“ru$h will not get his wish, and mr. cheney was misinformed' ...colin powell [View All]

Powell Still a Republican, Despite Party Differences

Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell affirmed on Sunday that he remains a Republican while asserting that his party should become more inclusive. He also rebuffed his party’s relentless criticism of President Obama’s decision to close the detention base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

“Rush will not get his wish, and Mr. Cheney was misinformed,” Mr. Powell said on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” “I’m still a Republican.”

Mr. Powell was responding to a jab from former Vice President Dick Cheney, who two weeks ago had said, “If I had to choose, in terms of being a Republican, I’d go with Rush Limbaugh.” Mr. Cheney, then speaking on “Face the Nation,” added that he thought Mr. Powell had left the party when he endorsed Barack Obama for president last October.

But on Sunday, Mr. Powell noted his long support of Republican candidates and service to Republican-led administrations, including his role as secretary of state under former president George W. Bush and Mr. Cheney.

“For the previous 20 years I voted solidly for Republican candidates,” Mr. Powell said. “I served Ronald Reagan for two years. I spoke at the 1996 convention and I spoke at the 2000 convention.”

He added that he had voted for several Democratic presidents: John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and “even” Jimmy Carter. Mr. Powell called it “unfortunate” that Mr. Limbaugh said he supported Mr. Obama because he, too, was black.