Rush Limbaugh Says "Democrat" Colin Powell Should Leave Republican Ranks

By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street Blog

Today's Politico reports that Rush Limbaugh is suggesting that Colin Powell should leave the Republican Party. Under the headline, "Rush to Powell: Go Be a Democrat," here's the story:

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said Wednesday that if former Secretary of State Colin Powell is going to keep criticizing the GOP, he may as well leave the party and become a Democrat—adding that Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama was "purely and solely based on race."

"He's just mad at me because I'm the one person in the country that had the guts to explain his endorsement of Obama," Limbaugh said on his radio show. "There can be no other explanation for it."

"What Colin Powell needs to do is close the loop and become a Democrat, instead of claiming to be a Republican interested in reforming the Republican Party. He's not. He's a full-fledged Democrat," Limbaugh said.

"He's out there saying I am killing the Republican Party while he endorsed and voted for Obama," Limbaugh added.

Apparently Limbaugh was responding to a comment Powell made over the weekend on CNN when he was asked if the GOP should continue to listen to Limbaugh. Powell replied, "Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?"

Powell is right. Limbaugh is killing the Republican Party. I think most people—including the Republican women I wrote about yesterday—would rather have Colin Powell than Rush Limbaugh in the GOP.

The problem is the Democrats would love to have General Powell, but I'd bet my bottom dollar they wouldn't take Rush Limbaugh. To the DNC leadership, he's too valuable where he is—doing their best recruiting by making moderates like Powell feel unwelcome.

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