Limbaugh Wants to Kick Colin Powell Out of the GOP

Posted by Ryan Powers, Think Progress at 3:53 PM on May 6, 2009.

On Monday, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said that he believed the Republican party is in “deep trouble,” “getting smaller,” and being led by polarizing figures like Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) and Rush Limbaugh. Powell said further that the party must realize that “Americans do want to pay taxes for services.” Of Limbaugh specifically, Powell said, “I think what Rush does as an entertainer diminishes the party and intrudes or inserts into our public life a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without.”

Today on his radio show, Limbaugh responded by calling Powell “just another liberal.” Limbaugh said Powell should “close the loop” and leave the Republican party instead of “claiming” to be interested in reforming it. Additionally, Limbaugh reiterated his previous claim that Powell endorsed Obama only because of his race:

LIMBAUGH: [Powell] is out there saying I am killing the republican party while he endorsed and voted for Obama. … He’s just mad at me because I’m the one person in the country who had the guts to explain his endorsement of Obama. It was purely and solely based on race! 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.

Limbaugh concluded, “The only reason to endorse Obama is race. I don’t think Powell thought he could get away without with not endorsing Obama. … So I don’t care.”

Watch it:

Greg Sargent concludes, “The optics of this one are not good.” Indeed, congressional Republicans are working extremely hard to ensure their rebranding effort is tailored to Limbaugh’s liking. Will they spoil their efforts by denouncing Limbaugh’s latest rant?

Tagged as: rush limbaugh, colin powell, shock jock, 'close the loop and becom