Colin Powell: GOP Has a 'Dark Vein of Intolerance'

The former Secretary of State gave a blistering attack of his own party

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is still a Republican, offered some harsh criticism of the GOP, saying there is "a dark vein of intolerance in some parts of the party."

"What do I mean by that?" Powell said on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday. "What I mean by that is they still sort of look down on minorities."

He pointed out an example in how former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin criticized Obama's response to the attacks in Libya. "When I see a former governor say that the president is 'shuckin' and jivin'.' That's a racial-era slave term," Powell said.

Powell also objected to how New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu called Obama "lazy" after the first debate during the campaign. "He didn't say he was slow, he was tired, he didn't do well. He said he was 'lazy.' Now, it may not mean anything to most Americans, but to those of us who are African Americans, the second word is 'shiftless,' and then there's a third word that goes along with it."

Powell also criticized his party for not doing more to shut down the birther movement. "The whole birther movement: Why do senior Republican leaders tolerate this kind of discussion within the party? I think the party has to take a look at itself," Powell said.

Via Politico and NBC's Meet the Press

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwDTiJw_kQU

What's your reaction to Colin Powell's criticism of the GOP?

[AndrewEvans]

This is a direct ploy of distraction to divide the left and the right so both sides ignore the unconstitutional legislation being pushed through Congress and the White House, and instead focus on each other's differences. One cannot say that someone who keeps the company he does has any right to make such claims. If he wants to call out the "Dark Vein of Intolerance" he should probably give up his country club membership.

[PayThatCEO]

What a shame we miss the REAL ploy that redirects our attention away from America's tax dollars being funneled into the hands of the 1%. Keep the masses busy fighting amongst themselves and they'll never notice anything wrong until they're hungry and homeless.

[Buzzfriendly]

@PayThatCEO Can you name another country where the biggest problem facing the poor is obesity? Park the Prius, burn some carbon credits and visit Darfur or Somalia then you will get a true picture of homeless and hungry. It may just shatter your microcosm. Sure I am a American citizen but I am also a planetary resident.

[AndrewEvans]

@Buzzfriendly That's kind of what I was thinking during that Newtown shooting. We lost 26 of our own, but we kill people every day overseas. What's the toll so far in our war on terror? Is it 1-2 Million Arabs dead? Wait, we're talking about this Powell distraction. Isn't he one of the war mongers? I wonder how many war crimes he's authorized? Why isn't he standing trial instead of inciting debate?

[methinks]

@PayThatCEO The distraction of the 1% brought on by Obama and his Occupukes is certainly keeping YOU distracted. Tax the rich is all we've heard from Obama and his lefty loonies, but in actuality, it won't do a damn thing to help the economy except run the government for 8 DAYS!

[Buzzfriendly]

@AndrewEvans Excellent points. I have been fortunate to have traveled outside of the US on a number of occasions and what I have seen really gave me a more worldly view of what hunger, poverty and strife really are. So when I see people bitching about the 1% but what I hear is that they are only upset that they don't have more of the 1% share for themselves. The poor and hungry argument seems more like smoke and mirrors to cover up jealousy.

[Keyjo]

Next comes those very Republicans he was referring to calling him a "RINO."
Wait for it..........

[thejimbo]

It's the ATTACK OF THE RINOS PART 2!

But seriously though, traditional Republican values view government as serving an important purpose but that it should be lean and efficient. However under the GW Bush years the federal government had it's largest expansion since WWII. Homeland security is one example of wasteful spending oppertunities for defense contractors under the guise of fighting terrorists.

In other GOP-related news that Politix may or may not cover, learn more about the man who is challenging Reince Priebus for the RNC chairmanship this year: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/mainer-con...

[PoliticalSpice]

Took an hour and eight minutes according to the time listed on NEO post below yours. Give @jamesmitchell a pass, he was just cing up with a movie title...

[Yank]

Of course he is a RINO. He has twice endorsed Obama for president, publicly supports Obama/Democrat policies, and publicly attacks the Republican party. How does anyone get away with calling Colin Powell a Republican?

[Keyjo]

@Yank
I think he wants to better the G.O.P.
They have been losing ground with everyone but the looniest of loons. He is more in step with the young, future leaders of the Republican party. Currently, the G.O.P. is about to ignore the "Bridge Out Ahead," sign and drive into the river. Then, it'll be, "sink or swim."

[Yank]

@Keyjo which still ignores that he has publicly endorsed Obama and his policies.

[MadAmerican]

Obama was lazy and yes, his administration has been shuckin and jiven. Why would you go on vacation when you don't have a budget and as the top leader in the country you go on TV and state you're not gonna work with congress. I used to respect Powell, however seems like he's sticking with Obama-maybe race related-but there are no lies in what has been said about Obama. Powell attacked "play on words" by republicans. Woop tee doo! Guess I'll refer to Powell now as Opowell. lol Wait. Is that politically correct? Can I say that?

[Mogal]

And of course, this has nothing to do with the matter at hand...

[thejimbo]

@Cheenoguy Clever, clever!

[Cheenoguy]

@jamesmitchell
Apparently Topix disagrees. Apparently Topix has no problem with people making racist comments, but if you refer to someone making racist comments as a racist then that is unacceptable.

[thejimbo]

@Cheenoguy "The word 'racism' is like ketchup. It can be put on practically anything - and demanding evidence makes you a 'racist.'"
- Thomas Sowell

[texas_cutie75]

Both parties have dark veins of intolerance... PERIOD! It is time for everyone to live by the golden rule and get this country out of debt, her citizens back to work, and hopefully everyone can live happily ever after.

[DARSB]

"Both parties?" Really?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@DARSB - Not both parties, just one -- and not the party I represent.

[texas_cutie75]

Yes, some democratic friends tell me if I don't vote for Obama I'm racist, some Republican friends say that all minorities are abusing the system. So yes, in my ever so humble opinion, there is intolerance on both sides. I am a fairly intelligent person. To take it one step further, in the world in general, there is rampant intolerance .... everyone is out for themselves. PERIOD!

[Keyjo]

@Neo_NtheMatrix
Shouldn't YOUR party be representing YOU!?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Keyjo - Yes, they should. Unfortunately too many liberals have infiltrated my party. You can see these RINOs on display, i.e.: Colin Powell, John Boehner, Chris Christie, and Pat Brady. We are in need of a serious purge inside our ranks, no doubt about it.

[stepped_in_it]

Has this man (or Obama) ever been around the common African-American? I seriously doubt it. Worried about words like shuckin', jivin' and lazy? Pull your head out of your arse man, your very own fellow African-American's call each other much, much worse! And what's the number one killer of under 30 African-American's. Yep, another African-American!

[thejimbo]

like they say "once you go black you can never go back" ...smh

[Bobolinsky]

I was mulling over this whole Sec. Powell thing last night. To my recollection, Colin Powell is noted for being the General in Washington DC during Desert Storm, quitting the Army over DADT, and then doing his part to get us into war in Iraq the second time. One would think that the Liberal media wouldn't be interested in what this homophobic warmonger has to say... Well, one would think that if Powell couldn't be counted on to call the Republican Party racist at least once per interview.

[Real4WheelDrv]

According to the more hardcore Democrats, you can't be black and be a Republican anyway, so I guess in his own way Powell WAS a RINO after all, but now that he's bashing Republicans, they'll gloss over all the stuff he was previously involved in that they hated.

[DerivePI]

I guess the liberal talk shows weren't interested in any real talking points so Colin had to agree to disparage his party in order to get some face time. Understandable but short sighted. Go join John McCain in the corner. As guess not every black man can be as powerful, corageous and thick skinned as Clarence Thomas.

As for his criticisms, pick any organization and you can say the same thing.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Powell once was a proud American who served his country well. Now he's just a mere shell of his former self. He's been indoctrinated by liberalism and has become a garden variety racist RINO. He only voted for obama because of his skin color. He's betrayed every single value that is Republican. Just like many other sellouts, he is determined to undermine the party from within. He and Gov. Christie can get the muffin out of the party for all I care. It's people like them that cost us and America the election. Our children and grandchildren may never fully know just how deeply this generation turned its backs on them.

[Cheenoguy]

Congratulations on proving Powell correct.
"Powell only voted for Obama because of his skin color." is a racist thing to say.
Btw, name one way that Powell has betrayed "everything Republicans stand for" other then believing that Obama was the best choice for president these past two years. I mean other then for being black I mean.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Cheenoguy - Powell has said himself that the only reason he voted for obama was his skin color. What is conservative about obama? If you're a supposed conservative, why would you ever in a billion years consider obama a choice to vote for?

[Cheenoguy]

@Neo_NtheMatrix
1) Back up that claim that Powell said he only voted for Obama because he is black. Even you know you that's not true.
2) What's conservative about Romney or McCain? Republican? Yes. Conservative? No. Neither are small government guys. They just want government bloating in different areas. They just want the government to infringe on other people's lives.

[woodtick57]

@Neo_NtheMatrix

Because the GOP didn't put up any conservatives to vote for. Romney was the closest to it but of course he picked Ryan to help pick up the radical far right, which comprises most of the GOP these days....

[PNWest]

@Neo_NtheMatrix "Powell has said himself that the only reason he voted for obama was his skin color." - Neo, Neo Neo. That's not a good way to start the week. You're gonna get taken apart for that one.

[tomincali]

there is some truth to it,both sides seem to do the same thing and see minorities as unable to step up on their own two feet otherwise there would be no a/a or any other special rules and protection for minorities.

when both sides finally see all the same then there will be equal treatment of all showing that all are on the same level. what is done now helps no one.

[WMCOL]

Whatever effects his comments may have he is speaking the truth. Some will deny the truth of what Powell said by calling it divisive and unproductive, but those who are Christian know the truth cuts like a two-edged sword.

[DARSB]

Of course he's correct - or did I miss all the calls for building a fence on the Canadian border?

[Speedieg]

The difference is that people believe Canadians directly add to the economy in a very visible way and the perception is that those south of the border do so in the shadows and only take from our economy. I wonder how many Canadians cross the border and seek healthcare at our emergency rooms?

[woodtick57]

@Speedieg Why in the world would they do that? so they can pay for health care twice?

[Speedieg]

@woodtick57 it's just a comment that we would not care if Canadians did so. Actually many Canadian hospitals have agreements with US medical facilities to provide over flow and extra support. Perhaps an invoice to our neighbors to the south is in order.

[Yank]

Is there a problem with illegal immigration from Canada?

[Clarke12]

sounds like Powell is getting ready to jump to the Independent crowd.

[Buckfan4life2]

This man dosn't have to give me any excuses to cover his racism to me. he already proved it along with the rest of the hypocrites when he endorsed Obama. I would have looked over anyone who was black and voted for Obama the first time but the SECOND? The only "dark vein" I see in this country is all the hyprocrites that come out of the left. Why do you racist continue to make excuses for you're own racism. Its gettig old!

[Republican5001]

Best post ever on politix.

[RobertJHarsh]

Oh that is obvious. Colin Powell is racist against white people. That is a 169% proven fact. All the Democrats need to keep doing is running "minorities" for president and they'll keep winning.

Now what will backfire in the next two election cycles is when you have a Congress full of non-white men in 2020,, and the white men stop voting (which means about 55-60% of the country doesn't go to the polls anymore, and there won't be a viable alternative, that is when oppression and terrorism get started.

Trust me, we are seeing the last days of the US here. It'll take another 20-40 years but on January 1, 2100, I can assure everyone here, the sun will rise that day on some other country will exist on the land the US once occupied.

[Cheenoguy]

@RobertJHarsh
It's proven huh? Okay give some evidence.
And believing Obama would make a better president is not racist anymore then believing the opposite is racist.
Of course, thinking that non-white men comprising congress would be the end of America and will lead to terrorism IS racist.
Of course, thinking that white men will stop voting if there are no white men running is racist. Racist white men may not vote if it means voting for a woman or a minority, but the rest of us will.
Of course, your fear that there will be no white men in congress 7 years (or even 20) is just without basis. They still make up a large portion of politicians on both sides. I had no minority option for state or federal office aside from President. There were several women running including my vote for president, but all white women. If their were minority options it wouldn't have mattered. I would have voted for whomever I felt would do the most good/least bad.

[RobertJHarsh]

@Cheenoguy A quick youtube search proves Colin Powell, as well as Sotomeyer are straight up racists. Plain and simple. They are at least their own race comes first.

But I am curious. I said "I do not think there will be many (if any) white men in Congress in 20 years". I am white. So exactly how is that a racist statement?

You said: "Racist white men may not vote if it means voting for a woman or a minority, but the rest of us will." Tell me, many blacks voted for the first time ever in 2008 for Obama because he is black. Where they racist to have never voted before because there was no black candidate for president?

[Cheenoguy]

@RobertJHarsh
If it so provable give a link.
Thinking that there will no white men in congress isn't racist, its just stupid. Thinking that it would be a bad thing is racist.
See you assume that the increase in black voters is based purely on black pride. I see it more as a candidate reaching out to them and them feeling like they actually mattered. It's the same reason women and other minorities came out more as well.

Funny thing is that you think it is horrible and racist that some blacks started voting because there was a black candidate, but don't think it would be racist for white men not to vote unless there was a white man running.

[Everyman]

He's got a dark vein of ACORN running through him.

[Politicskid]

If the GOP has a dark vien of intolerance, then the Democrats do too. A vein of intolerance for successful people!

[Common_Sense]

Colin Powell is another Democratic weed in the Republican party, although these days the two parties seem to be one in the same.....maybe a THIRD party is in order?

[RobertJHarsh]

Hey...I am a Republican and I can tell you for sure that the Republican party is the most racist organization in the US today, followed up a close second by the Southern Baptist Convention. I find it deplorable that racism, homophobia, and misogynists run the party from the top down. It is a white's only club and everyone else is secondary.

Why I am still in? Well in America you get two choices and you take the good with the bad. For example, gays want civil rights but the Democrats also want higher taxes and punishing people who make a good living. So they take the good (civil rights) with the Democrat's bad (high taxes, killing businesses).

[woodtick57]

Teh GOP seems to have developed a dark vein of intolerance to reason, and science and rational thought...

[PNWest]

I love the right wing reaction to this article. It proves General Powell's point exactly. Anyone that knows Colin Powell knows that this a brilliant man and a conservative man. 10 years ago the GOP would have been delighted for him to have been their nominee. Now they have moved so far to the right that they slander the man. How much more intolerant can they be? Last night one of the halfwits here accused me of spitting on returning veterans and burning the flag. Today they are here slandering a national hero. What hypocrisy!

[Yank]

@PNWest please name one conservative stance he supports.

[PNWest]

@Yank http://www.ontheissues.org/colin_powell.htm
Just glancing throuigh shows that he supports charter schools, vouchers, home schools, that he finds Kyoto treaty too stringent, supports free trade, that he believes tax dollars are better spent if left in private hands.

Enough?

[Yank]

@PNWest statements from 10-20 years ago are pointless. He CURRENTLY supports the entire democrate platform.

[PNWest]

@Yank And I suppose that you are willing to do what you asked of me and support this assertion?

[eieio]

Who cares what Colon has to say. He is a nobody just like everyone else.

[Grubby]

Democrats have a Dark Vein of Stupidity. They are truly the racists. And Powell long ago turned into a RINO....he should just call himself what he is, another card carrying member of the Obama Cult.