Colin Powell Throws Wet Blanket On Hannity's Obsession With Rev. Wright And Bill Ayers

[spanone]

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell tonight threw a wet blanket on Sean Hannity's longtime obsession with attacking President Obama over Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.

During an interview with Powell on his Fox News show, Hannity said that he finds Obama to be "one of the most divisive figures in -- that I've witnessed in politics today."

Powell responded: "[T]hat's a term that's being used rather freely. I don't think he's that divisive an issue." Powell then asked, "What could have been more divisive than, when President Obama was inaugurated, for a number of Republicans, friends of mine, and a number of commentators to say, 'We're going to destroy him. We're going to destroy him'?"

Hannity replied: "I was one of his harshest critics. I wasn't out to destroy him." Hannity also asserted: "Well, I was critical about Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright." Powell responded: "I don't know Bill Ayers from the man in the moon. Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright are just passing things through [Obama's] life." Hannity then said that Obama spent "20 years" in Wright's church, to which Powell responded: "Well, so?"

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201205230002

[Pirate Smile]

1. Powell will endorse Obama in October - like he did last time.

[boxman15]

61. I disagree with Powell's center-right politics (and his lies that led us into Iraq), but

this will be huge just like it was last time. Powell has a lot of sway with moderate voters. Those who are leaning toward Romney but not quite sure about him would probably vote for Obama following a Powell endorsement and embarrassing debates for R-Money.

[Romulox]

2. I wouldn't want Powell's endorsement. I'd ask him to leave me out of it, if he supported me. nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

21. And you ...

would, arguably, be foolish.

General Powell carries a great deal of influence in the semi-sane gop and gop-leaning independant circles. In fact, if he had run in '08, he no doubt would have been the republican candidate, and possibly, the president today.

His endorsement cannot hurt a presidential campaign.

[rhett o rick]

26. General Powell is a war criminal, but I guess all that is behind us. nm

[BlancheSplanchnik]

29. inspite of the fact that you have people disagreeing with you,

you are absolutely correct.

It may not be a pretty fact, but it is a fact. Powell also impresses me as one of the rare ones who admits to egregious wrongdoing and is taking consistent action to try and right his errors. I have deep respect for that.

[Romulox]

30. He is most famous as a shameless liar, who sent untold numbers of men and women to their deaths.

Your claim about his viability as a Presidential candidate is laughable.

[1StrongBlackMan]

38. Laughable ...

Only to those that weren't listening to independants, the semi-sane republicans and conservative Democrats.

[Solomon]

32. I know some republicans who voted for Obama because of Powell's endorsement.

They were sitting on the fence until Powell gave the endorsement.

I don't know any democrats who voted for McCain because Powell endorsed Obama.

[1StrongBlackMan]

39. 1+ ...

I also know several independants and "reagan democrats" that voted for President Obama because of Powell's endorsement.

[Blecht]

54. Politics is a filthy business

There's nothing filthier than embracing a man who lied our country into war.

[harmonicon]

33. No way, no how.

The Republican base would never vote for a black person for president.

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. But plenty of ...

the semi-sane republicans, gop-leaning independants and "reagan"/conservative democrats would.

[harmonicon]

42. I doubt it would matter.

The numbers just wouldn't add up if the base stayed home or voted for someone else.

[Bake]

41. The base? No. It's the independents/middle-of-the-roaders we're after.

We'll never get the Puke base, which, thank God, is shrinking.

Bake

[Proud Liberal Dem]

34. If he doesn't get the endorsement

it could kind of hurt President Obama given that he endorsed him in 2008 and him refusing to endorse would add to the "Obama can't reproduce 2008" meme that the corporate media has been working on. Based on the aforementioned interview, he doesn't seem to be gravitating to the current Republican *thinking* about President Obama, thankfully but I'm kind of curious about what he thinks R.MONEY might say/do to convince him to back him. Or maybe he just won't endorse anybody. I have mixed feelings about Powell. He was one of the few members of the Bush (mis-)administration that I thought was halfway decent but his selling out to Bushco over Iraq was pretty unforgivable knowing that he knew he was peddling a bunch of BS.

[RZM]

43. I've always been a bit skeptical that Powell would have been this unstoppable electoral juggernaut

I think that idea was much more media-driven than anything else, going back to his flirtation with running in the mid-1990s.

Once he got into the thick of it, he would have found his relative moderate stance on many issues quite a handicap in the Republican primaries. He almost certainly would not have been the Republican nominee, especially since by 2008 he was already on the verge of switching sides anyway. That would have shown had he been under the microscope.

And even had he gotten the nomination, Obama would have beaten him handily - perhaps even by a few more points than he beat McCain.

[Romulox]

47. An attack ad based on his fraudulent UN presentation would be devastating. nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

55. Devastating to whom?

Do you REALLY think the gop, or its surrogates, would air an ad reminding people that the gop lied us into war? Really?

Or are you just arguing just to be arguing?

[tridim]

53. He might get my Republican Mom to vote for Obama.

Worth it IMO, despite all the crap he has pulled.

[Harry Monroe]

59. "the semi-sane gop and gop-leaning independant circles"

In other words, the .000000001% of the GOP?

[1StrongBlackMan]

60. No ...

Actually, I think that would be closer to the 67% of the gop that don't believe that don't really believe all the crap that fox puts out.

[SecurityManager]

3. I saw hannity squirm a bit

You could tell this interview did not go the "fox" way!

[yellowcanine]

4. Hannity has his Ayers-Wright sock and he is going to keep chewing on it.

You can sneak it away from him when he isn't looking but he will find it and carry it back to his doggie bed made out of a dead horse.

[DinahMoeHum]

7. Let the Hamster choke on that sock then. . .

People didn't give a shit about Ayers-Wright back in 2008, and they don't give a shit about it now.

As Powell said, it's ancient history.

[A Simple Game]

20. Some care about Ayers-Wright.

But they were never going to vote for Obama anyway. And if it wasn't Ayers-Wright, it would be something or someone else.

[DinahMoeHum]

28. True enough. Fuck them, it's their loss and waste of time. . .

. . .not ours.

[Cali_Democrat]

36. LOL. Nice analogy...

I can totally picture Hannity chewing on it similar to how a dog would chew on something.

Take it away and he'll find it and keep chewing...and chewing...and chewing...

[KG]

5. piss on Colin Powell

[madrchsod]

6. hannity thought he was going to play the game with powell?

hannity is nothing more than the court jester

[RevStPatrick]

8. That's how people like Hannity need to be responded to...

"Hannity then said that Obama spent '20 years' in Wright's church, to which Powell responded: 'Well, so?'"

Actually, people like Hannity REALLY need to be responded to this way: "Wait, you want me to come on your shallow propaganda TV show? Um, no thanks..."

[goclark]

14. I salute Colin Powell's response

to Insanity by telling him, " Well so?"

As an identified Republican he didn't have to support Obama with his comments.

I just saw him do a great interview with Morning Joe , he was open and honest IMO with his responses. He had nothing negative to say about the President.

Was he used and abused during his time with Bush? YES!
Should he change his position now and speak out for Obama -- glad he did and hope he continues.

[1StrongBlackMan]

22. +1

[warrior1]

9. Hannity said that he finds Obama to be "one of the most divisive figures in -- that I've witnessed i

This is just don't get. How is he being divisive? By being black?

How?

[joe1991]

13. Fox News number one rule:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”

- Joseph Goebbels

[jimmil]

15. Of course being black is divisive silly.

Reverend Wright is black and he is divisive. Obama is black so he must be divisive. It's just logic moran.

[Jamaal510]

62. Not only because he's black,

but also because he's a Dem. They actually seemed to take a liking to the Pizza Man when he was still running, though.

[Marr]

19. They *really* hate him. Therefore, he is "divisive".

It doesn't matter that their hate is built on a collection of phony propaganda smears that Fox itself is largely responsible for.

[1StrongBlackMan]

23. President Obama is divisive ...

in the same sense that zimmerman can claim self-defense ... It's the gop/bully way.

[Myrina]

10. Perfect response to most GOP blather

"Well, so?" it'll drive them into fits of rabid incoherence almost every time.

[protect our future]

11. Slightly off topic, but important:

Yesterday morning, in a clip on MSNBC, Powell said this in response to which candidate he'll support. "It's not just the candidates; it's who they bring in with them." Probably not a direct quote but as close as I can remember. So, since Obama is now Prez and has already brung 'em in, I guess Powell is talking about Romney. So who does Powell think Romney might be bringing in with him? Cheney, Rove & friends? Hello again job destroyers and warmongers!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. Who would Romney bring in with him? Well, for starters...

John Bolton as his advisor or foreign policy
Robert Bork as his advisor on the courts

So basically if Powell endorses Mitt Romney, not only is he STILL a war criminal, he'll be an asshole neocon fascist, too!

Powell will lose the remaining credibility that he had.

[onlyadream]

16. On NPR

Powell said that it's not one person that is elected, it's an entire philosophy. He went on to say that he wants to hear what Romney has to say now that all the primary junk is out of the way. Powell also listed some items that he wasn't happy about regarding Obama. One being that Guantanamo was still open.
It sounded to me that Powell is now a democrat, but isn't admitting to it and is being cautious.

[avebury]

35. And Powell thinks that Romney will close Guantanamo? nt

[onlyadream]

44. I think he was just being cautious

But anyone listening could tell that he just didn't want to come out and say it. I did think it was amusing how Obama isn't progressive enough for Powell. Who woulda thunk it?

[PragmaticLiberal]

46. That's interesting because Powell reportedly told Obama that he was too left for his tastes.

[matmar]

17. Colin Powell damning Obama with faint praise...

..."he's not that devisive"......

really, Mr Yes Man?

It's Obama who's the problem??

[raouldukelives]

18. I think it was Colbert who said

Obama spent 20 years going to Rev. Wright's Church which proves he's a Muslim.
McCain never went to Church which proves he's a Christian.

I hate hearing all the talk about Religion during every election. I measure the level of someones "faith" by watching their actions, not their mouths, not their press releases, just deeds.

[Iggo]

24. Drop dead, Powell.

Ya fucking war criminal.

[Rozlee]

25. Past associations? Like Hannity and Hal Turner?

Seems if you "pal around" with a terrorist, you should watch where you lob your stones at.

[loyalsister]

27. Powell also said "so what if he is?"

To the "Obama is a Muslim" lie. I think he said he didn't think he is but if that were the case- what really is the problem? I thought that was a strong statement of common sense.

[Oilwellian]

49. I did a video on Powell's Meet the Press interview

Those were the good old days when so much "hope" was in the air and Obama was on a tear. The right wing were frothing at the mouth, kinda like they're doing right now, and Powell's famous interview occurred. At the time, I despised him for being a yes man throughout his career, but this game-changing interview was a bit of redemption for the General. Just a bit.

[loyalsister]

50. Well done

Thanks for posting. I was glad to hear that interview again. He had something very substantial to say. Powell has some ugly parts in his history, but he is a smart guy who learned a lot about thinking things through independently the hard way.

[Oilwellian]

52. Thank you

It was a stunning moment during the campaign.

[Scurrilous]

31. K & R

[SemperEadem]

37. I suppose

the constant, unremitting, never-ending vomitting of every negative thought, word or inference hannity has thrown out night after night after night for the past 5 years is "uniting" talk. You're damn straight he's been out to destroy him ever since he got his marching orders in exchange for his paycheck.

Reverend Wright was a DOA issue before election day 4 years ago, as was Bill Ayers. What is it about mediocre, rethug, middle aged, soft in the middle white guys who keep trying to live in the past? The train is moving forward--get on or get the eff out of the way.

[BlueMTexpat]

45. Powell knows exactly what drives the obsession. eom

[bvar22]

48. Colin Powell has strong personal reasons...

... for wanting to out the past behind him,
reasons that go further back than his shameful performance at the UN,
all the way back to VietNam.

That said, he DID a good job on Hannity.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
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[malaise]

51. He also tore Rmoney a new one when he said

Think Mitt think re the Russian Federation 'effry comment!!

[spanone]

58. powell knows romney has ZERO foreign policy experience.

[patrice]

56. Hannity can't imagine being around someone and NOT becoming them. Projecting his own weakness.

[cr8tvlde]

57. Go Colin. This is like the few misinformed on here that moaned that Obama only stood behind

gay marriage by merely speaking to the country in the MSM and didn't sign a piece of paper. They were dead wrong, and so are these twittering on about Powell. When you're in a battle (speaking of the upcoming election and The Future), you welcome anyone who wants to help you win...even if you don't like them. They didn't have to be your prom date or anything.

Liberals need to grow a pair, accept with gratefulness every tilt to the left we can find, and take a real hard look at the Tea Party. Then do what they did. If "Occupy" is the best we can do, it's not looking great.