During his appearance on Meet the Press Sunday, former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy and panned Republican vice presidential candidate, Gov. Sarah Palin, as not qualified and not ready for high office.
Playground bully-with-a-microphone Rush Limbaugh led the right-wing noise machine in condemning Powell, a Republican, insisting Powell’s choice was based solely on race.
This marks another in a long, disgusting series of incidents revealing just how much America’s wrap-themselves-in-the-flag conservative hypocrites really value people who serve our country, in uniform or civilian attire.
Think about it. That ugly, demeaning slur was directed against a man, a Vietnam War veteran, who rose from second lieutenant to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this country’s highest uniformed military position. Powell served as President Reagan’s military adviser, was appointed to head the JCS by President George H.W. Bush, and made secretary of state by President George W. Bush. That’s 40 years of loyal, dedicated public service.
But because Powell endorsed the Democratic candidate, Limbaugh calls him “genital Powell” and proceeds to run him down as though he was Benedict Arnold.
Of course, in Sept. 2007, when Moveon.org ran an ad titled “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?” Limbaugh was a spewing volcano of righteous indignation. How dare hate-America leftists question a valiant general, a war hero, who was in Iraq, battling Islamofascists?
As the right-wing noise machine went berserk, congressional Republicans weighed in.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, joined in the condemnation.
“Gen. Petraeus and the other commanders in the U.S. Armed Services have dedicated their lives to defending the very freedom that enables MoveOn.org the right to free speech. I support that right, but I find the way they have chosen to exercise it today to be disrespectful and downright reprehensible,” Boehner said in a statement.
In the Senate, indignant Republicans wrote a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, demanding a resolution condemning Moveon’s Petraeus/Betray Us ad.
“The ad is distasteful and frankly, below the level of respect that America’s commanding general in Iraq has earned. No matter whether any senator supports or opposes the war in Iraq, we should all voice recognition and appreciation of Gen. Petraeus’ long and distinguished record of service to our country.”
Of course, the Republicans got their resolution.
Can we expect congressional Republicans to censure Limbaugh’s distasteful and disrespectful “genital Powell” comment? Will the White House condemn Limbaugh’s remark, as the late Tony Snow, then White House press secretary, condemned the Moveon ad?
Don’t hold your breath. With conservative Republicans, it’s always all about politics. Petraeus is a pro-Republican general leading the fight in a war they want. His service and heroism count, big time.
Powell, for all his honorable and distinguished service, is to the conscienceless right just a turncoat who never had enthusiasm for Bush’s Iraq debacle and who now backs the wrong presidential candidate. His service and heroism don’t count.
That is, unless — to use Limbaugh’s term — it’s really all about race. After all, Powell is African American, while Petraeus is white.
There are some differences here, Mr. noise machine yourself.
Limbaugh’s show is a known commodity. He doesn’t take out full page NYT ads, or in general pretend he is offering anything other than his opinion, unlike Moveon et al who caterwaul constantly about how they are some kind of secular priesthood who deal only in truth and must be obeyed.
The Right is getting more nasty as they get more desperate. From McCain on down to the lowest/loudest/dumbest radio blubberer, their fury and desperation are showing. To paraphrase what Cheney has been saying for 5 years about the Iraqi insurgents: “The wingnuts are on their last legs.”
RSF, Limbaugh’s show is one long audio bowel movement dumped on infertile intellects. Your characterization of Moveon bears no resemblance to reality, which figures.
How about the hypocrisy, RSF? Shouldn’t Republicans be demanding Limbaugh take his ugly little display of disrespect back and apologize to Powell? Shouldn’t congressional Republicans demand an apology for this distinguished general officer and war veteran? And if not, why not?
Tom, the right is doing all the things you say, showing their true colors more blatantly than usual. Here’s hoping the public gets a belly full of them and what they peddle, one that will last at least two generations. America is overdue to catch a break.
>>>>Your characterization of Moveon bears no resemblance to reality
Like you would know. Why do you think they call them ‘blue’ states?
>>>>And if not, why not?
Again, LIMBAUGH RUNS AN OPINION SHOW. But, maybe you don’t know the difference between opinion, policy, and fact.
RSF, I never said Limbaugh runs anything but an opinion show. Moveon was expressing its opinion of Petraeus and a situation the group disagreed with.
You dodged my question.
If you think this is bad, you should hear what Limbaugh says about Al Gore. You would go blind.
Petraeus was a sitting general fighting a war, making an important report to Congress.
Powell is a political figure shooting off his mouth…scratch that, too over the top…Powell is a political figure endorsing a hack…scratch that, too pejorative…Powell is a political figure endorsing another political figure, thus it is more acceptable for Limbaugh to make off hand comments about him.
Big difference.
Powell has never run for office and has avoided politics. If he’s a political figure at all, it’s because he let himself by used and abused by the most rabidly political administration since Nixon’s.
Tommy Franks is a political figure. So is Petraeus, in a more subtle way.
What has been Powell been doing lately? He came off the couch, banking on his past celebrity, to go before the cameras and get some attention.
Petraeus never called the media so he could endorse the most radically socialist major party candidate in our nation’s history.
Big difference.
I’m thinking now that Powell is an awesome guy who knows how to pick candidates:
—-Powell is still connected firmly to the Iraq war in many Democrats’ eyes. And up until now, probably his most fulsome and influential endorsement went to Dick Cheney. Powell spoke glowingly of the former Defense Secretary at the 2000 Republican Convention, predicting that Cheney would be “a superb vice president.”—-
Hmmm, maybe I should give this Obama guy another look.
RSF wrote: Petraeus never called the media so he could endorse the most radically socialist major party candidate in our nation’s history.
Go sit down, RSF, and have some more Kool Aid. I doubt even you believe that. If Obama wins, I expect three years from now to hear much grumbling from the far left because of how moderate he turned out to be.
As for Powell endorsing Cheney in 2000, I’m not surprised. He endorsed the Cheney that Adm. Brent Scowcroft used to admire and call a friend, but then about five years ago said Cheney had changed completely, and that “I don’t even know him any more.”
In my saner moments I don’t worry about Obama, I worry about the People’s Republic entourage that will follow him into office.
BTW, if Obama is not the most radically socialist major party candidate in our nation’s history, who is?