Thread: Colin Powell tells 'Face the Nation' that Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh are Republica

Powell: Obama Didn't Handle Gitmo Well | Political Hotsheet - CBS News


Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said that President Obama did "not handle" his decision to close Guantanamo Bay detainment facility "very well," on CBS’ "Face the Nation" Sunday.

"I think President Obama didn't handle it very well by going up to the Congress and asking for $80 million without a plan. And by, frankly, giving enough time to opponents of it to marshal their forces as to why we shouldn't do this," he said.

Powell said that he has lobbied for Guantanamo to be closed or the last six years and that he went to his boss, former President Bush, with his concerns.

He even said that President Bush wanted to close the prison, but could not figure out how to- a point he used to answer criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Mr. Cheney is not only disagreeing with President Obama's policy. He's disagreeing with President Bush's policy. President Bush stated repeatedly to international audiences and to the country that he wanted to close Guantanamo. The problem he had was he couldn't get all the pieces together," Powell said.

He said he was not buying "the business" that the United States would be less safe should the prisoners be transported to U.S. prisons.

Schieffer pushed whether he believed that released Guantanamo prisoners could safely come to U.S. jails and Powell said "yes" repeatedly.

"I think it should have been done immediately and not start looking for $80 million to build prisons," he argued.

He said the hardcore problem is that in many of the cases of these prisoners there is not sufficient evidence to keep them locked up. Powell hopes that new legislation drafted with the cooperation of all branches of government should help alleviate some of the legal red tape.

Powell said he has told President Obama all of his concerns and worries that the president gave his opponents too much time to react to the plan. He hopes that the politicizing of the decision will start to die down.

He defended the Bush administration, saying that immediately following 9/11 they reacted by shutting down the visa system and locking suspects up. But he said that must change.

"We can't keep moving in that direction with putting people in jail forever without resolving their cases. We're not letting people come to our country," he argued.

This whole "controversy" is really....yawn....boring.

The US has a lot of issues, and yes Gitmo is one of them.

But the soap opera circus is so kiddie-like.

OK, how about this.

The great Limbaugh battle
Rush Limbaugh just can't catch a break. Not only is he embroiled in a war of words with someone who knows a little about fighting, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, now he's getting criticized by the scion of the Republican Party's most beloved family.

Powell has been sparring with both Limbaugh and former Vice President Dick Cheney recently, and on Tuesday night, he continued his criticism of the two men.

"Rush Limbaugh says, 'Get out of the Republican Party.' Dick Cheney says, 'He's already out,'" Powell told a crowd of 1,500 at a speech he gave in Boston. "I may be out of their version of the Republican Party, but there's another version of the Republican Party waiting to emerge once again."

The last name of the other man taking on Limbaugh might inspire some cognitive dissonance in a party that seems lately to turn either to the radio host or to President Reagan for its inspiration. The late president's son Ron -- now a Democratic voter who hosts a show on the liberal Air America radio network -- took some personal shots at Limbaugh in response to attacks by Limbaugh and other Republicans against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that have focused on her appearance. According to Newsbusters, a blog run by the Media Research Center, a conservative press watchdog, Reagan said:

Limbaugh hasn't had a natural erection since the Nixon Administration; think he's compensating for something? Now, I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection -- none of that stuff -- to me, off limits until! until! -- Mr. Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else -- once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess. You're just fair game, and you're going to get it, too. [Laughs] You'd better watch what you say, Limbaugh, because it can come back the other way.

Originally Posted by chobby192

I'll post some penis pics later to make it more enjoyable.

I have 20 people over here and we are having a jolly good time with this thread.
I think we reviewed at least 9 times, I even had my gardener Pedro translate this in Spanish....we know how to party like Abe Lincoln foo.

From now on Chobby every time you start a thread I will read up on the issue, study the problem and come up with a solution. I will treat your thread as if you gave birth to it......it will be our love child.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

I'll post some penis pics later to make it more enjoyable.

I have 20 people over here and we are having a jolly good time with this thread.
I think we reviewed at least 9 times, I even had my gardener Pedro translate this in Spanish....we know how to party like Abe Lincoln foo.

From now on Chobby every time you start a thread I will read up on the issue, study the problem and come up with a solution. I will treat your thread as if you gave birth to it......it will be our love child.

this is why i like you mino.

i do prefer colin powell to either of the other two boners. i don't always agree with colin, but overall i think the guy is way better than anyone in politics

Originally Posted by bio-chem

this is why i like you mino.

i do prefer colin powell to either of the other two boners. i don't always agree with colin, but overall i think the guy is way better than anyone in politics

You prefer Colin to Cheney? That's surprising to say the least, not that I disagree with the choice (assuming we are choosing 1 out of the 3).

Originally Posted by bio-chem

this is why i like you mino.

i do prefer colin powell to either of the other two boners. i don't always agree with colin, but overall i think the guy is way better than anyone in politics

Same here, he doesn't come off as arrogant.
I agree with what Tom Ridge say's about the whole thing, there's too much bickering within the GOP.

Ridge takes aim at Limbaugh
Posted: 05:02 PM ET

From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
(CNN) — Pennsylvania Republican Tom Ridge is taking direct aim at Rush Limbaugh, telling CNN's John King the conservative talk radio host can be "shrill" and uses language in a way "that offend very many."

"Rush Limbaugh has an audience of 20 million people. A lot of people listen daily to him and live by every word. But words mean things and how you use words is very important," Ridge, the former Homeland Security Secretary under President Bush, said during an interview airing Sunday on CNN's State of The Union.

"It does get the base all fired up and he's got a strong following," Ridge continued. "But personally, if he would listen to me and I doubt if he would, the notion is express yourself but let's respect others opinions and let's not be divisive."

The comments come in the wake of a war of words between Limbaugh and Colin Powell, during which the former secretary of state suggested the GOP's future was in peril if it went in the direction of the popular radio talker. Limbaugh quickly hit back, proclaiming Powell is part of the "stale, the old, the worn-out GOP that never won anything."

But in the interview with CNN, Ridge said the GOP infighting should instead be directed toward Democrats who hold fundamental disagreements.

"For the Republican Party to restore itself as not its original party, but as a national party, we have to be far less judgmental about disagreements within the party and far more judgmental about our disagreement with our friends on the other side of the aisle," he said.

The onetime Pennsylvania governor who ruled out a Senate bid earlier this month also called for an end to personal attacks.

"Let's lead our party based on some principles that have been very much a part of who we are for decades. And let's be less shrill in terms of — and particularly, let's not attack other individuals. Let's attack their ideas," said Ridge.

Originally Posted by bio-chem

i do prefer colin powell to either of the other two boners.

The Republicans ran a "moderate" and lost. The Republicans ran a moderate, and Powell voted for a liberal Democrat. Forgive me for not taking his advice.


I respect Powell, but will not be a member of his version of the Republican party.

Sounds like the same in-fighting that kept G-Dub in the white house 8 years too long......

Originally Posted by busyLivin

The Republicans ran a "moderate" and lost. The Republicans ran a moderate, and Powell voted for a liberal Democrat. Forgive me for not taking his advice.


I respect Powell, but will not be a member of his version of the Republican party.

What is his version of the Republican party that you don't like?

McCAin- Powell......would have been a better choice.

we're still hoping for a true, mavericky-maverick...
Or somebody that tells the truth and can actually lead this country bac into a direction we are supposed to be in?

Originally Posted by busyLivin

The Republicans ran a "moderate" and lost. The Republicans ran a moderate, and Powell voted for a liberal Democrat. Forgive me for not taking his advice.


I respect Powell, but will not be a member of his version of the Republican party.

you make a fair point.

the republicans could have ran george washington and lost. as much as i hate to admit it. this was the consequence of bush fatigue. any republican who came out and said he would continue any of bush's policies was screwed. the swing voters of the land were going vote obama. i think its now funny to see obama get a free ride for continuing many of bush's policies

You were right the first time, how can anyone side with rush over a man who is a decorated general and former secretary of state?

Just one question for Powell....why Carter and Bush II?

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Just one question for Powell....why Carter and Bush II?

Min0,

What do you mean, by "Carter?"

Originally Posted by bio-chem

you make a fair point.

Very good point by busylivin.

the republicans could have ran george washington and lost. as much as i hate to admit it. this was the consequence of bush fatigue. any republican who came out and said he would continue any of bush's policies was screwed.[/quote]

Yes, definite GWB and GWB administration fatigue. The global meltdown, also.

If the GOP would have picked a more conservative nominee, it still would have been a big defeat, IMO.

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

Min0,

What do you mean, by "Carter?"

Powell voted for Carter.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Powell voted for Carter.

OK. I take you're word. But the candidates, issues, and era was different back then.

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

Very good point by busylivin..

It's a point I heard from Rush Limbaugh. He's not the monster people make him out to be.. he's extremely intelligent.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

You were right the first time, how can anyone side with rush over a man who is a decorated general and former secretary of state?

That's nothing more than a loaded question, mino. I respect Murtha & Kerry for their service, but I would never support their policies. That's like asking how could you vote for Obama over a decorated war hero, John McCain? It's ridiculous.

I think Powell voted for Obama strictly because of race. Obama's policies are the exact opposite of the Republicans. All I ever hear is "the republicans are going too far to the right" without any examples or demonstrations. It's just cover that the media drummed up, and Powell & Specter latched on to because they are political cowards. Specter was losing his job & Powell voted for the black man.

I stand behind Cheney & Limbaugh because I agree with them on the direction I think the country should be going... it's that simple.

Originally Posted by busyLivin

I
That's nothing more than a loaded question, mino. I respect Murtha & Kerry for their service, but I would never support their policies. That's like asking how could you vote for Obama over a decorated war hero, John McCain? It's ridiculous.

So we learn that if you ever vote outside of the republican party because you feel someone is better suited for a job, you get a fat drug abusing fool labeling you a bleeding heart liberal.

What a dumbass.

Originally Posted by Mudge

So we learn that if you ever vote outside of the republican party because you feel someone is better suited for a job, you get a fat drug abusing fool labeling you a bleeding heart liberal.

What a dumbass.

Thank you.

[That's like asking how could you vote for Obama over a decorated war hero, John McCain? It's ridiculous.

Bad comparison, I don't think we would be in Iraq if Obama was President.

Remember they had Powell endorse that war, decorated soldier....good sales pitch


I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in. ~George McGovern

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Bad comparison, I don't think we would be in Iraq if Obama was President.

Remember they had Powell endorse that war, decorated soldier....good sales pitch


I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in. ~George McGovern

oh, you mean the same obama that chose clinton as his secretary of state? the same clinton that voted for the war in iraq while she was a senator? don't kid yourself. obama would have voted for that war the same as everyone else. at the time that decision was made it was the right decision given the intelligence we had at the time. the only reason that we don't know how obama would have voted is becasue he wasn't even in a federal position at that time.

your love of obama seems to know no bounds.

Originally Posted by bio-chem

oh, you mean the same obama that chose clinton as his secretary of state? the same clinton that voted for the war in iraq while she was a senator? don't kid yourself. obama would have voted for that war the same as everyone else. at the time that decision was made it was the right decision given the intelligence we had at the time. the only reason that we don't know how obama would have voted is becasue he wasn't even in a federal position at that time.

your love of obama seems to know no bounds.

Not as much as your love for Bush.

Obama runs the show, not Clinton.

Originally Posted by busyLivin

It's a point I heard from Rush Limbaugh. He's not the monster people make him out to be.. he's extremely intelligent.

I don't believe anyone is a "monster."

Yes, Limbaugh is intelligent. This is how he got to where he is. I saw an interview on how he manipulates people. Same tactics as 1930s political radio.

Originally Posted by Mudge

So we learn that if you ever vote outside of the republican party because you feel someone is better suited for a job, you get a fat drug abusing fool labeling you a bleeding heart liberal.

What a dumbass.

No, but if you are a a high-profile figure in a political party that has stood for small government, low taxes & strong defense.. and all of a sudden you throw your support behind a competitor who defies every one of these principles, something is amiss.

I love how all these people who bash Limbaugh's pain medication addiction seem to forget the our President openly admits to "trying any drugs I (he) could get his hands on." I don't give him a pass, but it's just a cheap shot.