Posted on 12/15/2008 3:24:53 PM PST by quesney
Powell's premise -- and I understand what's going on -- I think Powell's premise is all wrong. "The Republican Party needs to stop listening to me." Basically, what that means is the Republican Party's gotta throw you overboard; the Republican Party can't win as long as it is defined by people like you and me, those of you in this audience. The simple fact of the matter is, folks, what makes this funny to me is that the Republican Party's not listened to me in the last two years. And you might even say in matters of policy and so forth, the Republican Party hasn't been listening to me for the last six years.
And you might even say that the Republican Party is in the situation it's in precisely because of the people like Colin Powell and John McCain and others who have devised this new definition and identity of the party which is responsible for electing Democrats all over this country.
[...]
Colin Powell, ladies and gentlemen, insists that conservatives and Republicans support candidates who will appeal to minorities like I guess McCain who led the effort for amnesty....
So if we try to understand Powell's thinking, which is difficult since it's incoherent, we should have all voted for McCain in the primaries, and once he was nominated, we should have voted for Obama for president.
It would be one thing if Republicans were listening to me and going down in flames, but they're not, and they haven't for the longest time.
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, from global warming -- ...As long as you are a Republican but you buy into an endless array of liberal causes, global warming to amnesty for illegals, and somebody who has the same fetish for compromising principles that you do, then they are going to love you. Then you turn around and you stab this person in the back by endorsing the most liberal Democrat candidate ever nominated days before the election, General Powell?
How can he say he's a Republican? He gets the perfect Republican nominee, exactly the kind of candidate he wants, its McCain, and then he sabotages McCain a few weeks before the election by endorsing Obama.
How can you even claim to be a Republican, General Powell? When have you ever stuck your neck out for Republicans and conservatives? Never.
I can't think of a single occasion where Secretary Powell stepped up to the plate for the Republican Party or the conservative movement. I think of many times when he has not done so or even worse. I've noticed on the one hand General Powell claims to stand above politics as a big claim to fame. Yet, on the other hand, he jumps in from time to time, but only to attack the conservative base of the Republican Party. When's the last time, the first time, when is any time he has let loose or criticized a liberal Democrat on any issue?
Moderation is what keeps you where you are with this great reputation, great image but no substance, no principles, no core belief. If somebody had to tell you who Colin Powell is what would they say? What does he stand for? What does General Powell stand for? What does John McCain stand for? You don't know. There aren't any core beliefs you can go rat-tat-tat down the list and say, yep, this is who they are. Was Abraham Lincoln great because he saw compromise during the Civil War or was he great because he insisted on total and complete victory? Great people take stands on principle, not moderation. Some of us think that individual liberty, limited constitutional government, and increased support for the military by civilians are principles worth defending. Maybe General Powell can enlighten us, since he's failed to do that so far on the great liberal or moderate Democrat principles that seem to intrigue him. What is it about Obama that intrigued him? What are these principles? Or was it the way Obama speaks?
General Powell says we need to reach out to Hispanic, blacks, and Asians. Well, how do we do that? What kind of message does he suggest? I never hear the how to do it. I just hear we need to do it. And in my mind, we already have the blueprint for how to do it. We have done it successfully. We abandoned the blueprint. It's called individual freedom, liberty, and not seeing them as Hispanics and not seeing them as Asians and not seeing them as blacks or minorities but rather seeing them as Americans, human beings. Liberals look at people and groupify them and then think of them with contempt. I mean are all black people identical thinkers, if we understand what one of them thinks we know how to get to all of them, is that true? Same thing with Asians? Same thing with Hispanics?
General Powell has no vision. He is not in touch with the public in any meaningful way. He's a Washingtonian. He's not in touch with the public. He lives in a bubble so he doesn't have to expose himself to contrary arguments. He just has to accept accolades from the people he treasures and values most, his buddies and the media. He doesn't add anything to the public discussion. What has he added to the public discussion? What has he done to advance a principle? He is constantly peddling his identity and his reputation rather than anything substantive or insightful.
I'm sure he's a delightful person with his friends and I'm sure he's charitable with his time and his money, but he has no idea what he's talking about when he presumes to dictate how Republicans and conservatives should build a governing majority.
One of the things he said is he resents Sarah Palin because she kept talking about small towns. He said nobody lives in small towns and that's why they're small. "I'm from the Bronx. Something wrong with my values?" he asked. What is this hatred for conservatives and small town people and Sarah Palin? It's because they are effective. They represent challenges to the Washingtonians' control of the Republican Party.
What I'm learning now, folks, it really doesn't matter about party. It's not getting under Republicans' skin now. It's getting under the skin of Washingtonians. It's getting under the skin of the big government people. These are liberals. There's no such thing as a moderate Republican. A moderate Republican is a liberal.
Well said.
"And you might even say in matters of policy and so forth, the Republican Party hasn't been listening to me for the last six years."
That makes at least two of us and that is why I am no longer registered as a Republican.
Rush has said this some time ago about moderates being liberals.
Nice!
Glad to see Rush hasn’t lost his razor sharp tongue. It’s been sheathed somewhat for the last 8 years, maybe now he’ll wield it without remorse on the ever target rich environment in washingscum.
Until he’s hounded off the airwaves by the POS in chief that is...
If the GOP really wanted to have a fighting chance to turn the tide against the Obamunists who have seized power, they would turn to Rush Limbaugh as the next Chairman of the RNC.
Like the libs/RINOS if Powell can successfully convince enough people that Rush's viewpoints are only held by those on the fringes, as opposed to the mainstream, he can then discredit Rush as a crackpot.
It's time to put Powell and the liberals in their place.
Most of the liberals are nothing but common criminals and facilitators of common criminals.
I was lucky to be listening to Rush this morning when he went off on Powell...it was GREAT!!! Rush never misses.
In a sense, Rush was being too kind to Powell by saying the ex-General supported Presidente Zero based on race. I think it was based on policy. The policy that matters to Powell is: "Not being out of step with other Washingtonians." Powell threw over his pal McCain because he didn't think he was going to win, and he feared to be in the position of having backed the loser.
Sweetening the deal was that neither Zero nor Powell ever met an abortion he didn't like.
Glad to see that he dressed down Powell as well.
Good take...you may be right on the policy reasons and Powell was convinced the Zero was going to win; although, earlier in the campaign Powell said that an Obama win, (because he was black) would be “electrifying”...kinda like when you stick a finger in a power outlet.
These things need to be said more often.
A moderate Republican is a liberal.
I'm sure he meant it as "Washington" the district, not the man. Maybe..."DC-crats"?
Exactly the club to which the Kenyan aspires.
They are Washingtonians too.
When you in your life have accomplished 1% of what he has accomplished already, then you might--might--be entitled to make that statement.
COLB was a red herring. Everyone who jumped on it has lost credibility. Rush is where he is for many reasons but credibility is the foundation of his success. He would have been a fool to lend his name to that ridiculous nonstarter.
I stopped listening to him after over 18 years.
I'm sure he will be heartbroken.
Exactly. - I wish Rush would accept the fact that Globalism is the real enemy, not just liberalism. Most neocons are globalists, and hate America just as much as any liberal.
>>>We honor and appreciate Powell’s public service...<<<
Not me. Powell is just another Benedict Arnold — a TRAITOR — one who used his military service to promote an anti-American, anti-Freedom agenda. May he go straight to HELL where he belongs. The sooner the better.
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