Comments on: State of the Union: Powell 'concerned' about Obama's agenda

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:48:22 +0000

Finally Powell Steps Up!!! He supported bama and gave the reason "Because of his views on the Economy". Well here is your CHANGE Colin!! Obama is a Disaster and Out of Contrrol

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:48:17 +0000

NO COUNTRY in the World, including U.S.A. should have a President, who was a Former Soldier.

When you have Military Man as your Country's Leader, he will always Fight. A Military Man always has a Fighting Mind and always thinks about War, not Peace.

Saddam and Hitler were former Military Men. All Counties which have Military Governments Like General Musharaf of Pakistan, will never progress.

We respect and are proud of our Soldiers, but we don't want them to be the Heads of Our Government.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:47:28 +0000

Maybe he shouldn't have pretended to be a Republican while he was voting for Obama solely because he was black. Quite frankly, Powell should follow the path taken by Specter and just join the Democratic or Socialist Party of America and than he could drink the Obama Kool-aid and he wouldn't be worried anymore.

By: jay

jay — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:47:20 +0000

I understand Powel's concerns but the problem is when he and his men where screwing this country up they did not do it one at a time the were able to do in all together, and didn't he know it was going to cost money to fix it?
An by the way where do these rich people know about the problems facing 95% of the middle class in America.
I wish CNN will invite normally struggling Americans no they programs then we can have a concrete debate.

By: Paul H

Paul H — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:46:59 +0000

Hmm, be careful what you wish for you just might get it?
Powell you asked for this. You voted with your heart, you voted for change, you voted for history. Powell you were pulled into the onslaught of media coverage on everyone's senses. This is what we get when we do not ask the hard questions, or question a mans record.
Forget everything that the talk radio tries to tell you about Obama, but ask yourself what has this man really accomplished? The answer is very little.
Ask the hard questions. And watch this man give a double edged answer. Never does he (Or Pelosi) give an absolute answer.

By: Lou from CT

Lou from CT — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:44:27 +0000

I think Mr. Powell is right to sound a warning, but it is also refreshing to see such a prominent Republican not running around in "Chicken Little" mode.

Mr. Obama – it might be wise to at least listen to Mr. Powell.

By: Marc L

Marc L — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:44:25 +0000

Powell endorsed a man for President who he has no shared political ideals with. What did he think would happen? I think Powell needs to step out of the political spotlight for a while. He really is losing whatever credibility he had left. There is no doubt he has a lot to offer society, but politics is no longer his arena.

By: Mark NY

Mark NY — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:43:01 +0000

How dare someone question the great one and his policies. Why should anyone be concerned about the unprecedented amount of money were spending that we don't have? Its pure ludicrous. And we all know that the recession was nothing but the former president's fault. I mean he was the president that allowed, wait made it law that companies like Freddy Mac and Leman Brothers were made to and allowed to give mortgages to lower class families who couldn't afford them? Also the republicans were the one that were heading those two companies right? I'm no republican and I'm no democrat but to blame the collapse of our economy only on George W. Bush and the Republicans borders on crazy. It was a collective effort by a bunch of useless tools who couldn't spot a problem if it hit them in the face. Queen Nancy was as much to blame as savant Bush....

By: Efrain

Efrain — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:56 +0000

To Chris, listen you little Rush, W, Cheney zombie, your boy W had everything fall into his lap. An election was handed to him in 2000 by SCOTUS (that's Supreme Court of the U.S. you ignoramus). He inherited a budget surplus, and was handed an incredible opportunity in 9/11. He was the original golden child. He took all this incredible luck and along with his conservative cohorts and the radical right took this country down the path on which we are on now. Let see now W led us into fighting the wrong war. We should have gone after the Saudi hijackersd in Saudi Arabia. We should have gone after Bin Laden in Afghanistan. Your reference to his so called tax cuts (mainly for the rich) led us to the greatest financial crisis since the Great depression. Him and his Republican buddies spent like drunken sailors. And if you remember he was leading the charge to privatize Social Security and tie it to the stock market. So stop listening to Rush, Beck, Hannity and Cheney and wake up to the facts as to why we are where we are. I would suggest you look at a documentary by CNBC called "House of Cards" and you will learn the truth.

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:32 +0000

Wouldn't an ideal solution be to have a free-market, capitalist society WITH some level of government overview to ensure that corruption and carelessness is kept to a minimum? I'd be fine with a government that doesn't interfere with business directly, but rather punishes those companies and individuals who break the rules.

God forbid liberals actually have to work hard to earn what they get.

By: Mark NY

Mark NY — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:10 +0000

Andy good luck with your revolution. How many people are you going to storm the Capital building with? One?

By: Todd

Todd — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:40:43 +0000

As a Democrat, Collin Powell's concerns should be taken with a pound of consideration. He didn't attack the President or the Democrats. President Obama needs someone, with some credibiility, questioning his policies. There is no reason to attach Collin Powell.

The GOP has no credibility, their a political joke.

By: Kelly-Welly

Kelly-Welly — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:40:34 +0000

...and you just now figured this out, Colin? Duh. Maybe if you focused more on what Obama said (and his political record of what he'd already done) during his campaign instead of being so excited by the color of his skin you would have heard him clearly telling us all that he planned to play the part of a National Robbin' Hood. There's nothing new here. It's the typical approach: throw around billions of dollars and "Change" from the taxpayers to give to the bottomless-pit of already-bloated, inept and power-seeking bureacrats and their broken system of broken promises. You wanted change? You got lots of it--from my husband's teacher's salary pockets into the governments. Congrats.

By: Bob Pacific Grove, Ca

Bob Pacific Grove, Ca — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:40:04 +0000

Colin Powell is a Republican....Of course he will be concerned with President Obama's democratic agenda......This is "news"? LOL!!!! Wow!! CNN must be desperate......

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:37:53 +0000

Powell should have been President in 2000.

By: Jack in Florida

Jack in Florida — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:37:30 +0000

Bush did nothing the last 8 years and it is time to correct all of his mistakes and go where the Republicans wouldn't go...............................I say go big or go home..........................

By: NAVY JACK

NAVY JACK — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:37:27 +0000

Under what rock was Colin Powell and the rest of the "moderates" that endorsed Obama hiding during "the one's" campaign?
They didn't hear this man stating his wish list of policies, programs and direction for our courts???????????????

Obama and his DEM leaders are SELF-SERVING, RECKLESS IRRESPONSIBLE EGOTISTS.
This is the more like Putin in Russia than the frequently compared mezzianic oracle.

By: rekatksir

rekatksir — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:37:09 +0000

Well, duh

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:36:52 +0000

Sorry, Secretary Powell, but you have let this country down in a major way by not speaking out before this.

Now the question is: What do we do about it?

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:36:44 +0000

Andy – you are TRULY scary! The constitution enumerates the power that Gov has, and it basically details that Gov has LIMITED powers (you know, because our Founding Fathers didn't want to be ruled by a monarchy, a Gov which could do whatever it wanted, whenever it wanted to its people)! If you don't like the way our system of Gov is set up, then you are FREE to leave this country, but to change our constitution to give our Gov unlimited powers is ridiculously stupid – Gov is not the solution to our problems, Gov IS the problem!

By: Mark NY

Mark NY — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:36:34 +0000

By: scott

scott — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:35:46 +0000

So CNN...

How come he's a great american soldier when he agrees with Maobama and the former bush aide when expresses concern?

Either way he's an opportunistic former soldier and a niave politcian..

By: Badger

Badger — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:34:30 +0000

3-4 years from now when things are full steam ahead all the nay saying people who want him to fail will be eating crow.

By: bill weaver

bill weaver — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:34:01 +0000

Powell's a sad figure – he betrayed his republican colleagues and was effectively cast out by the party as a result. Let's face it, he was as gung ho on knocking out Saddam (who clearly deserved it). Then Powell sold his name to the opposition, who used him like a prostitiute. Now he is discarded by the Democrats like any useless tool. Nowhere man.

By: Joe the Troll

Joe the Troll — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:33:34 +0000

Looks like someone wants Rush and Dick to like him again.

By: EcoAZ

EcoAZ — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:33:28 +0000

Andy: Boy are you in the wrong country. Get your passport together and GO.

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:33:13 +0000

Someone wrote that we need to give Obama "time" to "fix" the problems - well, that's great, but his approach will actually CAUSE more problems. They complained that Bush did nothing to decrease our dependence on foreign oil - well, Obama isn't doing anything better because what we NEED is to DRILL more in our OWN country, to research and develop oil from shale, to develop MORE nuclear plants, as well as solar, wind, etc. See, Obama is beholden to the environmentalists, so all he'll do is solar and wind, which will do NOTHING to help decrease our dependence on foreign oil. Also, as far as health care, he needs to listen to the doctors and the patients and NOT the drug companies and insurance companies (which he is currently doing), so any health care reform will only benefit pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies. You see folks, it's not that it's "Reps vs Dems" it's that Obama's policies are just as bad, if not worse than Bush's (Bush was NOT a true conservative, he was basically a Dem lite)!

By: Rich from Pholly

Rich from Pholly — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:32:36 +0000

Mr Powell

Get outside the beltway and see the economic conditions in the rest of the country–we are not protected. There is a need for more stimulus not less. Have you thought that government spending inside the beltway might be mitigating the worst of the downturn in your neighborhood?

By: joanne

joanne — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:32:12 +0000

if powell and he republicans would help Obama get the job done as the last 2 administrations did NOT maybe I could elieve him a little but he is just anothr big mouth with no action in my opinion..shut up or put up is my opinion

Obabam took oave 24 hurs after Bush. Paulso and the other guy said we sould be dead if we did not agree to put several rillion in thier hands to clean up their mess..

remember we are spending a biooion dollars a week for 84 monthsnow what have we got for that money>

NOT MUCHecept about 5000 ead military 50 thousand wonded military.

By: Samuel

Samuel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:05 +0000

Republican Party is Done, Gone, Finished.
Filibuster for us. The Duds and Incompetent have been Eliminated.
Freedom has Come to America.
We no more have Idiots Running our Country.
We have no more Criminals in White House.

By: TINA

TINA — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Too Late Colin!

We tried to tell you this before you supported the rookie!

By: slimjim66

slimjim66 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:30:51 +0000

We as Americans don't get it . When our President says it out loud that
the stimulus Package will work . Thats because this Great American
Country can only survive , if we really listen BUY AMERICAN . GOD
BLESS AMERICA .......

By: Henry

Henry — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:30:01 +0000

Arthur M. Solis, perhaps you would be happy if all black people were easy to control and keep in line. If they all did what you want them to do, like little slaves, instead of holding their own opinions that aren't based simply on race. I'll tell you something, I have known plenty of black people who joined the NRA in the early 1990s because they believed in gun rights. They also were fully aware that some know-it-alls would misinterpret their joining to mean they supported every action of the NRA past, present and future but that simply was not the case. Get to know black people (or people of any color) before you go making assumptions about why they do what they do.

By: Fla.

Fla. — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:28:28 +0000

I agree we need government to be more effective in problem solving, and President Obama is putting forth great effort to address our issues. His ability to multi-task was one of the reasons many Americans voted for him.

I also agree to do away with the purported slogans, particularly from the GOP. Republican so-called "limited government" is simply a marketing strategy, but in reality, it's unfortunately another hypocritical fallacy for the GOP.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:28:03 +0000

It never fails to suprise me how stupid most Amaericans are. Everything wrong is Bush's fault even though individual responsibility has no say. The housing market crashed because my fellow stupid Americans want more than they can afford and that's Bush's fault. Get more stuff with more credit cards and when we can't pay our bills just go banrupt and start all over, Bush's fault not the stupid Amaerican. Bush just as Obama doesn't check the National checkbook in their back packet. If the Dems and Obama didn't want to spend as the past administration did they could have voted it down since the Dems had the majority. Individual financial responsibiltiy got us in this mess, more so than Bush and Obama's big spending big Government is just going to compound the problem.

By: Bush, Really

Bush, Really — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:53 +0000

I read all the comment of how much "8 years of W destroyed/ruined this country.

What did he destroy or make so awful?

Our current recession was not caused by the Bush Admin.

Iraq, was the Bush Admin's ball game, and even if you completely disagree with our going in, you can argue the counter point of why we went.

High healthcare costs mainly stem from illegals immigrants, frivolous laws suits, and Medicaid/care, which was not a Bush policy.

W wasn't my favorite either, but he wasn't that bad.

By: Ann

Ann — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:50 +0000

waiting for all of you to become more concerned. You voted for him, idiots

By: EcoAZ

EcoAZ — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:18 +0000

Fad: Attacks on the character of Colin Powell are completely unwarranted. No matter which "side" (only an idiot takes "sides" in America) you're on, Colin Powell has ALWAYS been an honorable and focused individual I would have been proud to support to public office. I concur with an earlier poster...had Colin Powell been v.p. nominee with McCain, McCain would have sailed into the White House.

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:30 +0000

We Need a Three Fourth Majority in the House and Senate.

We Need To Throw The Republicans Out.

We Need to Amend the US Constitution on the Following Aspects:

1. A President cannot Mislead the Country into War.
2. No Torture.
3. Regulated Banking and Mortgage Lending.
4. Affordable Health Care by the Government for all.
5. Equal rights for Gays.
6. We need Strict Laws to curb Corruption, Extortion, Fraud by Insurance Companies.
7. Capitalism in America is not Working. Capitalism is becoming Corrupt and a Tool for Criminals like Madoff to Play. Capitalism is breeding Crime.
CAPITALISM MUST GO – IF IT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED.

By: Anita

Anita — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:24 +0000

Finally, someone who puts things in perspective without all that mudslinging we see from palin and mccain.

Colin Powell is stil credible, introspective and has every right to voice what he thinks should be done for the country.

He served his country – what about the rest of you?

Ah don't dog a man until you walk in his shoes!!!!

By: chubby

chubby — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:26:14 +0000

Don't tell me one of obamas "so called Republican" lap dog's has only now become concerned.

By: Haas

Haas — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:25:34 +0000

While I somewhat agree with Powel, if Obama were to listen to his advice he should have listened at the beginning of the year. It's too late now. Most of the policies that dictate how the next 3 1/2 years plays out have already been set. The only 2 major agendas for the rest of this year are healthcare and climate change. They can put climate change off till the economy recovers, in my opinion. But healthcare can't wait.

I do think Obama should at least hear Powel out. he doesn't have any political agenda and unlike most of the Reps, he really does have this county's best interests at heart.

By: barbara campbell

barbara campbell — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:24:15 +0000

I respect Colin Powell but disagree with this assessment of President Obama's agenda. If the Republicans can throw a trillion dollars into their illegal war in Iraq (funds that went into the hands of military-industrial corporations like Blackwater and Halliburton), why do they now object to spending on programs that benefit the American people?

The Bush administration trampled all over the rights of Americans and the Obama administration is trying to remedy the damage and clean up a multitude of Republican messes. Obama and Congressional Democrats need to work hard on a number of fronts.

By: Powel

Powel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:24:09 +0000

Powell, you're a great American. Very informed, result oriented soldier.

By: Mary the Democrat

Mary the Democrat — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:23:12 +0000

The White House Spending is getting out of control.

Common sense should tell the President and his staff that you shouldn't spend money you don't have. Especially when the costs are in the Billions and Trillions.

Didn't we learn anything from the out of control spending that was being done during the Bush era?

Obama is starting to look and act just like Bush.

I hope he listens to Powell.

By: John

John — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:23:04 +0000

Colin Powell is Just a Soldier all his life.

He does not know anything about Economy. He is not an Economist.

He should Just Shut Up and Mind his Own Business.

Obama has the Best Economists in the World in his Team.

By: Unfazed

Unfazed — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:21:59 +0000

President Obama has been in office for 6 months. In that time, he has been candid and open about everything that he is doing. It will take a minute to turn the economy around, get affordable healthcare instituted, exercise wisdom and sucessful diplomacy with our allies and foes, and do the things that he promised.

Is he moving too fast? If he were moving any slower, then this blog would be filled with critics about that. The President needs detractors, however, because if all he gets is praise, then he would not know that there are those that disagree with his policies. Sometimes good ideas come from those who disagree. Let it be known that the President is open to good ideas.

Mr. Powell can best lend his expertise and counsel in the privacy of the Oval Office.

By: A. M.

A. M. — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:21:48 +0000

Powell is concerned? Did he not realize Obama planned to spend the U.S. into the ground based on the policies proposed during his campaign? Maybe Powell is realizing he is also a victim of Obamania and should have never endorsed this man for president.

By: John

John — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:20:57 +0000

5 days before signing any bill : Broken promise
Indefenite detainee at Gbay : broken promise
No Tax increase below 250K income family: cap & Trade: Broken promise
No lobbyist in my admin: broken
No porkulous/earmark spending: Broken
Mirandise law of captured terrorist: Broken
Gbay; Dont know what to do with detainees.
Late and lame statement on Iran: No leadership and courage
Photos of prisoner abuse: Flip flop (thank god, finally he is right).

A naive man got so lucky to be in white house......

By: LIP

LIP — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:20:36 +0000

I'm looking in my wallet and paying the bills and everything has gone up and Obama is talking like there is no end to the money he can get and it has to come from someplace and Colin (turncoat) Powell is finally saying what the rest of us have been seeing, but not believing.
Get real and put a stop to this foolishness. Sure it would be nice to fix all that is wrong with this government, but it can't all be done at the same time.