all the way up to general seem to have been more the result of political skills than anything else. In Vietnam he got the Purple Heart for stepping on a punji stake. When he was a brigadier general at Fort Carson he was given a poor evaluation by his commanding general, who said Powell had poor leadership skills and should not be promoted further.

As a politician he has always been sensitive to which way the political winds are blowing, and is adept at tailoring his opinions to suit. He isn't a real Republican in the sense of being conservative, he's a RINO. He has always favored preferential treatment for African Americans, the kind of policies which undoubtedly helped his own career enormously. He supports Obama largely because of this desire to see his own race advance, and because he knows Obama as president will nominate liberal activist Supreme Court justices if given the chance, rather than justices who will interpret the Constitution strictly and honestly. Obama himself has said as much, and has said the Supreme Court "didn't go far enough" in civil rights and should have done more to redistribute the wealth.

I don't know why anyone would care what Powell's opinions are on any subject, since his opinions are and have always been entirely self-serving.

P. Allen:

Your post is just plain dumb, too.

Bush's fault was putting his trust in the likes of Powell and McClellan'
Loyalty and the granting of an opportunity are something these two do not and will never understand, Their selfishness is testimonial to their lack of character.
Thank goodness for the likes of Rush Limbaugh who has the knowledge and courage to expose those who do a disservice to our country. To attempt silencing Limbaugh is to attempt to silence the TRUTH.

powell is nothing more than a turn-coat who's jockeying for a job – an ingrate really, who has forgotten which party made his career possible

It's sad that General Powell is trying to erase his role in the Iraq war by supporting Obama and chastising his party for the wrong reasons. He is the type of Republican that is ruining the party. His vindication spree is making him look like a fool. Just change parties already.

Gift of the Maji:

Your post is just plain dumb.

I am a proud republican and conservative, however these two nit wits Limbaugh and Hannity are costing us elections. Hannity especially is dumber than a bag of bricks and Limbaugh's parodies give the left material to designate us ' mean spirited". It is time for them to leave the stage.

To Gift of the Maji –

First of all, Magi is spelled M-A-G-I. There's no J in it.

But beyond that, who is writing your copy? You evidently are a Rush fan because, like Rush, you are masterful at taking facts out of context, all the while overlooking the same facts in your own party. For example, when you criticized the likes of Kerry and Kennedy for marrying into or inheriting their wealth, you seem to have left out Johnny McCain. See what I mean?

Next, Barack Obama is not the messiah and the Democrats have never referred to him as such. That's the right wing hanging monikers on the president-elect.

Next time you want to get on your soapbox and talk about personal responsibility, please make sure these people are in your audience: Scooter Libby, Jack Abramoff, Tom Delay, Larry Craig, Alberto Gonzalez, Paul Wolfowitz, Bernard Kerik, Lester Crawford, George Deutsch, Steven Griles, Mark Foley, Randall Tobias, Rick Renzi, Duke Cunningham, Dusty Foggo. Do you see where this is going?

Anyway, I think you see my point.

Yeah this is why Bobbi Jindal and the Vietnamese individual who replaced Jefferson in Louisiana are Republicans. They saw into the hearts and minds of minorities and realized that this is still the greatest country in the world and that conservative principles treat everyone fairly. Gen. Powell wants a balkanized America, where minorities have to be treated differently in order to be treated fairly. What do you expect from a product of affirmative action. Treat me special because I am special, the rest of you be dammed. As for me I will listen to Rush until the day I die.

All in all, I would still rather be a republican than a Nanny state liberal democcrat.

John at 9:02pm

I think that Mr. Powell looked at what was being offered as his choices for the commander in chief of the US and decided to vote for someone that operates with decency, respect and most importantly intelligence. The Republican Party, his party, only offered self-righteous buffoonery. Any intelligent person would not stoop low enough to vote for the bottom of the barrel just because they happen to be in their party. That would be an ignorant lemming. Also, intelligent people are able to look at the big picture and not something as superficial as voting for someone just because that person is the same color as they are. You have never done that, have you? So John, what do you consider yourself; intelligent, or a lemming?

Colin Powell is a typical affirmative action hire. He kept his mouth shut to get his positions that others were more qualified to have, and now he comes out with his racial arrogance. Whites need to think about whether we should let this country become a minority run operation next time around.

Has anyone researched Colin Powell's past endorsements to see if you can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed? Let us know what you come up with.

Obama's tax the greed rich tactics weren't divisive? Give me a break. I could see it, and, guess what, I'm not even rich.

Try reading the Constitution and then tell me who is correct ..liberals or conservatives..The Constitution as it was written is the bible of Conservatism. Show me where any of the liberal socialism is even mentioned in the Constitution....
What most amazes me is this idea that we need to get as far away from principles that made this country so great...the ones in the Constitution !..... Liberals are traitors !

I think that Polell leaving the Repubs and joining the Messiah and the Democrat party is the greatest thing that has happened for conservatives,

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.

By the way...Rush isn't man enough to take on Colin Powell. Limbaugh is just a punk in cheap clothing!

Family value, personal responsibility, and morale standard are not Republican-only principles. Democrates share these too. Both parties have good and bad persons. The only difference is do you believe government is "of the people, by the people, for the people." If you believe that, then you're Democrates. Regarding economy principles, well... according to 2008 Nobel Price winner in Economics, professor Krugman said, "Republican party becomes a party of stupid." Think about that..

At least Rush didn't betray his party unlike Powell.
I rather listen to someone who doesn't betray their own party.

Do we need another Democratic Party?

General Powell is an amazing leader and an inpiration to all. For those right wing zealots who have criticized his comments-take a good look at your rhetoric–nasty, self-righteous, mean spirited and non inclusive.

I've lost all respect for Powell. If he doesn't want to listen to Limbaugh, or anyone else in the media for that matter, he can change the station. Simple enough?

As a Republican of more than 60 years, a disabled vet, businessman and who has been on the 'Hill", worked on several Republican Presidential campaigns, I truly believe that the GOP has turned into a
haven for radicalism. In 1964, the John Birch Society effectively took over the GOP and caused one of the biggest anti-Republican landslides in our history. I thought that might stop the excessive swing to the right. They just regrouped. In came the Dixiecrats, the Nazis, the Fascists, America's own Taliban( the religious right), and a very high percentage of the 34% of just plain stupid people that a decades long study says that we have amongst us. The bulk of these people have little interest in doing what is right and necessary for the Nation. Instead they pursue their individual agendas, which usually means keeping themselves in office, with the help of , often, the wrong people. Most would benefit greatly, if they were to seek the
services of a 'neuro-proctologist' for a, obviously needed, cerebral extraction. I am sure that a group discount could be had. Until the
GOP stops the Nazi and 'Brownshirter' tactics; returns to it's origins, and learns how to work for and represent the entire Nation, this old
Republican will probably be supporting and voting for your opponents.

I believe it is because of people like Colin Powell that the Republicans lost our sense of direction and the election. Rush stands up for strong conservative way s of thinking. The liberals move in any direction the wind is blowing. Conservatives believe in core values of strong defense, individual liberty, low taxes, less government and less regulation. We cannot pander to everyone's demands and whining. Government is not the answer. Powell says we need to listen to minority groups. What we need to do is to provide opportunities for the members of these groups to help themselves. Immigrants from years ago built this country and will continue to transform it. We don't need government to provide handouts to them in order to get their vote. That is what democrats always do. Mega dittos Rush from Indiana.

Colin Powell – now there is a man I respect. He may have made a mistake when he was with the Bush Administration, however he was being a good soldier. I agree with what he said, even though I find it hard to vote Republican and find it even harder to listen to that ultra-right-wing nut-job Rush Limbaugh. Thw world would be a much better place if Rush Limbaugh, Ann Colter and the rest of their kind would just...fade...away...

I've lost all respect for Powell.

Colin Powell is a joke and always has been. Rush Limbaugh simply reflects the views of the majority of conservatives..

Powell came out in support of the most liberal Senator in the US Senate. What makes him think that he represents any sort of conservative sentiment? Face it, he caved and voted for race over principle.

There he goes again...

Please there is no one, certinaly no politician who correctly and logically defines conservatism on the air waves likr Rush.

Rush is the consumate entertainer. How jealous these folks are. He has the perfect mix of humor and insight.

They just can't take it.

And finally....Gen. Powell is NOT a Republican, as my Mom would say " actions speak louder than words".

JAC

Give me Rush anyday! Get rid of the RINO'S and give me a true Conservative who will stand by his or her principles, one who believes we are still a Republic and our Constitution is not a living document. We need to take back our Country which is the Greatest Place in this whole world to live. I am proud to be an American.

Yea, it did back firer. Republicans have to change there ways and stop be such a divier like that crazy Sara Palin. Blacks and other races are tried of being treated differently becasue they are not white.

In 20 years the old far far right wing will be history becasue they will all be dead.

Colin Powell supported Obama because he is black, plain and simple. If you don't think so please go ahead and name one white liberal democrat Powell has ever supported in the past. Powell is an opportunist more than a Republican or Democrat. If he is such a man of principle and honor as people claim, then why didn't he speak out or resign as secretary instead of carrying Bush's water??

Hey... you liberals listen to who you want and I will listen to those that I like (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin). I will respect your decision to follow the hateful and lying liberal networks while I will continue to listen to those that are informative, truthful, and logical mainstream voices located on the AM dial. You see, the dirty little secret is that those that you liberals consider "right-wing extremists" are actually down-the-middle commentators who are just as likely to criticize a republican as a democrat. Don't believe me? Listen to them for a couple weeks and you will see that I am correct. During the election they were very critical of John McCain. They have also opposed President Bush when they disagreed with his policies. That is called integrity. When is the last time you heard a liberal news network criticize a democrat? I doesn't happen because of their obvious bias. They protect the left because they are the left, to the detriment of the country.

REPUBLICRATS...It's a race to see who can spend the most money for their version of utopia. 535 elected republicrat brokers for sale to the highest bidder to wash your unlimited tax dollars down the drain. There is no shame in Washington and these morons wills be long gone when we pay the ultimate price for their fiscal behavior. They spend all of their time, like POWELL, the politician who used to wear a uniform, pointing their crooked little fingers at each other to blame, when all they really have to do is look in the mirror. I'd like to throw the whole lot out, but they own my wallet and have used it to buy guns to point at me in case I refuse to pay. It's probably too far gone, but we need a viable 3rd, 4th, or 5th party to even have a chance.

The obama doctrine is if you cant beat them join them. I prefer the Bush doctrine.I really cant see how you can debate success.But you are all brainwashed.Weak-minded liberal facists.Your day of reckoning is coming.

This article is a pile of pure garbage. Gen Powell is however entitled to his opinion no matter how wrong it may be.

The GOP lost because the Rockefeller Republicans tried to game the system running the Democrat Lite, McCain.

It blew up in their face. CONSERVATIVE Republican Candidates running against a Liberal Democrats won in 90% of those cases. Most Republican losses in conservative areas were to more conservative democrats. That may be an oxymoron to some, but conservative democrats do still get elected out here in flyover country.

"The difference between intelligence and stupidity is that intelligence has its limits.”
Albert Einstein

Conservatism, in my mind, stands for individual freedoms and responsibilities, small government, lower taxes, a strong national security. What it does not stand for is accomodating variations of any of these issues depending on one's race.

What Powell seems to suggest to me sounds more like pandering. I would prefer a party with candidates that sticks with core principles, over one that tells blatant lies (e.g., 95% of Americans will get a tax cut) and speaks in platitudes (hope and change) without every truly defining what that means. Unfortunatey, the Republicans are not that party at the moment, which is why they lost. They didn't lose because they ran as Liberals-light. In fact, the GOP presidential candidate is Liberal-light and that obviously didn't make a difference.

It seems that while the idea of individual freedoms is greatly accepted, fewer and fewer people take their individual responsibilities serious. The government is turning into a nanny state, where "Obama will fill my car with gas and pay my mortgage." It would be funny if it weren't illustrative of many people's mindset.

Tell him Gen. Powell: The Republican Party needs an "update" upon itself. The GOP needs to march in formation, seek new goals, and fly right into this part of this century. Things, times, and people change–so
the Party needs to fine tune itself to the needs of now and the future.

This man claims to be a Republican but supports a Democrat for president. Like all liberals he is heavy on non specific criticism. Please Mr. Powell, speak for yourself. Mr. limbaugh does appeal to my, I repeat, my better instincts. You, sir, snivel & snipe.

Here's how it is: The majority of the Republican base are good people who deserve as much respect as their Democratic counterparts. But enough of the Republican base are complete whackjobs either religiously, ideologically, or through intolerance and bigotry. Enough to make the Republican leaders cowtow to them every election season.

The Republican Party needs more Powells and fewer Palins. And fewer Joe the Plumbers, Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys, Bill O'Reillys, and all their wannabes. The Republican Party was a party of smart, pragmatic, decent, and dedicated people. Now it's a complete disaster.

Good grief.

Powell is not a conservative and he is not a Republican by any stretch of the word and he has no business speaking on behalf of republicans or trying to redirect the party away from conservitism by masqurading as a Republican. Any informed, inquisitive listerner who watched his interview on tv when he put his support behind Obama could see his comments and logic were striaght out of the Democatic play book. Either he abandoned all intellectual integrity or he drastically altered is philosopical approach to politics and life. The battle has been and still is about culture and values. A conservative bases their politics on principles. Powell has abandoned principle for expediancy and moral relativism and because of that I have lost all respect for him as a man, a member of our military, and as a political figure.

The words dispensed by former Secretary of state are quite sad. First of all the claim that the Republican party needs to pander to minorities is not just offensive but ridiculous. A party should stand for values and shouldn't change them to get votes. Changing your values to get votes is spineless and shows just exactly what that party stands for, nothing. Second the republican party hasn't listened to rush since 2000. The republicans presidential nominee was pro-bailout, pro-illegals, pro-big government, believed in global warming, and was as moderate as they come. Does that sound like Rush Limbaugh to you????

The only conservative values that I can see that Colin Powell subscribes to are deceitfulness, corruption and ignorance. These seem to be the prime tenants of the GOP and probably always have been.

LOL, this kind of commentary coming from the king of affirmative action babies is laughable. Powell, stick to what you do best....uh....just what is that, exactly?

yeah right Colin we all should be like the socialists. He is implying the liberal facists and the rest of the world deserve better.Liberalism has failed, and the reason we shout at the world is because they are no better than children. Typical socialist, it dont matter whats right or wrong, as long as we work together.Id rather be right and lead instead of wrong and ask the opinions of 3rd world dictators and week willed Euro-trash.But the real reason he said this is because he is blacks and all blacks stick together in ignorance.He is brown-nosing for a job

I think Colin Powell's remarks are typical of the Northeastern liberal Republican. He is a RINO,[Republican in name only]. Most Americans are conservative but have been brainwashed by the Dem lib media into thinking conservatism is mean spirited. A conservative is for lower taxes, pro life, a strong military and believes in the strength and greatness of the U.S.A. Dems want high taxes,unfettered abortion, and a central government that controls every aspect of an individuals life. I think it is funny that our great Dem lib leaders are afraid of a talk radio host that speaks his mind and happens to have an audience. What? Don't they believe in Free Speech? Of course not they are Dem Libs.

Hey "Right One" – I love how the South is full of "uneducated Rednecks" according to you.

Somehow funny its the incompetent northern cities of Detroit, Cleveland, etc. are dependent on the federal govt to bail out their auto industry.

Ever wonder why successful auto companies like Mercedes, Nissan, and Honda build their plants in states like Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi?

You might want to revisit your definition of "uneducated", in the meantime, we'll remain uneducated and "employed" and you can remain "educated" and jobless. Fool.

Keep it up Republicans! Purifying the party of those pesky "moderates" and the 280 million that DON'T listen to Rush sounds like a sure-fire model for success. Good luck to you all in 2010 and beyond.

If Palin gets the nomination in 2012, I don't think 48-50 states is out of the question.

Enough from the affirmative action choir. This country was build upon hard work and values by the angry white men. The "future majority" that Powell alludes to either left disfunctional corrupted government countries or are the product of preferencial programs and will not have the ability to lead the world by example. In the future we will see the populace elect unqualified principleless leaders who promise government handouts to all who ask. Possibly even a slick fast talking Harvard educated lawyer who is always just one step away from a shady deal and nefarious people.

If the Republican party is going to disappear unless they change their ideology, than why are you liberals offering advice? No one believes that you liberals are sincere. Everyone who reads these posts knows that conservatism is a viable ideology and everyone who reads these post knows that Rush Limbaugh is effective. There would be no reason to hate Rush so much if he was ineffective.

Whether you agree with Rush, or hate him, you cannot deny that he generates more money than any other radio host. So please, stop offering "advice". If Rush bothers you, then don't listen to your radio.

Stop these pathetic attempts to convince ignorant people that your ideology is correct by smearing the other party and lying to yourselves.

Wow, sure hit some nerves, didnt he? White right is afraid of diversity.

Powell is full of it. A Rhino. Stay in the Democrat Party, where you belong.

Oh, and obviously most of the comments on this blog are from Liberals.

Isn't Rush the number one radio talk show in America?

Magi your statement is hilarious! Do you like the roads you drive, the parks you visit, the bridges you cross? All of these are paid with tax dollars. After the last 8 years the national debt has tripled. What's your solution to solving the debt crisis, other than continuing to borrow money from China? So you gave 5k BFD! SO you donated your time lots of us do. I am so tired of the blame game, liberal, conservative who cares! Every person elected in the last 20 years have had their stain on what is happening now, if we do not quit judging each other and blaming each other,both republican and democrat, then all of us lose no matter who your party affiliation is. Drop the labels, take religion out of politics, and let people live their lives according to how they believe, not how you think they should believe!

Chuck: Typical American uninformed redneck comment! We have national health care so no one goes without like 45 million of your people which is 1 and half times the population of my country, we defend and honor people's rights, our pensions are protected and we don't have to wear someone else's flag pin when we travel.

What Powell is too self-absorbed (hence his opportunistic flight to Obama at the last minute) to understand, is that real conservatives (not fallen "Republicrats" like himself) are not interested in abandoning conservatism, are not interested in begomming Democrats... we'll leave that up to failures like Mr. Powell, and any other phoney baloney Republicrat who wants to join him. We'll stick with Rush Limbaugh, Ronald Reagan and real conservative values.

Thank you.

Yes, blast the administration and party that appointed the first TWO black Secretaries of State. This weakling's problem as SoS was that he wasn't "yelling at the world" nearly enough. He let the world walk all over us, calling us immoral baby murderers and torturers, while they were all on Saddam's payroll. He has no spine, and he has no Republican or conservative principles. If he did, please name one.

I would say he likes Obama because of race only, but it's not true. He also likes the notion of tokenism, since that helped him greatly in his rise to the top at the Pentagon. He certainly is no Petraeus, and helped end the first Gulf War so indecisively that we needed the second one that he was still too wishy washy to take seriously.

I'll tell you what the GOP needs to do. It needs to jettison mealy mouthed backstabbers like Colin Powell. It needs to forget the stupid fantasy of "reaching across the aisle." It needs to refind its principles and STAND BY THEM, GODDAMMIT!

Force out the RINOs, and give the majority of Americans, who would vote for Reagan's hat if it came up for election, somebody they could believe would fight for them against the decay of this country's spirit.

Powell likes to taunt that the "majority" will soon be the "minority." That kind of threat is all the more reason people need to wake up and stop the floodgates of illegal immigration, and never give citizenship to criminal foreigners.

Rush Limbaugh appeals to the higher quality of individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, or anything else. When people are able to excel and governments get out of their way, the sky is the limit. But when we reduce people to stereotypes and minority groups we create victims and tell them they can't excel or succeed without government.

Rush is right and those who listen know that to be true. Powell doesn't listen, otherwise he wouldn't have said such a baseless thing.

MJH

Critics of Rush Limbaugh never give specific examples, just sweeping generalizations. It never fails. So it's honestly impossible to know what they're talking about. Rush seems just fine to me.

Where is all the Repubican outrage??? who will stand up for the three things that made America great- God, Guns and Guts.

Its time we called a spade a spade, Powell, and W are both liberals and should be thrown out of the party. Allowing too may liberals in is what cost us the election...

God in this Christmas season- please let the republican circular firing squad continue continue thru the new year!

Incredible what I am hearing from Powell, he swore to protect the
constitution of the United States as a soldier. Does Powell know what the 1st amendment says. He wants to shut down talk radio?
His comments about Limbaugh seem to say so. Amongst screw ups
by bush he should never have had Powell as Secretary of State.

Frank Algeciras

So what is it about being a conservative (ie, Republican) that doesn't appeal to minorities? If you mean pandering and racebating the democrats do to each ethnic group, the I think I'll stay a conservative.

My answer: just wait a year or two for the country to realize what they've done and it will be 1994 all over again.

Maji, you said it all!!!!! Conservatism was not on the playing field this election. A true conservative would have won by a landslide. The FOO's (friends of Obama), are in for a rude awakening sooner rather than later. My two main worries are the court will be moved far to the left, and the best health care system in the world may be soon ran by the same gang that gave us "bailout bingo"! I say duck and cover America. Cover your wallet that is.

Where the hell is Powell coming from? I know far too many Blacks, Browns, & Yellows that are conservative and proud Republicans. Limbaugh is a fine voice and a great contribution to this country. I may not necessarily agree with everything he says but I still respect him. Powell is jusst another example of what so many politicans always do, put everything in boxes to explain their crazy view. The public is much smarter than that!

I would much prefer to stand for principles than moral equivalencies, and evolving paradigms. The problem with "progressives" is that their foundation is built on sand. No thanks, I'll go down with the ship.
The blue states can unite under a new flag and call themselves "The United States of Zimbabwe". Old Robert Mugabe did a bang up job of redistributing the wealth.

Powell is irrelevant. Rush is not. The conservative movement will return in 2012 in a big way. we finally got rid of the on the fencers. Colin powel has no backbone, is not conservative and should just become a democrat. He talking but nobody is listening!

God, you are ALL idiots. Read Atlas Shrugged. Read "Objectivism: the Philosophy of Ayn Rand", by Dr. Leonard Peikoff. Educate yourselves. Liberals and Conservatives are just two sides of the same false coin, and all you can do is argue with each other. And you are both so egregiously ignorant.

Since when does Colin Powell speak for all Conservatives? We should be able to choose what and who we listen to. I'm tired of all of these know-it-all Liberals!

Mr. Powell should be speaking out about Jeremiah Wright. Now that's hate speech!

Powell should stick to improving himself and leave the rest of us alone.

There are enough real hatemongers in the Democrat Party who Powell should reform.

It's the DEMs who don't allow any dissension. If you're a Minority, but disagree with them, then they attack you.

Yes, Rush Limbaugh will continue to be a link to reality.]!

To bad Gen. Powell has lost his way. It appears he's gone Democrat and lost his mind. of course he has enough money to survive the upcoming democratic doom but what about the rest of us who will have to try and survive the Socialist holocaust that is about to befall this nation? Check a little history and see what happened in 1775, some guys in Baas ton said enough is enough!! Humm?? might that happen again?? When we decide enough is enough??

Who cares what Powel thinks. He's become irrelevent!

Powell was never a Republican anyway. He just pretended to be so he could rise to higher rank.

He's an opportunist who's decided to retire and can now stop lying.

Powell has no clue as to conservative principles and why they win elections. Then again, the same is obvious for John McCain.

Powell is a complete idiot. I hope this party trader crawls back under the rock that he came out from

Hey Collin did you ever think that people who don't want to listen have the right to change the station?

I don't care what Colin Powell says. Rush is right, the only way to attract true conservatives is to be a true conservative, not what he calls country club, blue blood, so-called conservative types. No matter what, I'll never vote Democrat again for the rest of my life. I did for many years until I got an education and opened my eyes. Kind of like baby puppies, they all are born Democrat until their eyes open.

God Bless America

I am a conservative and agree with Powell. I use to listen to Rush in late 90s. Since 2002 or so he turned virulent and caustic against minorities and immigrants; He made Christianity the only religion for the U.S. (note – he violates everything Christianity preaches – divorces, viagra, illegal drugs, etc is what he is in involved). He drove me away from Republican party although I selective vote Rep. But, if party leaders continue hate as a strategy they will lose me and lots of folks i know for good.

Well now that all you dems (90+%) of the commenters on this site) out there have "invited" all us Republicans to join your party, I'll tell you from our point of view that the way to save the party is NOT to become democrats. We need to return to our conservative roots: resonsible spending, limited government, etc., etc. After 8 years of panty-waists-who-call-themselves-republicans-but–do-the-democrat-walk (and that includes Powell and Bush) what we really need is to take our party back. We thought we got rid of the Clintons and their sleezy ways; well, it looks like they are back and being led by a member of the Chicago "machine." Real Rebulicans have no desire to join ranks with THAT, thank you very much, Mr. Powell!

LOL…Republicans showing their true colors today, eh? What, did Rush send you? The flood of Repubs is so telling. They come here like good little soldiers when told.

Mr. Powell is either naive or bought off. He should realize that you have to be a gagster from Chicago to win an election in these times....reminds me of a world run by Bella Oxnix!

The only way the Republican party can save itself is by stopping all immigration from the third world. Blacks, Hispanics and Asians vote overwhelmingly for the Democrats and no amount of racial pandering to minorities from the GOP is going to change that. The only way the Republican party will have a future is if America remains a majority White nation. Stop all third world immigration now.

I think it was th republicans that were trying to appeal to a "larger audience" that are all getting kicked out. Look at Oklahoma and Texas. States once totally controlled by Democrats and now run by extremely conservative republicans. Running budget surpluses and actually growing their economies. Then look at Michigan and California. Republicans lost the way that Newt showed them in the '90s and they better get it back or we will be voting for a Dem or a socialist.

Colin Powell is right about Rush Limbaugh but wrong about conservatives.
True conservatives need to listen to Glenn Beck. They also need to get back to basics, like reading and following the constitution. Our founding fathers feared gov't and set up a system that works very well until we start voting for the people that will give us the most stuff.
"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country"-JFK

You don't have to listen to Rush General Powell. You can turn the radio off if you don't like what you hear.

I'm Hispanic. I grew up Liberal, but then Talk Radio turned me into a conservative. Voted for Bush Twice, and then for John McCain. So much for Rush Limbaugh "polarizing" and turning people away from the GOP. Methinks Powell is just another RINO.

Excellent! Someone finally from the GOP called out Rush. Didn't ever think it would happen. How wonderful to see this Idiot finally reduced to irrelevance. It was long overdue. Amazing to think that anyone after this election would still think the hateful man has a shred of decency or integrity. Now it's time to call out Sean Hannity, another pathetic human being who makes a fortune off of hate and intolerance.

I don't suppose you noticed that Rush's producer for a really long time is a Black guy as are some guest hosts and a number of his buddies that call in to chum with him.

Poor old Colin. He must have got his radio stuck on NPR.

Powell has never been a true conservative. Remember, the guy has served in both Democratic and Republican Parties. He's never stood up for what are core conservative values, he's basically a chicken hawk. He was embarrased by presenting what the intelligence community said were the facts in Iraq regarding WMD. He doesn't speak for the conservative. As to the comments about conservatives being religious nutcases, if the democrates had a candidate that stood for morality, I'd vote for them. The problem is, none do. When the Obama administartion fails to protect us against one of the worst cases of terrorism, when they lead us into the worst recession in recent history, when the corruption and treason that is the "back bone" of most of the democractic party in Washington is brought to light, the country will be "rushing" to the conservative candidates again. My only hope is there will still be a country worth saving!

So is Gen. Powell saying that minorities are so brainwahse by the Democrats that being a minority equals to being Democrat, and so Republicans need to be more like Democrats and offer their kind of political solutions to minorities if they want to win elections? Does Gen. Powell think that our party political system is just an elementary school "field day" where all you have to do is cheer for either the blue team or the red team or the green team?

What a shame. A black man working hard and living the American dream just can't let go of the hood. What a disgrace to the hard working AMERICAN negros. I pity the fool.

What the libs here want is an alternative Dem-lite party. The GOP has given them that, and the libs (rightly) went for Democratic regular. Remember McCain? He got the endorsement of the NYT in the primaries. Do you know why? The NYT and all libs found McCain to be an acceptable alternative if the Dems didn't win. What does that tell you of lib expectations of the GOP? Everything! The present GOP is not an alternative to liberalism, which is why it is in trouble. I'll bet the farm that if the electorate is given a true alternative to liberal government, it will vote for it. As for Powell, he is the personification of what is wrong with the GOP. Here in Michigan we have that personification in former gov. Wm. Milliken. I say let the Dem-lites go to the Dem party. It may take a few years for a reconstituted GOP to get up to speed, but it will then become the dominant party–for more than one or two election cycles, I believe.

I used to respect Colin Powell. Not anymore. He's a traitor to traditional American values – the ones on which our great country was founded.

I am tired of Liberal Republicans saying we nee to be more open to others. Guess what. We are. We had pro choice and pro life presidential candidates. Oh yea, we had a woman running for VP. African American Sec of State, Afriacan American leader og GOPAC. and possibly a RNC Chairman who could be blac

Guess what Lib. The Democratic party needs to be open. Not one pro-life candidate. Close minded, goose stepping radicals

Hey, "Gift of the Maji" The problem with the republican party is that it's become the party of the Neanderthals & Troglodites. They couldn't adapt to a changing world and look what happened to them!!! G.W. Bush told as many lies as he had to to dupe incredibly NAIEVE people like you to support his ADVENTURE in Iraq which has cost us $700 Billion and counting. and countless lives. He DOUBLED the national debt to $10 TRILLION in just 5 short years!! Many republicans are closet homosexuals like Sen. Larry Craig and Mark Foley. MANY republicans are on their third wives like Newt Gingrich, Bob Barr, Rudy Giuliani, Ruch Limbaugh etc. Limbaugh is a drug addict addicted to Hillbilly Heroin and goes to the Dominican Republic the have sex with prostitutes. Republicans claim they hate government but the just LOVE to appoint their cronies and then FLEECE the goverment and the taxpayers. The DEMOCRATS have their issues but the republicans are at least 1o times worse!!!

General Powell, you sir.... are an idiot.

Its RINO's like you that need to be purged from the party; and take Arnold, Lindsey Grahamnesty and (dare I say it) his surrogate father McCain with you.

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Wilson Reagan

Either Powell doesn't get it or he doesn't want to get it. The reason the GOP lost was because McCain WASN'T a Conservative, not that he was too conservative. What Powell, not surprisingly, is suggesting is for Conservatives to give up their principles and PANDER to minorities. I absolutely agree that the GOP MUST do a better job of bringing more minorities into the Party but that can and should be dome by sticking to the exact principles that Rush Limbaugh stands for. There IS a battle for the heart and soul of the GOP and it is people like Powell who represent the type of Rebublicrats who LOSE elections. This country is STILL to the right of center and the GOP needs to aggressively recruit Black and Hispanic Conservatives to attract a higher percentage of that vote. Even as bad of a candidate as McCain was, he still would have won if it weren't for all the stupid people who actually came out and voted this year (for Obama) who couldn't even answer simple questions about our government or even Obama's policies.

Wheew... what a bunch of meaningless words...
What we have here is Rem democrats, a single mindset
to feed off the American working folks, be that blue or
white collar. We are so far from the original American
system of government that my ancestors are undoubtedly
turning in their graves in Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Minnesota, Montana, and Idaho. Ya they were here
before 1700, and helped establish this country.

They should call Colin Powell "Judas", Listen to Rush not this turn coat who is a Racist and voted for Obama just because he is black !!!

To quote President Bush: "if you aren't with me you are against me"
seems to have sounded narrow and easy to reject according to Colling Powell. Powell, for some reason always gave the impression
that he lacked committment when he spoke as Secretary of State
It seems that he felt a strong disagreement about Mr Bush's
policies and also Mr Cheney's. WHY DID HE STAY ON. At that
time he was showing his true colors of a "turn coat". He should have
resigned and moved on.
He also should ha ve given up the GOP.
He showed his lack of loyalty to his Party and the President, and voted
for someone of his color (Barrack Obama). As a suppossedly ex-
miltary man, his flip over showed extremely poor character. I am glad
I never had to serve under him.

He's right, time for the Republican party to
wake up, become the Party of Thomas Jefferson again, they need to kick the
Hillbilly Moronic religious right to the curb
and regain the intellectual high ground.

I agree 100%. As a Republican, I'm glad Obama won because his victory defeated the racial, hateful wing of the Party. Palin is pathetic and not a role model. And if we continue to let a loser like Rush dictate and guide the Republican party, I will continue to vote for a Democrat.
Rush is a divorced loser who can't hold on to a women or control his pill popping habit.

What do you mean "lesser instincts?" Since when is smaller government, lower taxes, personal responsibility, free enterprise, strong national defense, and freedom, a lesser instinct? That is what strong republican and democrat leaders used to believe and that's what America is or was mostly about. I'm not an old white guy or a religious wacko. If someone would have those beliefs in his or her "hearts and minds" I would support them, whether democrat or republican.

STFU Powell, you showed your true colors in this past election. You may call yourself a Republican but you are no Conservative.

When Colin Powell endorsed Obama I tried to send him an email. I searched and searched without success. I then sent a snail-mail to his publisher to be forwarded to him whenever they had an oportunity. I've not heard one word from this "washed-up has been." It is time the media turns him off as many of the readers of the news are doing.
Powell was a chump in Nam and at the Mai Lia trials and is showing his true self now.

If I were you Ms Connie, I'd run far far away without any food or water and simply run until I fall off the face of the Earth. There's no reason you or anyone like you should exist. And call me a hating liberal all you want, I will admit....

I HATE people like you. This is ridiculous that in the 21st century, here we are, still allowing heathens like you to roam the Earth. Crawl in a 4 day old leftovers maggoty garbage disposal and blend in with the rest of the cretins that encrust themselves in stagnant water and rusty pipes...

.........and take Rush with you.........

Rush is over. Colin Powell is right on that point.
Glenn Beck is who conservatives need to listen to.

Conservatives always win – see Reagan's 49 state landslide.

Center-left Rockefeller-Republicans like Bush and McCain, either barely win, or lose.

The GOP needs to get back to its Goldwater/Reagan/Palin roots and it will win. RINOs and imposters like Powell and McSame are the problem with the current GOP, not the solution.

Hey Colin, How did that Iraq War you lead us into turn out for ya??

What a moron!

One reason why I voted for McCain

The Republican party is fighting back after decades of liberal attack. After listening to the Decocratic party and their bedfellows, minorities, gay right groups and other alternative lifestyle and communistic and socialistic political affiliations the Republican Party understands that to protect our country and the beliefs of our founding fathers documented in the Constitution of the United States we must fight for what we believe........ Let's just water down what our ancesters fought for, what we were raised to believe and understand. Our skins not tough enough for the truth today. We are soft skinned. Our brains only believe what the media tells us lest we forget God gave us a brain to make our own choices. Hollywood is god. Politicians tell the truth...... The earth is flat...... Powell and Rush are only humans and don't control anything.....

When will the left formulate a logic-based counterargument to the principled Leader of the Opposition? As he was, is now and ever shall be. 1992 redux, Chicago style.

Well if within 20 years or less the minority(by Powell's recollection is African Americans,Hispanics& Asians will out number the majority(I suppose he conciders us causans that) then THEY won't be the minority any more but WE will . So does that entitle us to all the wha wha wha ,and freebies that the minoritys do now? Does that mean that if a crime is commited by another race to a causan will it be concered a hate crime? Which I think that is all a bunch of hooy. I think if we all just act like discent human beings and follow the 10 comandments then this world would be so much better off. And yes I belive in GOD!!!! If anyone else doesn't like it then there are lots of other countries that you are welcome to go to. This one was founded on that principal.

LOL...Republicans showing their true colors tday, eh? What, did Rush send you?

Rubbish!!!

The GOP ran Juan Shamnesty McSame – the most liberal, pro-amnesty Republican they had....and they lost because millions of conservative voters stayed home.

In 2012, if the GOP runs a traditional Conservative, they'll win in a landslide – as conservatives ALWAYS do.

But, if they run another mushy-middle/left Republican like McSame, they'll be wiped out, again.

Colin Powell has never been a republican. He has no understanding of republican principles. He doesn't operate by principles. He is the politician. Could never be a statesmen. He doesn't have a clue what anyone thinks. He is the perfect example of affirmative action gone wrong- mediocrity.

Well, his comments just show that Mr. Powell has never listened to Mr. Limbaugh. If he did, he would be aware that this show is informative, enlightening and hilarious. Those who say that Mr. Limbaugh shouts at the world obvoisly have not listened to the show and maybe Mr. Powell should start talking to those who actually listen to the show and not just those who feel they are above the rest of us Americans.

By the way, all you Obama voters will soon come to regret your vote. If you don't then you are not mentally stable. Marxism and Socialism are not the American Way.

Many of us Conservative-Republicans are from diverse backgrounds, but we are not recognized because we believe in personal responsibility & reliance on God, and not reliance on Government. I disagree that Rush Limbaugh is the problem. At least he believes in equal opportunity and principle. Compromise is not principle. Personal Responsibility is demonstrated by exhibiting character, integrity; by giving of our time, wisdom and money, and not expecting the government to do it on our behalf !!

Why on earth should "Republicans" listen to Powell after he endorsed Barack Obama? If that is Powell's idea of being less "polar", then I say, good riddance!

Fareed Zakaria also needs to come up with another subject. This is the 3rd or 4th segment or commentary I have read with this same theme: trying to advise Republicans to become less conservative in order to win. History proves that this is BAD advice, no matter what pundits say about changing demographics (which have been predicted as long as I can remember, but never materialized).

When Republicans nominate conservatives, they win. Otherwise, they generally lose. Reagan was a true conservative and a winner. George H.W. Bush was not, and he lost re-election. Bob Dole was very moderate, and he lost. George W. Bush ran as a conservative twice, but became unpopular with out-of-control spending and expanding government. We know what happened to McCain.

I don't care what Powell or other pundits like Zakaria say. History speaks for itself: most Americans favor independence and smaller government. When Republican nominees campaign on these principles, they do well every time. When they don't, their base simply doesn't show up at the polls.

It's a good thing Rush is such an incompetent boob...

Republicans do not have any minorities in elective positions. Mel Martinez of Florida is leaving and the replacement is rumoured to be Jeb Bush, the former Governor (remember the elections?). Unless you are white, you have no part in the Republican party. Le's face it, the party is Strom Thurmond is the party of former souther Democrats, who switched from the Democratic party becasue the Democratic party was becoming too "open" It is not the party of Lincoln. It is the party of Trent Lott (remember what he said of Strom Thurmond several years ago?). Interesting thing is that they all harped on Obama and reverend Writing "why didn't leave the church?" Did they ever leave the Republican party when southern racists like Strom Thurmond joined? When he opposed Truman as a Dixiecrat, Thurmond's motto was "Segregation yesterday, segragation today, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever" They sat with him in the Senate for almost half a century. And there was no moral outrage from the Republicans when it was revealed upon his death that Mr. Thurmond, the leading segregationist, had fathered childen with black women who had worked in his house. I know someone will respond to me with names like Condolleezza Rice as a high ranking Republican. Before they do so, they should remember that we are talking about eleced officials, not appointed ones.
Good for you Collin. Call it straight. Rush Limbugh is a leading demagogue and so are the Republicans who subscribe to him.
Dr. A. D. Musila.

It was sad to see Colon Powell turn into a front runner. Can you imagine backing Obama 2-3 weeks before the election. Stand tall soldier, you should have gotten in at the beginning. ARE YOU A LEADER OR A FOLLOWER!

General Powell. I thought soldiers fought for the 1st Amendment and would not advocate censorship or the muzzling of a mere radio talk show host. Doesn't freedom of speech meant hat we have the right to make others feel uncomfortable and hear what may be offensive? Limbaugh is an entertainer who entertains millions each week by pointing out the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of the political left using humor as well as accurate criticism. He does this with humor and without four letter words and lies. If Limbaugh is to be muzzled why not John Stewart or the many other liberals on TV who love to point out the same hypocrisy and inconsitencies of the right? What ever happned to Voltaire's defense of freedom of speech when he said, "I totally disgree with what you say but I will fight to death your right to say it"?

In the U.S. we have 70 million private-sector workers being bankrupted by 100 million Americans on the dole and 30 million government workers who cater to them. Obviously, we are becoming a communist country with all the problems of totalitarianism, heavy taxes, declining standard of living, poorly thought out social politicies, rising unemployment which will lead to an economic collapse. Governemnt leaders are just buying a little time with bailouts while they stuff their pockets. Read mensunion.org I've got my cabin in the mountains outfitted by solar panels, greenhouse, well, wood stove, etc. Good luck boys. When the bread lines get too long I'll watch the poor riot and our cities burn with arson. Europe is already experiencing the beginning of the end of the West.

The Republican Party should stick with its principles and dogma–that's the point of having them. What needs to change are the actions of our Republican leaders–they need to walk the talk and stick with their conservative principles. To win again, our leaders need to be more conservative and offer an actual alternative to the Democratic Party, instead of being soft socialists as well.

The left is far more rigid and flatly hateful than the right. Most right wing commentators have been corgial about obama's election, but the left wing hysteria about bush is out of control (see olbermann).

The right must push conservative economic values and be more open to other social positions IMO.

And your point Colin, is what???????????????

Let see if I get this straight:
"GOP must see what is in the "hearts and minds" of African-American, Hispanic and Asian voters "and not just try to nfluence them by… the principles and dogma."
Therefore Sec. Powell just stated/implied that in the "hearts and minds" of the minorities he listed aren't influenced by principles?
Jeez...there was a time when having and following principles was actually a good thing...guess not in Powell's world (anymore).

Mr. Powell served our country and for that most of us Americans who love our country appreciate him. Other than that he is a liberal hack. The every freedom he defended (speech for you ignorant liberals) is the one thing he is advocating taking away. Let the listening audience determine if Rush should be heard. Regardless of what you think, Rush and people like him are inspiring and entertaining for the 47 percent of us who rejected Obama and his policies. I look forward to watching Obama and his fellow thugs fail miserably.

After reading some of the post I really understand why the GOP lost. Some of you so called "conservatives" are simply undercover biggots. Do you really believe that ethnic Americans don't share your values. Many people had to put their values aside, and vote Democrat, because the GOP was going to rip this country in two pieces with their under handed racial tactics. You guys need to take a look in the mirror, and ask yourselves if Jesus is please with you.

I think it's really funny when "progressive" people tell others to open up their minds. But, the only thing they want to hear are other people like themselves. One of the basic ideas of our country was the freedom to exchange ideas- not to demonize the people you disagree with. We all want is best for everyone! If you disagree with me today- that's fine, but you may want to agree with me tomorrow. Or, vice versa. I love this country and want nothing but the best for it. More government is not the answer. " You cannot tax a country into prosperity".

I have yet to see a high profile republican take the path of conservitism since President Regan. The more "inclusive" conservitives become the more they will melt into the fabric of liberalism. The "better instincts" are for support of true rights as Americans and protecting those God given rights. Republicans do not represent me. I am Conservitive and when a party can understand what a conservitive is and believes then truley we will be represented; and when a country understands and lives in Consertivitism then truley we will be free. Dear Secretary, you, like many have lost your way.

Fellas, you're gonna want that cowbell

RUSH is only being a spokesper......spokesman for Conservative Values. The current crop of shucksters are a watered down mix
of "whatever feels good" politicians. The values of Conservative government are true and correct. Get out of the way and help people make money and a better life for all!

Time will tell and my $ is on Maha Rushie.

Colin Powell is a fool. He could have had it all. Now, he's just another RINO and barely that. He did have gravitas but, politically he's an idiot. I find most republicans turn foolish when confronted by the big bad manic liberal machine. Then rather then defending priniciples they opt for conditional truth. So sad watching logic and wisdom give up to sloganeering and lies.

Go ahead and keep listening to that phoney hillbilly heroin junkie Limbaugh,all he ever did was rant about how anyone that broke any drug law should be thrown in prison but when he gets caught hoarding Ocycotin and doctor shopping he shows himself to be the phoney that he really is.

you dopes deserve the guy.

Rush Limbaugh speaks the truth, puts events of today in perspective and provides historical facts and background. When he makes a statement, he usually has plenty of facts to support his contentions and his common sense is refreshing. Thank goodness for Rush! We've been saying for thirty years what Rush says via radio and how wonderful it is to realize we aren't alone in our feelings. Thank you, Rush, for justifying our feelings and giving us a much-needed voice!

Hacks like Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly are good at one thing, and that's spewing hate throughout the airways. It's about time for all Republicans to finally see the light and reject the narrow minded beliefs from these idiots. God bless Colin Powell for bucking his party and telling the truth!

Colin Powell is right that the GOP needs to rethink how it conducts business. However, this whole business of the GOP always being "bipartisan" and the democrats dropping all pretense every year other than election years has got to stop. The GOP needs to define its principles and stick to 'em. Winning elections is easier when your principals are for sale to most everyone, but living with yourself in those cases is not. And egad, drop the "I hate Rush Limbaugh" nonsense. Rush is one of many radio commentators, and he brings a perspective that is unique from other perspectives, a "diverse viewpoint." Isn't that great? Rush is not hateful, even if he doesn't agree with some of the more bizarre "progressive" points of view. He certainly isn't a spokesperson for the GOP, or even close (though I think that would help).

Powell is a RINO.

How can you idiots be so fooled by Ruuush Lim-Baw! He has found that by making vicious fun of liberals he can garner a large audience of rednecks and make tons of money. He, himself, has admitted that he is interested only in ratings - the higher he gets the more can be charged for the advertising. If he could get even higher ratings and make even more money by berating conservatives, he'd do it tomorrow.

Who would listen to Powell the ugly traitor acting like a Republican. Somebody like this guy should not talk about Rush he is not good enough to clean his shoes. If you don't listen to Rush, don't belly ache about him, he is a decent man something I would not say about Powell.

Traitor! Filthy traitor who is now trying to win favor with the Democrats.

I have no respect for this bum.

Gift of Maji – You shouldn't be correcting anyones spelling or grammar or anything else. Your comments are riddled with errors, Einstein. For one – it's "Powell" not "Powel". LMAO!

Powell doest like to listen to rush turn off the radio general your problem is you cant handle the truth that rush represents you bit the hand that fed you for so long turned your back on your freind and indorsed obama for reasons other then racial yeah right. As off base and radical that obama is at least he isnt a turn coat on the party or the administration like you .Rush calls them like he sees them and you dont like that he saw right through you . Everyone knows your a phony your own community and now the ones you were in league with for most of your career.There was a time I thought you would have made a great president but now I am glad you never ran because your a flip flopper your not presidential material your no ike he was a great general and a great president

There is such a need for all of us to refresh our collective memories about the historic struggles and supreme sacrifices of our real American heros. What can be seen in the blogs is that we do not even respect our freedom of speech that came at such a high cost. General Colin Powell has certainly more than earned his right to speak, whether or not we agree with him. And the discussion about the Republican party and Rush Limbaugh is a no-brainer; no one is forced to turn on the Limbaugh program. I am a registered Republican and I do face the reality that if we continue to disrespect our historic principles, and if we adopt the "standards" of the other party, then we deserve what we get.

I think it's Powell who needs to take a step back and look in the mirror. A "republican"??? He endorses the commie just b4 the election? He kept Bush Sr from eliminating Saddam in 1991, thus leaving us and the world open to his murderous schemes for 12 more years and leading partly to the mess we're in now. A man made of affirmative action from the word go. Was he ever the best man for any job or school opening? Please, Mr Powell, admit you're a foolish democrat and leave those of us who believe in conservatism and America alone. Maybe there's a Senatorship in it for you.

Of all the people that I am ashamed of the most in politics, Colin Powell takes the top prize. As a Senior Military Leader & Statesman, he should know better than most that one should never, ever, render power to the inexperienced, or to an apprentice at best, especially in the magnitude of being the most powerful leader of the free world, which is the case when he endorsed Obama – A smooth talking charlatan, reminiscent of a prosperous pimp. I do not care to listen to how it was a stab back at President Bush, or for whatever other excuses that are out there. With Colin Powell, like Winfrey, it was all about color, pure & simple. I am not saying that McCain was any better – he wasn't. The only honest faces out there were Joe the Plumber & Governor Palin. However, for those who do not believe the motive behind Colin Powell's decision to endorse Obama, give it time, for it always tells the truth. Colin Powell's true colors, though quite evident now, are very ugly indeed. Who is he fooling? Not this American.

That a loser like Colin Powell has to cajole the Republican party away from Rush Limbaugh logic is pathetic. The republicans are a lost cause because of their insidious bond to jesus and limbaugh. But the good news for Americans is that the party is in Dead Man Walking status. It will not be long before total collapse ends that ideology.

Powell should do what old generals should do. Just fade away.
He is quickly becoming Jimmy Carters little brother. How ironic with what is going down in Illinois with the crime wave the democrats stew in with ties to Obama that you people and Powell are telling the GOP what to do.

LOL

Powell is and has always been a Dem in sheep's clothing. I have never listened to him but I always listen to RUSH.

Has Colin Powell EVER listened to Rush Limbaugh?

VERY VERY UNLIKELY !

All that Colin Powell knows about Rush Limbaugh is what the elite news media told him, and they HATE Rush.

Hello...??? It's the LIBERALS that listen to Rush Limbaugh. I would consider myself to be a progressive person, with plenty of respect for spiritual matters, duty, honor, and country. And I have NEVER listened to a Rush Limbaugh show. I doubt I'm alone.

The Libs listen to Limbaugh BECAUSE he makes them furious.

Who really needs to get a life here...Rush...or the Libs...???

Colin Powell is a disgrace, and should immediately reregister as a Democrat. He has proved in many ways he has no loyalty to the Republican Party, and to go to the extreme of embracing a Marxist like Obama should drive the point home. If there is anyone we should hear less from, it's Mr. Powell.

Good luck with all of that.

There are two types of people in the world. Those who hear and learn from the truth and those who want to just feel good. I'll let you guess the party affiliations they usually end up with......

When Whites are a minority in the U.S, it won't be soon after they will be in Europe.

What other ethnic groups are cheering on their destruction? Is Asia or Africa becoming 'more diverse'? Or is it simply formally White countries?

Powell is certifiably liberal and insane.

Powell is a vendictive traitor.

I will continue to listen to Rush. It is ingrate liberal Republicans like Powell that should shut up. Powell's agenda is Powell and his $100,000 speeches and liberal elite social circuit.

Of all the people that I am ashamed of the most in politics, Colin Powell takes the top prize. As a Senior Military Leader & Statesman, he should know better than most that one should never, ever, render power to the inexperienced, or to an apprentice at best, especially in the magnitude of being the most poweful leader of the free world, which is the case when he endorsed Obama, a smooth talking charlatan, reminiscent of a prosperous pimp. I do not care to listen to how it was a stab back at President Bush, or for whatever other excuses that are out there. With Colin Powell, like Winfrey, it was all about color, pure & simple. I am not saying that McCain was any better – he wasn't. The only honest faces out there were Joe the Plumber & Governor Palin. However, for those who do not believe the motive behind Colin Powell's decision to endorse Obama, give it time, for it always tells the truth. Colin Powell's true colors, though quite evident now, are very ugly indeed. Who is he fooling? Not this American.

Spot on Powell!!!!!

If you do not like Rush change the channel. To my knowledge we still have more than one station in this country. Maybe not in 4 years but we do today

Well, the Republican party really needs to stand for something besides just anything Democrats are for, or saying one thing that people want to hear, and then doing the opposite....right in your face. And then tell you it didn't happen. Along with using scare tactics to prod their followers/sheep in any direction they want them in. If they want smaller and smaller less powerful government, why do so many Republicans spend millions to gain more power by running for office in our government??? Notice the consistent say one thing, and do another happening again? Maybe a bigger question is whether the Republican party is even necessary. Just reviewing our past 20 year history, the 'party' has been more of a negative impact on our country than a benefit.

Sure.isten to Powell, all the minorities will be the majority, the other minority will be the white race, then when they complain, your back to where you started from...the lib side of the coin, make everyone happy and sing coombya...never works.

Paging Colin Powell's doctor! Secretary Powell is off his meds again... He apparently thinks the GOP gives a northbound rat's southern exposure what his opinions are.

After lying about WMDs, he should have been put in prison...

Mr. Powell is correct. Minority groups are allowed into the "TENT" yet can never dictate or lead unless there is consensus among the group. We have to bring this country closer together in order to revive our society. If not, we are doomed to perish. Trickle down economics has not worked.

except ar accept

Spoken like a true liberal.
Because a conservative wants to keep to their core beliefs does not translate to seperatism and discrimination. Everyone is welcome to this party. But don't try to water down the essence of it. It is in fact the liberal who seperates, based on ethnicity and language and is intolarant of others beliefs. It is the liberal who shouts down the opposition. Or uses violence to intimidate other When a liberal is loosing a politicqal argument because they argue feelings instead of facts, it is they who take off their shoe and start banging it on the table. It is the liberal who ostrisizes when loosing in the arena of ideas. Colin Powell doesn't know where he belongs. He is the one who backs a candidate based on race not the conservative. When Cornwallis surrendered to Washington the band played "The World Turned Upside Down" That is the tune is should be played today.
How long can we listen to Rush Limbaugh? As long as politicians speak through both sides of their mouths and as long as Liberals spin half truths into everyday beliefs. He is the political light that makes the halftruths disguised as shadows disappear.

Powell is a Republican in much the same way that Bloomberg and Schwarzenager are, in name only. I have never been impressed with Powell as an intellectual or visionary. The fact is, he used the Bush administrations as much as they used him. Now that the symbiotic relationships no longer exist, he is reconfiguring himself to blend with Obama's emergence. Powell was a token selection placed in high profile positions. At first he gave powerpoint presentations to the media and the nation during the first Iraq intrusion, then later was appointed Secretary of State. In those positions of authority, he was more image than substance. Rush Limbaugh does not represent the Republican Party and does he cowtow to the whims of that party's leadership. He is opinionated,yes, and those opinions typically run in contrast to liberal thinking. So what! In a free society, we should all defend the rights to voice our opinions, without discrimination. The United States Constitution is the backbone to our great nation, and it should not be tampered with. Now how about moving on to verifying Mr. Obama's birth certificate in accordance with this document?

The truth doesn't need to change... as much as others would like it to change. Limbaugh tells the truth. Don't forget, he's a mixture of information, commentary and humor.

Listen for two months, and if you don't continue, your wiring is not hooked up right.

Colin Powel must be living n a cave. Republicans aren't listening to Rush– not the ones in power. Republicans are basically the same as democrats now. And Colin, you are not a conservative. You are a liar.

I know not what others may choose, but has for me Give me Liberty or Give me Death. I don't give up my convictions! Its not right or left, Its right or wrong! By the way ,It,s alright to wish me Merry Christmas.

The majority of Americans are idiots, they voted for hope and change and got a darker clinton. Powell is a liberal hack who

General Powell is a Republican in name only. When liberals run out of arguments in the arena of ideas they always declare with such high moral conviction that conservatives are divisive, appeal to our lessor instincts and are just mean spirited. What a crock.

Let me be clear. Liberals are either dirt poor and sincerely need help or are rich, white, guilt ridden, highly educated that have no sense of reality.

Conservatism does not need to be redefined. Values do not evolve. Integrity does not evolve. Conservatism encourages people to hold freedom, self reliance and belief in the human spirit to triumph against all odds. In contrast to conservatism, liberalism says you can't make it on your own because you are a victim because of your race, education, family history, or a multitude of other reasons why people are a failure and will always be a failure. Liberals make excuses and are really pitiful. I used to be a liberal then I grew up.

Colin Powell is a liberal and needs to go polish his stars.

Can any of you people spell?

Mr Powell

You are not a conservative. You are a neoconservative (aka socialist) such as Bush and there isn't really any difference between neocons and democrats. Limbaugh is one of the few who truly still speaks about what conservatism means and what it stands for.

Powell you sold out a long time ago for your $50k speaking gigs... you supported Obama (a known collectivist/socialist) when you knew McCain was done. Mr Powell, you are a tool in every since of the word. I have no respect for you.

Bring on the real conservatives such as Ron Paul and even Sarah Palin who would not sell our her own conservative beliefs when McCain and her were such opposites.

People have had enough of living in despotism, under GOP rule or DNC rule. We need to vote for someone who has shown true principles and who won't sell us out to the banksters.

the so called GOP is always petting itself on the back,with all that talk about being conservative,real american,hockey mom, Joe six pack jazz! What they need to do is stop talking as if no one outside of this picture has any values or points of view. During the election MCcain and Palin were talking stuff like, let take America back!!! FROM WHOM? THE AMERICAN PEOPLE......

Admit it, General Powell, you're a liberal at heart. If you were a true conservative, you would know that most Republicans think for themselves instead of allowing others to think for them.

Colin Powell portends to speak for Republicans? He's a RINO, and clearly voted for Obama because of the color of his skin, not the content of his character. Phoney!

What Republican party? It's being run by a bunch of RINO's that are just liberal lite. This last election showed it. we had a choice of lib lite and and far left BHO. I voted for McCain holding my nose. You think we had problems with Pres Bush, set back and enjoy the show while we are bankrupted and socilized.They can't wait to get into office and take over businesses, wipe out free speech on radio, tie up or economy with Algore's fraudulent man made global warming.

If anyone spends any time at all listening to Rush you know the comments are BS. He has said over and over that he is a conservative and when the Republican party quits trying to beat the Dem's at their own game and get back to ther core values then he'll be back. That's ditto for me. The country doesn't stay as one instead of all this we have to this for this group and that for that group that's going on now. We will just become as screwed up as europe has become. But why am I wasting my time, I'm talking to people who just voted in someone they know nothing about, got is training Cook county politics and all he had to do was talk nice and use 3rd grade slogans like "Yes We Can" and they get on their knees to worship the anointed, or maybe like Chris Mathews, listening to BHO sends thrills up and down his legs.

I agree. It's going to be a rough few years for the GOP if they don't stop polarizing the Old White Man party they've created. The youth of today were disgusted with the Bush and what they saw were conservatives. If the GOP wants to remain a major party they've got to open their doors. This doesn't mean losing your values, it means that they'll have to figure out a way to return to their original principals. For example, same-sex marriage. Republicans trout less government regulation... so why are they supporting the government for telling who you can and can't marry? I see the future of the GOP has to take is like the Libertarian party. Who was did the youth overwhelming support? Ron Paul.

Great idea – dilute the republican party and make it more like the democrats, all but guaranteeing one party rule. The republican party should not be listening to anyone who offers a solution to them that is to be more like the democrats. Bush tried that and has overseen the largest expansion of Government in recent memory.

This is a prescription for republican party suicide and it should be rejected.

You are no hero in my eyes, The gop. should throw you out. Some might forget how you " helped get us into Iraq, I won't" A hero would have came out on the white house steps and screamed the truth about what you knew, you didn't. You go against your chosen party to endorse Obama, after claiming to be a friend to McCain, with friends like you we sure don't need enemies.

I submit that Secretary Powell endorsed Obama within a week of testifying before a federal jury ON THE BEHALF of the now-convicted Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) as a character witness. Stevens is corrupt and Powell took his side. This has nothing to do with President-Elect Obama other than Colin Powell's judgement of character.

Well said, Mr. Powell!

The Republican party has now come to signify intolerance, hyprocrisy, self-righteousness and bullying.

I used to be Republican and I had to change because of their ugly, hateful behavior. The Rush Limbaugh / Shawn Hannity/ Savage and O'Reilly gang that rule the conservative media make me sick. They do not love America. They make millions by dividing the country and promoting hate and discord. Only racists and extremists listen to them and support them.... and, unfortunately, we will always have those amongst us...

Colin Powell, he has ears but cannot hear, he has eyes but cannot see, and the heart maybe harden. The truth will always be ignored by the agendas of the lost.

Powell doesn't know what he's talking about. He himself obviously *doesn't* listen to Rush Limbaugh. He's stereotyping Limbaugh based on Demmy caricatures.

Come on, Colin. For years you've been looking for approval from the leftist press. It's time you did what you've wanted to do all along. Go and join the Democratic Party.

Attack Christianity, support gay marriage, promote abortion, let the Chinese drill for oil off our coasts but stop us from doing so - go full-nutso Demmy, my man. It's time.

(1)If Rush weren't effective, and "right on", he wouldn't still be the target of the left. (2)The left wants to "silence" opposing views....because they cannot offer credible arguments....only character destruction. They actually do the deeds that they accuse the other party of.(3) Mr Powell is going after Rush because Rush pretty adequately described Mr Powell's motives to a "tee". Let's watch this web of Chicago politics play out....

Re: T J Clarks comments.

Right on. Where are the conservative political leaders that speak the way you do? If we had a leader that professed these truths, Obama would have been defeated in a landslide!!!!!

Colin Powell is a liberal democrat parading around as a moderate Republican. He has nothing to offer any political party because he is a fence ridding wimp.
He is where he is today because of Ronald Reagan plain and simple.
He hid in the bushes until he saw a very possible Obama election then sprang forward to get a few network moments.
Until blacks get off what Reagan called the democrat plantation Republicans can forget about winning any of them over to their side no matter what they might offer.

You are incorrect Mr Powell.
It is not the GOP that is polarized. It is our nation that is polarized.
You are in effect asking conservative people to surrender their principles; principles largely responsible for the strength and prosperity this nation has enjoyed.
The liberal/socialist ideology advocated by todays Democrat party does not include adherance to principles. Nor does it exhibit any legitimate measure of unity. Their interest is in making sure everyone believes they can do as they please without significant effort or contribution. "Vote Democrat" is their only requirement. This has never succeded...anywhere on the planet.
The economic turmoil we are experiencing will get worse and through this many will come to understand both the value of principles and the folly of expecting the government to meet their needs.

He's right about the GOP, and also about Rush Limbaugh. Mainstream America isn't buying what he's selling. That goes for Palin as well. You have no proof that Powell is not a Republican!

Why does this article keep referring to Powell and 'his party' and 'crossing party lines' to support Obama? If Powell is a republican then I'm Secretary of State! Powell has never declared himself a Republican, he only served in a Rebublican administration until he couldn't be loyal to the President. He waited until the last possible minute to endorse Bush in 2000 and the extreme last possible minute to endorse Obama. He only endorsed Obama so as to not raise the ire of other black leaders in the U.S. Powell is not a Republican and never has been. He is an opportunist who knows nothing about Rebublican virtues and ideals. Republican fortunes will improve when we got back to being the party of Reagan which included the'big tent' policy of Lee Atwater.

As an past combat service veteran, Powell has lost all credibility with most of us. It's sad as he was a great soldier. It's not Rush who panders to our lessor qualities, it is the liberal and quasi-conservatives like Powell and Clark. It's that dangerous pair of idiots, Pelosi and Reid. It's those puffed up bums like Kerry. It's those, whatever s like Frank and Dodd. It's those country club Republicans who have remained full of themselves and lost their way from the people and conservatism. I've listened to Rush for 20 years and there is no better spokesman for all that is sane and good about this great land than this most misunderstood and wrongly reviled man. He is truly the Thomas Paine of our days. History will smile upon his great mind and kind heart. Shame on you Powell and the rest of you who are unlearned and selfish and don't have any appreciation or care for the fact you live in the greatest and most bountiful and most free land ever land to ever exist in the history of mankind.

General, you've been in DC to long, Rush Limbaugh speaks for the majority of America. You would do well to travel this land and hear what ordinary Americans think about Obama and the Liberals. Respectfully, A retired Master Sergeant.

General Powell is in service of his counrty first as a former soldier, not a political party. Thats why he said what he said. I wish more people were like him.

What's so strange about a RINO like Powell who was promoted to CJCS in the Pentagon by a republican. Then became SOS by another republican telling the world that republicans need to favor the minority ? Then his son being appointed to the FCC by a republican.

Look where you've been Mr. Powell and who placed you . A graduate from a 2rd rate college in New York and into the stature you now shout down ? Youre mind for politics may be state of the art as a RINO but your analytical skills are middle school level simply pandering to the momentary power of a Chicago punk.

Hey General Powell . . listening to Rush Limbaugh and talk radio doesn't appeal to our "lesser instincts" ignoring the content of a candidate's character, or or where they stand on issues, and voting instead based upon their skin color would a "lesser instinct".

All people Republican or Democrat should avoid voting based upon such benign factors as pigment, if we are ever to live in a truly color blind society.

If conservatism is so great why is it that no conservative can name another country where it works?

So, once again Democrats – or ex Republicans such as Powell – are trying to peg The Republican Party as a party of intolerance and racism. Shame on Powell for yet again playing the race card in an attempt to gain credibility in the black community.

He's nothing but a turn coat.....this man has the Oprah complex.....no soul....you can see it in his eyes. He's lost ....
Reagan made this man...now he's turning in his grave.

Reagan-style Conservatism is not the problem......lukewarm Republicans wanting to be buddy-buddy with the Washington cocktail party set are.

Sound like anyone who was interviewed in this article??

In reading the responces in this the problem with America are only spotlighted. We continue to elect politicians to office when there is almost a single digit approval rating. We are not happy with ourselves, much less our leadersship. Too bad people cannot see the light for the glare. I disagree with Gen. Powell, but I cannot be bitter with him. I do not think the problem with the economy falls with the President, but with the Congress and their mismanagement. Please, do not give up for your moral and fiscal conseravatism – it is what made this nation great and will continue it on the track to a historical first – a long term people of the people, for the people and by the people. But since the electorate has now found the purse strings and is voting to their own bellies, how long can it last...

The world will be a much better place when the likes of Shane H, Limbaugh, and Papa Bear are out of a job.

Why Colin Powell, you are a racist! I used to have the utmost respect for you, but saw your true colors when you backed the marxist in waiting. Now you want to silence the opposition. You are a sellout and make me sick!!!! You have lost your dignity so now your only option is to be one more sleazy liberal.

By the way Fairness Doctrine defenders, this won't only affect the listeners. AM radio will shut down, thus more jobs go away. Remember, we aren't idiots on the right side. We are truth seekers and since we can't rely on the Obama media to get the truth, we have other ways. We will not be silenced. You people are fools who want to infringe on free speech. You think it won't affect you. Read some history since you are lacking in knowledge. There was a another evil dictator named Hitler. You might want to take a look at what he did to take over Germany. Don't think your messiah won't do the same.

I smell revolution in the air!

The problem is, Republicans have changed for the worse! Not because they have gone to the right, but because of the moderates in the party! If Republicans do better PR, they can affect change. The right doesn't have to move at all! I love those who think so. They couldn't be more incorrect.

Proud of republicans. Unpopular choices are to blame. Don't give up and get back in the game.

Powell seems to be a real man of integrity. No wonder he had problems with Bush.

ANYHOO!! Powell lost his credibility before the Iraq war at the U.N.!!! LOL, This aint news

It's a sad commentary when someone like Colin Powell believes the color of one's skin is what dictates their beliefs. No one, not even Rush Limbaugh, should put aside their beliefs in order to placate people who find the color of their skin more important than ideals and values. There is nothing wrong with strongly presenting your views that reflect your ideals and values – ideals and views I might add that should cross all ethnic lines. It's also a shame that people are more concerned with how someone says something rather than if what they are saying is right.

Colin Powell is NOT a Republican. Never Was. You fools who say McCain and Powell would turn the Republican party around are crazy. They would be Democrat Lite. Conservatism is what the Party needs. Limbaugh is right, he espouses conservatism consistently. Reagan was a conservative. People like Powell need to go to the party that they belong in, the Democrat Party. We don't need moderates polluting our party.

Oh, puh-leese...Gen Powell is going to lecture Republicans on ethical behavior? Care to explain why, when you knew for TWO YEARS, that your deputy, Richard Armitage was the person that leaked Valerie Plahms name (self admitted...google it) to the press, you forgot to mention it while the press blamed Bush, Cheney, and for all I know, Mother Theresa for the leak. Yep, lots of integrity there, all right. Speaking of integrity, way to back stab Senator McCain, a life long friend (by your admission) and, like yourself, a liberal in conservative clothing who agrees with you on almost every subject, by supporting Obama. That didn't have anything to do with race, did it, or the hope for an administration post, did it? Yeah, you're quite the one to be throwing rocks at the party you supported all your life. Integrity, yep, thats YOU!

For Me I'm glad he switched sides...Someone with his miltary background should know better. He obvious was more of an subordinate than anyone would have thought. His lack of judgement at the end of the Irag war was a disgrace to his rank.

The republican party is already defeated, they have become democrate-liberal light. Conservatism will emerage as it has always done and is always color blind based on excellence. I remember hearing in 2002 that the democrat party was defeated and will fad away, well history continues to repeat itself. I have voted republican for president since 1984. This was the first year that I refused to vote for president. Return to states rights and reduce the federal gov't to minimum services and power.

I think Mr. powell is a fine person, but not a strong person. For to reach the rank of General and then not have the conviction to say what you really think until out of office is not very honorable. I never heard him defend himself when called an Uncle Tom in the Bush administration, but he is quick to criticize Rush Limbaugh. General, Rush does what you didn't have the courage to do. You are why it is true that the privates are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the military, not the Generals. Mr. Powell, sorry, you are not the story anymore, don't loose what integrity you have left.

Jim

I think Powell meant to say stop listening to Hannity too. These radio people are just baiting people and continue "shouting to the world" They are responsible for all of the devisiveness. Listeners start thinking that their fellow human beings are really physically conservative or liberal....and there is NO difference!!!

The comments of some of the public within this blog are scarey because they are so hateful. General Powell is such a thoughtful man. The prejudices expressed in the comments of others are hopefully only a minority of Americans. Mr. McCain lost the election and because Sarah Palin would make comments that were so divisive referring to the true Americans, et al, she was a big hindrance to him. George Bush was a big part of the problem; but the McCain campaign only wanted to divide us too. With all the problems in America and the world these days, we need a more united "rational" America.

I don't understand why Powel continues to call himself a Republican. The only thing that party ever did for him was make him look like a deceiving fool (which he's not) in his WMD UN speech. And he seems a decent man, not a of the mean-spirited Republicans.

Recently, I asked a "Conservative" if he wanted to get rid of Social Security and Medicare. He said, "No, I need my checks; and who can pay their medical bills without Medicare these days." So, we keep both major social programs, I said, so what's this crap about being a conservative?

Hey, General Powell, if you don't like to listen to Rush Limbaugh, why don't you turn your radio off? I like Rush. I don't like Democrats like you because of their sordid agenda, i.e., abortion, same sex marriages, infanticide after a failed partial birth abortion. You voted for Barack Obama because he's black and a staunch Democrat.

Its funny how no one wants to ask radical leftists that now run democrat party to come to the mushy middle. Instead the push is for Republicans to surrender their beliefs.

All this talk about what the GOP must do boils down to this: the only way to satisfy the dems and work with them is to become just like them. Sorry, not happening. This is not Europe where they have no core beliefs to stand on.

General Powell has taken a funny political turn. Republicans, NOT DEMOCRATS, are largely responsible for the positions he has held in Washington, his appointments to the Joint Chiefs, the Sec Of State, and in a hot minute he turns and supports someone from a political party whose not only blatantly accuse troops he used to command of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, but whose members used to regularly insult and deride General Powell when he stood with Republican administrations. He also claims that Obama's ties to Bill Ayers aren't worth analyzing. Wonder if he'd feel the same way if he had been Joint Chiefs back when Ayres bombed the Pentagon.

If that's the kind of 'change' General Powell wants of us, to just turn our backs on a whim, sacrifice them to a democrat party ashamed of America and dying to turn her into a European-style country, then he can keep it.

Colin Powell has his head in the sand. People live conservatively even if they vote for liberals that want to spend all of our money. God help us. Conservatism takes care of the poor and needy, liberalism only promises but never delivers.

I would agree that the Republican party needs to reach out to African Americans and Latinos, but not with the same drivel as the democrats. African Americans and Latinos need economic freedom and individual liberty to succeed just as much as any other group. The big brother government welfare system offered by the democrats has been and will continue to be a disaster for any group that buys into it. I find it odd that Powell still considers himself a Republican. Maybe being a General and knowing how the rest of the world really works precludes him from considering himself a "let's have tea with Iran surrender now democrat", but he clearly is more comfortable with left of center Obama than barely right of center McCain. If the Republican party remade itself to suit Powell we'd clearly have two left of center parties, although the remade Republican party would at least have a sensible foriegn policy. Hardly much of a choice. Powell should just go where he is more comfortable...which is clearly Obama and the democrats. Political parties aren't religions and changing to the party that better reflects your views isn't a sin!!!!!!

@posunivy: "Rush is a genius". LOL, if you really believe that, the republicans are in even bigger trouble than everyone thinks. Only a complete moron who gets their values and news from Rush and doesn't do any research on issues on their own would think he is a "genius". LMAO

Colin Powell? He's still around?

I can't believe anyone would care what he thinks. He's a has-been looking to revive his "glory days" – for what they were worth! LOL

Rush's voice is the most intelligent and reasonable on ANY of the airwaves today. If Liberals ever get what they say they want in this country, they'll be suffering from buyers remorse within a couple of years – but it'll be too late to "fix." Who will they cry, whine, and moan to then? Liberal Dems don't care about them – it's almost funny to think about, if it weren't so sad.

I am a Conservative, I believe in truth and honor in public service. Marxism and communist attitudes are not acceptable no matter what political party is pushing them. Let the free market cure its own problems, if the public doesn't want to buy a product the company should be allowed to fail. We are Americans, not afro-american, irish american or Latinos, just americans. Get going or get the heck out of the way. Colin Powell should be ashamed of himself, he has allowed racism to become his mantra and he is proving that it is more important to be liked by his buddies than to be a loyal american.

The republican party will not change. Sadly Limbaugh represents that base. He is a symptom not the cause. The thinly veiled bigotry that spews from his show (and others like it) is representative of the under current that runs through the republican party. I would have voted for Paul or Huckabee, but they obviously don't represent that party.

When will all the RINO's stop telling us to be more liberal? The Republican party just tried to elect a "moderate" in McCain and it got them nowhere. I'm tired of all these go along to get along people ignoring the fact that Obama and many of the Democrats who won in 2006 and 2008 ran as centrists or essentially conservatives. People in this country want less governernment regulation and spending. People like Colin Powell need to understand that just because someone is a conservative does not mean that they are trying to push "lesser" instincts. The only way liberals are willing to get along with any conservative is if they abandon every principle that makes them a conservative. Point number one: Colin Powell.

Powell's comments are no surprise. He has never been a conservative. And he supports racism above the country.

While Powell was not looking, the Democratic Party went far, fat to the left, and he wants the Republicans to go in that direction. I will listen to Poweel when he mentions the rabid partisanship of the likes of Dick Durbin.

what is the difference between the Democratic and Republican party? exactly, not much.

We need a new, third party, back to our Country's roots Conservatism that made this Country great. I am not advocating that we go back the times of Slavery and the Wild West. I served my country to keep it safe and I find myself under threat of imprisonment paying hundreds of types of taxes.

Why is 1/3 of my money going to Welfare programs?? Why does a highschool need a $500,000 practice football field that I have to pay for? Why are teachers making more than me now and the education level going down every year? Why should I work harder?? I am tired of global warming and political correctness...

Close the Borders, Make English the official Language, Teach kids Reading / Writing and Arithmetic, and keep the governments hands out of our pocket.... we know best how to spend/save/donate the money we earn...

Thank-you Collin Powell for joining the world in change. As we all know change is good and good is wonderful! We have seen through your eyes that forgetting who you are is easy when you want change. And when change helps you attain your ultimate goal, we’ll that’s the best kind of change.

We need SOMEBODY like RUSH to polarize us. If we don't what would be the difference in voting for Obama or McCain in the last election?

Colin Powell is a friend of Ducks Unlimited and any friend of DU is a friend of mine. As we in DU like to say, if you cannot hunt, get offf the porch. Colin is a TRUE conservative with American values. Hell he even has a family! How much more conservative can you be!!! As for Rush Limbaugh, he is a card carrying member of the NRA, so back off you critics. I would be honored to have him in my duck stand any day.

General Powell,

What happened to you? I had an opinion that you were a great man at one time. The unrelenting forces that corrupt our leadership in Washington have had their way with you! Thank God you have minimal power at this time. Even though you were not an elected offical, your way of thinking is so typical of the poverty of intellect and spirit rampant in government. The discussion of term limits must be revived . As much as I dislike the idea of term limits for our elected officials, this may be one device we can use to save ourselves. May God truely bless America for the sake of the World!

Hey Powell, how about standing up for values and principles, instead of pandering to every demographic?

McCain IS EXACTLY what your recommending buddy, he pandered to the hispanics and still lost 3-1. So moral of the story, you don't have a clue what your talking about. Sellout

I stopped listening to Rush when he sold out to the FIRST Bush administration. Far from being a true conservative, he traded in his status as "Pat Buchanan's press secretary" for a few nights in George and Barbara's spare bedroom, a fat paycheck from CheapChannel and neo-con trappings.

I've also read Powell's autobiography and heard him speak. He's interesting, engaging, and had a good ghostwriter. That said, he's no conservative, whatever he may say. More proof, if any was needed, that good generals don't necessarily make good politicians.

A conservative solution to American government has not been tried and found wanting – rather, since Reagan, it has been sorely wanted but not tried.

Colin Powell is not a Republican. That's as big a stretch as saying Chuck Hagel is a Republican. Both are opportunist looking for a job. Hopefully both will remain unemployed.

Imagine that! Again the left is thrilled of what the right has to say. It is logical to believe that as the country and it's people go out of existence into some form of universal world average position that the democrats who bring us fantasies via holly wood and New York shall lead the way. as the youth jump up shouting old and decrepitude the young about to find out about work and servitude. Enjoy!

All of you conservative republicans who are trash-talking Colin Powell's message, please, go ahead. Your failure to pay attention to his words will ensure continued success for the Democrats. A Republican ticket of Palin-Limbaugh in 2012 - go for it!!! I love you wackos.

Colin Powell is ridiculous. There was a time when he was in office, and HE didn't even know what party he belonged to. If he wants to start telling the Republican party (which is clearly not conservative anymore) what they should do, maybe he should be Republican in more than just name.

If Obama was right about one thing, its that the Republican party is just "more of the same". The only people who have the power to turn this country around are too scared to hold convictions that might not be popular with everybody, and instead of finding the "bi-partisan" ground they think they now hold, they have just angered the conservative base that elected them. When will we open our eyes and see where we're driving our country? Politicians aren't the ones to change things, we are, the voters. Instead of sitting around and whining all day, lets start doing something about our situation by standing for what we believe in and doing everything we can to get our point across! WE are the CHANGE we've been waiting for, all we need to do is act!

America was fed up with President Bush who acted like a Democrat. John McCain lost because he also was a Democrat. Even Republicans wanted change from open borders and foolish spending. Colin Powell is simply another RINO.

A conservative Republican would have unprescedented support from conservatives of both parties.

The only thing more idiotic than Powell's comments (and if that schlep is a Republican, then I'm a bleeding MARTIAN) are those comments by the linguini spined, hate spewing, factually challenged, revisionist historian, elitist liberals that call the Commie News Network home.

You swine are proof that liberalism is a mental disorder for which there is NO treatment.

Can WE listen to Rush?? Who the hell is "WE", Colon?

Colon Powell is no more a Republican than Al Gore is.

I love Rush Limbaugh!

Powell is a true conservative at its best. As an African American myself, and I consider myself a Liberal. I can respect him as a Republican and a conservative. He is so correct.

I would suggest that each person make choices for him/herself about whom he/she chooses to listen to, interprets what he/she hears and acts on that according to each person's principles. There are certainly numerous choices.

Sir,

I will listen to whom I choose, including Rush. When his conservative program appeals to fewer and fewer, the market will decide what becomes of his program. Stations and sponsors will drop him.

Until then, remember sir, that you fought so I could listen to the program I choose, and Rush could offer programming he chooses, so long as the market wants it. When the market does not, he can join Arthur Godfrey and others who eventually left the market. Until then, please don't tell us to stop listening to programs that we choose to listen to, or we will believe that you are being used by the new administration to begin the march to fairness, that is, they will tell us what we can listen to. I choose, along witha few million others, to decide, not you, sir, with all due respect. Billly

Powell has no integrity.

Rush is brilliant, and very, very humorous... and Powell's a boor. Look who's lecturing conservatives... geez.

Powell is a true conservative at its best. As an African American myself, and I consider myself a Liberal. I can respect him as a Republican and a conservative. He is so right – right in the correct terms

Wonder why Colin Powell didn't list specific issues and then illustrate by the use of reason why Rush is wrong. Probably because he can't. He just attacks the person with a strawman about shouting at people that shows he's never listened to Rush.

Or apparently all the gay marriage people. Or the Democrats that interrupted to Republican convention trying to shout down McCain, etc. Democrats are all about shouting down people.

The problem with moderates is that they don't know what they believe or why. They just go where the wind (media) pushes them.

I agree, Republicans don't seem to have it together, BUT, someone has to stand for what is right and good in this country and it sure isn't the democrats. Both parties have absolutely no understanding anymore about right and wrong. Both parties, but mostly the democrat party, consistently support policies which allow people to continue to act irresponsibly without having to suffer any consequences. The most recent event being the bailout of Fannie and Freddie, but the abortion issue also comes to mind. Someone has to stand up for what is right and what is wrong. I don't know who that will be but it sure isn't the Democrats and it won't be Obama. If you think the Republicans were bad during the election, I can't imagine what it will be like for the next 4 years. It won't be pretty.

Isn't Bush a Thug and Barbarian. He's conservative. Actually he is the biggest one of them all.

Memo to Colin Powell:

Maybe you should start to listen to Rush Limbaugh. He makes more sense than you do.

Powell ensorsed Obama because he is sort of black. Plain and simple.

Obama has been a nothing Senator and he will be a nothing President. Just like Carter and Clinton.

Powell is getting creepy now, sounds like a tyrant to me, I thought he was fighting for our right to listen to whomever we want?

Rush makes more sense than the addlebrained Powell in supporting "the messiah"...

RUSH IS ALL WE HAVE LEFT TO GUIDE US .
Yes, we morons have no one else!
We want to forget our true AMERICAN values, and just fall into chaos.
GOD save us, and this UNITED States of America.

It amazes me how divided we are in this nation. It's really gone down the crapper in the last 8 years, and doesn't seem to get getting any better. Hate mongers like Limbaugh, each of you simply going back at each other instead of trying to FIX the problems.

You'd rather fight than DO anything. It's making me sick. Canada keeps looking better and better every day.

Just what are conservatives to learn from listening to minorities? Allow open borders? Reparations? Cradle to grave care? Forget self determination? The government is here to help you? NOT.

Actually, Nostromo, the kind of transfer you're talking about took place in South Africa and Zimbabwe, with less than stellar results.

Could there have been a starker statement that non-whites are permitted to have ethnic interests, but whites are not?

Wake up, white people. Especially those of you who think the Republican party represents your interests. Sure, the Dems are the "enemy," but the GOP will cast you aside in a heartbeat to win the favor of the "New America."

Lets get something straight, you can not be a Republican and then support Obama. The modern Democrat party is socialist garbage. It is great that a minority is in office oh yeah, but once the Hollywood Media gloat fest is over it is time to put up or shut up. The Republicans lost because lazy people all want a hand out (at someone else's expense.) and the Republicans abandoned their conservative base. Powell is a Lib and nothing more.

Nice. So Powell singles out a radio talk show host. Nothing said about the "Rock The Vote", the scores of leftist eltists from Hollywood and the hypocritical socialists in a very capitalistic university system.

This is deplorable for Powell to stoop to this level. He's a caricature of his former self.

Michael Steele – a black republican in MD had oreo cookies thrown at him by Democrats.

How about we address the lies and "dishonest narratives" portraying the Republican Party and more importantly conservatives like Ron Paul as fringe elements, excluding people.

If you support the Constitution of the United States, the limiting of Federal Government power in the states, and a return to what the fed is supposed to be doing according to that funky thing Obama will swear to uphold – The Constitution.

Welcome Aboard.

Powell, enjoy the house, you made it. Don't forget your brothers in the field – like Michael Steele.

Powell is not a Republican. He's like the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-birth control, pro-woman priest, etc. people who still say that they're Catholic. No, they are not. If you supported the most liberal member of the senate, the democratic candidate, you really can not say the you're a Republican. Mr. Powell is a liberal socialist democrat no matter what he wants to pretend to be.