When Pat Buchanan hijacked Ross Perot's Reform Party, you didn't find Perot followers insist they were still believers. They simply left and the party died. Powell, on the other hand, seems to think that his party affiliation is like a birth defect. With all the intellectual firepower of Meagan McCain or Michael Steele, he doesn't even make a case for broadening the platform. He merely wants to embrace tolerance on a very superficial level.

Why? Lecture circuit, I reckon. More cookies on the GOP lectern, even for a guy who is slightly to the left of Limbaugh.
From this comment you may discern that I also feel Powell's demi-god status may not be fully deserved.

Why is he still a Republican? Because the Republicans are the big supporters of the defense industry that pays high salaries to ex-military guys like Powell. He can't stop the gravy train.

I asked on another blog yesterday who constituted the Republican moderate "wing" (More of a feather, really) and we came up with Charlie Crist, Tom Ridge, Meghan McCain (See: her dispute with Laura Ingraham) and Powell. Pretty small and motley group.

Republican moderates were the ones who stood back while the thugs and loonies took over the party. The moderates were then, temporarily, in a good position-- for a while, they held the balance of power. But after Obama's election the Republican moderate's moment in the sun was over-- and the final result is straight out of Politics 101: when you let the thugs in, they will eventually take over.

At least I don't think Powell will apologize to Rush.

Rich2506, I think The Post tried to add Mitch Daniels (Gov-IN) to your list. Dunno though, his picture looked like a young Arlen Spector.

Nuts don't fall very far from the tree. Powell's son Michael was a Bushie of the first order. I know they are said to have parted ways politically,but my guess is that behind the tolerant and moderate exterior is a diehard Republican believer. For Powell Republicanism is a birth defect.

This is how the RepoTaliban attract the Black vote?

Nothing has changed in 40 years. If you are Black or famale and the Republican you better say Yes, Sir" to the white male leaders of the party.

They don't need to broaden the "base." All they need to do is capture the 12% or so of Ben Nelson-types who inexplicably call themselves Democrat.

On an intellectual level it has never been clear why Powell is and remains a Republican. On a practical, more cynical level, it is obvious: He owes his entire career to being a lap-dog and towel-boy for Rethugs. In retirement he is a paid member of the interlocking directorships of corporate America, and while he sided with Obama last fall, he never took on Bush when he could have and should have before March 2003, or afterwards. So Powell will be the loyal soldier (to those in power) forever, but may feel his next calling 'for his country' is to rescue the GOP from its self-created disaster, and return it to the control of the lilly-white board room.

If he does take on Cheney and Bimbaugh it will be a media circus. Powell is too old to run in 2012, and his wife is responsible for keeping him out of electoral politics when he certainly had a shot at becoming the first black president. So exactly what his role will be isn't clear, but with Obama as head of the Dems and Powell as head of the GOP, should it happen, American politics may indeed write an interesting new chapter.

"when you let the thugs in, they will eventually take over." Posted by: MattF at 8:58 AM

Funny, that. It's exactly what the anti-Communist conservatives used to say about the danger of letting Communists participate in the governing of a country otherwise threatened by a Communist insurgency and violence. Now the movement conservative thugs have proven it here in America.

You should at least give Powell props for being the only GOPer to not castrate himself in penance after committing the crime of criticizing Limbaugh.

"Putting aside the argument over whether his reputation is deserved..."
—Steve Benen 8:00 AM

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?

He backs the untried, far left, anti-American candidate of the other major political party over a man who has served the country and has experience of government and national security.

He supported Ogabe for two reasons: Ogabe, like Powell is a leftist. And, more importantly he is black.

That means Powell is not only out of the mainstream of America politically but he is also a racist.

fred's lost his meds again.
And his grammar.

It is not helpful to the democratic party either because we will end up with republicans putting a "D" after their names only because they can't stand the right winger madmen and not because they support a democratic agenda...just that they oppose a far right wing one.

Just what we need...more Ben Nelsons and Evan Bayhs posing as democrats. Our 2 party system is already here...Conservadems and Democratic socialists. The Rush/Hannity/Cheney/Gingrich Republicans have gone insane...reduced to radio show presidents and shock jock fantasies.

Powell is still a Republican because he isn't insane yet.

I wonder why he voted for Obama?

The Republicans can never beat the Democrats at their game of pandering to minorities and rigging future elections by giving citizenship to illegal aliens and jackpot babies, so Powell's ideas on big tent are a dead end.