FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

Well, you knew that Rush Limbaugh would respond to the attacks former Secretary of State Colin Powell smacked on the GOP this past weekend.

What’s going on here with this Colin Powell thing is that the Washington establishment — Powell’s not a Republican.  McCain’s not a Republican.  These guys are not even mavericks.  They are Washingtonians.  Washingtonians have their own culture and their own desires, and it is to matter.  They don’t care who’s in power, they just want to be closely associated with whoever is.  That’s the name of the game and they want press adulation.  They want to be loved and adored by the media, they want fawning treatment, they want to be thought of as something special, unique, dignified and so forth, and that’s the Washington establishment.  These guys are Washingtonians.  And what is a Washingtonian?  Who are these people?  Ladies and gentlemen, they have driven this economy into the toilet.  Washingtonians are tone deaf in terms of how you and I actually live and the things that matter and are important to us.  Washingtonians are grabbing as much power for themselves right now as possible.  Washington does not live in the rest of the country, does not live in the same world we do.  What they’re doing now is looking for ways to silence opposition.  They don’t care about the timid ineffective opposition.  They like Republicans and conservatives who are ashamed of their views and their fellow citizens.  What they want to do is silence people like me because they can’t abide debate or opposition or challenges to their status and their authority. 

So General Powell, let me explain something.  The fact is Republicans did not listen to me.  They listened to you.  They have not been listening to me for years.  The Republican Party nominated your ideal candidate.  They nominated your guy, a moderate, who’s willing to buy into an endless array of liberal causes…

Enough said.

As Flap said before there is some truth about what Secretary Powell says about racial demographics and the GOP needs to be more than an old white man’s party. But, this does not include surrendering the party’s core values and ideals. It is outreach and Colin Powell has been AWOL.

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Colin Powell on the GOP, Polarization and Sarah Palin - Plus Rush Limbaugh

Well, you knew that Rush Limbaugh would respond to the attacks former Secretary of State Colin Powell smacked on the GOP this past weekend.

What’s going on here with this Colin Powell thing is that the Washington establishment — Powell’s not a Republican.  McCain’s not a Republican.  These guys are not even mavericks.  They are Washingtonians.  Washingtonians have their own culture and their own desires, and it is to matter.  They don’t care who’s in power, they just want to be closely associated with whoever is.  That’s the name of the game and they want press adulation.  They want to be loved and adored by the media, they want fawning treatment, they want to be thought of as something special, unique, dignified and so forth, and that’s the Washington establishment.  These guys are Washingtonians.  And what is a Washingtonian?  Who are these people?  Ladies and gentlemen, they have driven this economy into the toilet.  Washingtonians are tone deaf in terms of how you and I actually live and the things that matter and are important to us.  Washingtonians are grabbing as much power for themselves right now as possible.  Washington does not live in the rest of the country, does not live in the same world we do.  What they’re doing now is looking for ways to silence opposition.  They don’t care about the timid ineffective opposition.  They like Republicans and conservatives who are ashamed of their views and their fellow citizens.  What they want to do is silence people like me because they can’t abide debate or opposition or challenges to their status and their authority. 

So General Powell, let me explain something.  The fact is Republicans did not listen to me.  They listened to you.  They have not been listening to me for years.  The Republican Party nominated your ideal candidate.  They nominated your guy, a moderate, who’s willing to buy into an endless array of liberal causes…

Enough said.

As Flap said before there is some truth about what Secretary Powell says about racial demographics and the GOP needs to be more than an old white man’s party. But, this does not include surrendering the party’s core values and ideals. It is outreach and Colin Powell has been AWOL.

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Colin Powell on the GOP, Polarization and Sarah Palin - Plus Rush Limbaugh

Retired General, former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Colin Powell has some ideas about the future of the GOP and comments regarding the past Presidential election cycle in the video above.

The Republican party must stop “shouting at the world” and start listening to minority groups if it is to win elections in the 21st century, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday.

In an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria for Sunday’s “GPS” program, President Bush’s former secretary of state said his party’s attempt “to use polarization for political advantage” backfired last month.

“I think the party has to take a hard look at itself,” Powell said in the interview, which was taped Wednesday. “There is nothing wrong with being conservative. There is nothing wrong with having socially conservative views — I don’t object to that. But if the party wants to have a future in this country, it has to face some realities. In another 20 years, the majority in this country will be the minority.”

Flap will agree with General Powell about the GOP reaching out to Hispanic, Asian and African American voters. It is a travesty for these voters to vote in large majorities for the Democrat Party candidates on the basis of race and racial politics. But, they do. Powell had nothing to say about this fact.

And, where was Powell over the last thirty years (since Reagan) in attempting to outreach for the GOP in the African-American communities?

Crickets…..the General was AWOL.

There is no doubt the GOP must be more than the old white man party. But, the party must be based on principles that appeal to all Americans - not entitlement politics which features walking around money distributed by local pols or the churches. Or promises of having wealth spread around to their ethnic group as a result of public policy.

Now, Sarah Palin.

Governor Palin was not a polarizing figure for John McCain or the GOP. Flap has complained that she was perhaps rushed to the national stage and needed some additional foreign policy experience but she is not the FAR-RIGHT polarizing figure that Powell portrays. Sarah Palin is a conservative and the elected Governor of Alaska. Also, Palin is very popular in the GOP. Powell is not.

Colin Powell is not a conservative and has been said to be a RINO (Republican In Name Only) by many pundits over the years. Why anyone would think Powell wishes to reform a party in which he does not share many tenets of its platform, is anyone’s guess?

Small town values are to America as is Apple Pie. General, the South Bronx, New York City, is not the norm in America and never will be. The Bronx is an urban cesspool. Most of America is NOT.

Flap was raised in a small town in Southern California and the values there are definitely different than New York City. So, please, Colin.

“I think the party has to stop shouting at the world and at the country,”Powell said. “I think that the party has to take a hard look at itself, and I’ve talked to a number of leaders in recent weeks and they understand that.” Powell, who says he still considers himself a Republican, said his party should also stop listening to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

“Can we continue to listen to Rush Limbaugh?” Powell asked. “Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?”

Good grief. Rush Limbaugh is a conservative entertainer who has never been elected to any office. Of course, Colin Powell has never won any elective office either. But, you know what they say about opinions and assholes…….

Secretary Powell was fired by President Bush after his first term of office. The disastrous foreign policy of the early Bush years was a result of Powell’s bungling and ineptitude. Making amends for his missteps is a primary Powell agenda. Or is it retribution to George W. Bush?

Now, after the election of Barack Obama it looks like Powell is trying to ingratiate himself with the media as a great pontificator of all things Republican. Why?

Speaking fees and Washington cocktail parties obviously. Powell had not been involved with Republican campaigns in support of its candidates in recent memory.

Exit question: Does anyone within the Republican Party really care what Colin Powell has to say?

It has been rumored since July that Colin Powell would endorse Barack Obama for President and he did this morning on NBC News, Meet the Press.

Flap will post the video next but should it be taken down from You Tube the link for the NBC video is here:

The transcript is here.

Colin Powell said this:

I’m an American, first and foremost, and I’m very proud–I said, I’ve said, I’ve said to my beloved friend and colleague John McCain, a friend of 25 years, “John, I love you, but I’m not just going to vote for you on the basis of our affection or friendship.” And I’ve said to Barack Obama, “I admire you.  I’ll give you all the advice I can.  But I’m not going to vote for you just because you’re black.” 

Yet, then there is this:

MR. BROKAW:  And you are fully aware that there will be some–how many, no one can say for sure–but there will be some who will say this is an African-American, distinguished American, supporting another African-American because of race.

GEN. POWELL:  If I had only had that in mind, I could have done this six, eight, 10 months ago.  I really have been going back and forth between somebody I have the highest respect and regard for, John McCain, and somebody I was getting to know, Barack Obama.  And it was only in the last couple of months that I settled on this.  And I can’t deny that it will be a historic event for an African-American to become president.  And should that happen, all Americans should be proud–not just African-Americans, but all Americans–that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen.  It will also not only electrify our country, I think it’ll electrify the world.

Well, six months ago it wasn’t even clear that Barack Obama would win the Democrat nomination over Hillary Clinton. Rush Limbaugh like Flap doubts Powell’s comments about race.

“Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race,” Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail. “OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I’ll let you know what I come up with.”

Michelle Malkin says no to the race issue and says it is Powell’s social liberalism that leads him to endorse Obama.

One last note: I see in comments that many believe Powell supports Obama because he is black. Powell has said electing a black president would be “electrifying.” He is a staunch supporter of government racial preferences.

It’s a mistake, though, to attribute Powell’s endorsement primarily to some kind of race loyalty.

It’s Obama’s social liberalism, not his skin color, that attracts Powell most.

Flap thinks race played a prominent role in the rationale for the Obama endorsement but his treatment by the Leftist Washington elite and his hatred of George W. Bush is a close second.

One prominent conservative who knows both McCain and Powell said that for all the secretary of state’s criticism of McCain and his praise of Obama, the move had less to do with the two candidates for president than the current occupant of the Oval Office.

“Powell cares a lot about his reputation with Washington elites, and he thinks he was badly damaged by his relationship with the Bush administration,” said this Republican. “So this is a way to make up for what he regarded as not being treated well by the Bush administration, not being given the due deference he thinks he deserves.”

And that Powell would make his decision known in the closing weeks of the election, as it becomes increasingly clear that Obama is the favorite, reflects a calculated political move, says this source.

“Let’s be honest — do we think Powell would be doing this if Obama had been trailing 6 or 7 points in the polls?” the source asked, deeming Powell’s endorsement “a profile in conventional wisdom.”

So, what will be the net effect of the Powell endorsement?

Colin Powell will feel better about himself and will now be invited to the New York and Washington cocktail parties. But, beyond this -  as Flap said before - not much.

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