Colin Powell Wonders If Palin Quit for ‘Wonderful World of Speaking’

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell called former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin “a fascinating figure,” but said “I don’t think she was ready to be president of the United States last fall when she was named the vice presidential candidate.”
Asked about Palin’s curious resignation, he said: “I don’t know if she is doing all of this for political purposes or just to start a new life in the wonderful world of speaking. And we’ll all be watching with great interest.”

In a wide-ranging interview on CNN’s “Larry King Live” Tuesday night, Powell also said President Obama is in his view is spending too much on government programs. Powell, a Republican, crossed party lines last year to endorse Obama.
But now he says he is “sensing around the country that people are starting to get a little uneasy at the number of federal initiatives and the amount of money.” He noted that the numbers being “tossed around” are in “the trillions and trillions of dollars, with a national debt that is soaring past $15 trillion to $16 trillion.”

“Where is the money coming from? We are just printing it or borrowing it from the Chinese. And so, we are leaving a heck of a debt for our kids.”

Asked if he was backing off previous praise for Obama, Powell responded, “You could consider that criticism or you could consider that advice to the president. It’s advice that I have communicated to him.”

At the same time, Powell is just as critical of his own party, and is pushing for a “big tent” GOP. He cites the political losses in 2008 as reason for reevaluating the direction of the party, but has drawn criticism from Rush Limbaugh, in particular, for his comments. Powell said that the “the party cannot just keep focusing on its solid, very far right-wing base — not throw them out of the party. . . . That point of view has to be taken into account.”

His vision for a Republican resurgence involves finding “some way to reach out and draw moderates and independents more toward the right so that we can build a party that will win.”

Powell also responded to an account by Limbaugh, who claimed that the former secretary of state “said the American people want higher taxes and bigger government. That is not Republicanism.” Powell countered: “What I said that he is referring to was not the American people wanting higher taxes and more government. They don’t. Who does?”

Asked about Limbaugh’s comment that Powell should leave the Republican Party, he responded: “Mr. Limbaugh is free to criticize me all he chooses to, but he cannot tell me that I cannot be in the party. I decide what party I am going to be in. And he can accept that or not accept it.

“I know what I stand for, and people know what I stand for. I stand for a strong defense. I stand for a reaching-out foreign policy. I stand for responsibility in government, responsibility in our daily lives. And I am very socially moderate, which troubles a number of people in the party, but I am.”

He also said the GOP needs to get back to its philosophical roots, the party of less government. “I believe what the Republican Party ought to focus on is limited, effective government, with the emphasis being effective, and not just using slogans like ‘limited.’

“The deficit increased during the previous eight Republican years. We created more government, not less government. What the American people want is . . . government that works. They want a health care system that takes care of them. They want homeland security.”

Powell also commented on a range of other issues. Born and raised in New York, Powell strongly endorsed Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his reelection bid, saying, “He is an independent guy who is always trying to solve problems. And he is working for the whole city. So I think Mike Bloomberg should be given a third term.”

Asked if the U.S. is at risk of being attacked by North Korea, Powell asserted that “they are not going to use these weapons. There are not enough of them to seriously think about it. They live in a rather odd, bizarre system, as we know. Some people call the system crazy, but I am telling you, Larry, they are not crazy. They are some of the best, toughest negotiators I have ever dealt with.”

As for the recent disputed elections in Iran, Powell said, “There is something very significant happening in Iran right now. Demonstrations are continuing. Some of the ayatollahs and religious figures are disagreeing with other ayatollahs and religious figures. So there is a churning take place right now, and I think it is best for us to watch this and let the Iranians sort out where they are going.”

On the topic of Iran’s nuclear program, however, he said: “You should fear Iran having a nuclear weapon. I think, though, that while we are negotiating and trying to get something going, the centrifuges are spinning. They’re well on their way to having a nuclear program. . . In fact, it’s continuing and escalating to the great distress of their neighbors and especially the great distress of Israel.”

King asked him whether, now that he is out of public life, “You do not get up in the morning and say, I wish I was in that meeting?”

Powell responded, “No. I read all the things that are going on in all the meetings, and I just have another cup of coffee and smile.”

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