On Sunday, Colin Powell the former Secretary of State appeared on Meet the Press on NBC. He appeared primarily to lend his support to Chuck Hagel, the former U.S. Senator who has been nominated for Defense Secretary.
However, near the end of the broadcast Powel was asked about his relationship with the Republican Party. The show’s host mentioned that often times Powell refers to fellow Republicans as “they.” He asked if Powell had left the Party or they had left him. Powell conceded that he remained a member of the Republican Party, but he felt the Republicans were going through a big identify problem.
He said there had been a substantial shift toward the right in recent years in the party and now the results of that shift are being seen; two presidential campaigns that have been lost. He said the Party has to take a hard look at itself and realize the country is changing demographically and the Republicans need to change along with the country or they will be in big trouble.
Powell criticized his party over its immigration policy and tactics of systematic voter suppression it used during 2012 in order for it to be hard for those minorities affected to vote. He lamented the comment by Mitt Romney over the “47%” and John Sununu and Sarah Palin’s racially charged attacks on President Obama.
He said there existed a small portion of the party that still looked down on the country’s minorities. He said the proof was the “birther” movement.
He added that Republicans must look at first itself, at healthcare, at immigration and at those who are less fortunate than the rest of us.
