Colin Powell has left the Republican Party, former Vice President Dick Cheney charged Sunday.
Cheney had tough words for the Bush administration’s former secretary of state when asked about the controversy over Powell’s recent suggestion that the GOP move more to the center. He was asked specifically about conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s call for Powell to join the Democrats.
“I think my take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn’t know he was still a Republican,” Cheney said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Asked to clarify, Cheney noted that Powell endorsed Barack Obama, a Democrat, for president shortly before the general election.
“I assumed that that is some indication of his loyalty and his interest,” Cheney said.
Limbaugh criticized Powell last week for saying the Republican Party is in trouble and needs to be more moderate, urging Powell to officially switch parties. Powell had also said divisive figures like Limbaugh are hurting the party.
Asked which spokesman better stands for the GOP, Cheney said he’d go with Limbaugh over Powell.
But he said he doesn’t have any problem with Republicans — like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — who are trying to broaden the appeal of the party.
“I don’t have any problem with that. I think that’s a good thing to do,” Cheney said.
The former vice president warned that the party should not move “dramatically to the left” in order to redefine its base.
“We are what we are. We’re Republicans, and we have certain things we believe in,” Cheney said.
(Source: Fox News)
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10 Responses
“…Republican Party is in trouble and needs to be more moderate…”
Wow! let’s now imagine where yidishkeit will be if we decided to “become more modern” because society is changing. kol hakavod Cheney for sticking to what you believe in.
#1 – Le-havdil ribo rivevei havdolos. The Republican party was never mekabel Torah mi-Sinai.
this is all part of the obama conspiracy, anyone take notice how many people resigned and switched sides since he came into office? any time anyone says something he doesn’t like he lets them know it and they get cowed into submission, i guess those who don’t end up resigning, and those who are meek simply switch sides.
@1
Correct me if I’m wrong but it pretty much seems that you’re comparing yidishkeit which is truth and comes directly from Hashem (and therefore cannot be changed) to the Republican Party (which is just a bunch of people that have conservative views) What Powell wanted was to try and center the party in order to attract people that were turned off by the Bush administration, and in effect save the party. Cheney is sticking to “what he believes in” because he spent the last 8 years of his life changing the Republican Party into what he thinks is right. Now when someone suggests a change that contradicts that, Cheney is clearly going to get upset…
Bush-Cheney won in 2000 with a clear majority in both houses of Congress, improved on their margin of victory in 2004, and impoved their margins in the Congress in both 2002 and 2004.
AND THEY STILL MANAGED TO SCREW UP THE ECONOMY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TURN A VICTORY IN IRAQ INTO A QUAGMIRE, AND FAIL TO ACCOMPLISH ANY OF THEIR GOALS ON SOCIAL POLICY.
The Democrats are positioning themselves for a managed economy (that will probably result in stagnation similar to 1970-1980), and radical left wing social policies in areas such as abortion and same-sex marriage. The Republicans will probably recover over the next few, on a national level, as the party of traditional values and free enterprise. And all this, IS REGARDLESS OF ANY AND ALL PUNDITS, of all stripes.
#1
Remember: in a democracy the nation makes the law; in Judaism the law makes a nation. Some things can and should change. Others cannot and will not.
#1 is using only a metaphor. However, I will not miss Powell. He endorsed Barack Obama for president and since he has taken office he has enboldened our enemies and worsened the economy. But, he still has high approval ratings because the American electorate are becoming dumber by the minute and can’t muster enough intelligence to place the responsibility of our worsening economic problems to Obama. For shame!
Reply to #2, #4, #6, – whewww what an attack!
I am merely saying Cheney sticks with what he believes in and doesn’t cave into political pressure or changes his views for money $$$$$ or for a career.
like #2 says – for sure le’havdil
& #7 points out correct facts – thank you!
Listen to Cheney carefully. This is a man who feels that torture, even against American citizens, could be justified for the security of the nation. Then recall that it was his administration that set up pro-Israel lobbyists for arrests for espionage charges. Given the right circumstances, I have no doubt that he would not have hesitated to torture American Jews in the interest of “national security.” Or, had the rationale for torture been allowed to remain valid, a future administration would have used the rationale to suspend various Constitutional guarantees to U.S. citizens. Also remember that Jews in Germany also never imagined that such things could happen to them.
Cheney has alot of chutzpah repeatedly talking down on powell.
Lets not forget Dick Cheney had 5 – count ’em FIVE convinient deferements to get himself out of the draft to vietname, while powell a poor kid form the bronx rose to be a multi star military general. Colin Powell is ten times the leader thna dick cheney could ever be. colin powell then became the salesman for dick cheney’s mistake and then took the fall for it.