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Colin Powell claims he was fired by President Bush

rawstory.com — Colin Powell claims he was fired by the Bush Administration, according to his official biography John Harwood of the Wall Street Journal provides analysis of Powell's admission in the following MSNBC video report.

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  • CloakandSwagger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+36Actually, according to what John Harwood was saying (in the MSNBC video embedded in the article) when recounting what was in the book, Bush wasn't even aware of why Powell was reporting to him on that day of his departure. "Bush didn't even realize it was his exit interview". This leads me to believe that Bush didn't make the call to fire him. Seriously, how often do you think Bush makes any of these calls? This is something Cheney and Rumsfeld ordered to cover thier asses and allieviate the tension that was brewing between them on the Iraq war.
    And it's understandable when considering Powell held a particular opposition to the way in which the war was being handled. They weren't going to tolerate any resistance.
    • themonkman, on 10/12/2007, -6/+10The assumption that Bush didn't know that Powell was doing his exit interview because he didn't fire him lacks total logic. If I was the CEO of a company, and say my COO came up to me saying that he was ready for his exit interview, the first question I'd ask is "Who told you that you were fired? I never fired you." I wouldn't say "Oh. Ok...uh...have a seat."
    • bobbknight, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7One who tells the boss to ***** off, usually does not keep his job.
  • FIGJAM, on 10/12/2007, -38/+4Big F***ing Deal....Cabinet members get fired all the time, especially when they aren't particularly enthusiastic about supporting the administrations policies.
    • sharpfork, on 10/12/2007, -3/+21@ figjam-
      When what seems like the one somewhat respectable voices of reason in the W administration is canned it is a big deal. The result was asshats like Rumsfeld and Cheney were left unchecked and the Iraq war was prosecuted by the administration with incompetence. It not hard to imagine that Iraq and our brave troops would be in a better spot if instead of the Rumsfeld doctrine of incompetence, the Powell doctrine was followed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell_Doctrine .
    • da5idblacksun, on 10/12/2007, -3/+28Powell wasn't just any old cabinet member so you can't really talk about him as some standard situation.
    • superalamar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5and making it seem like a chosen resignation is a lie, meaning they felt it was a big deal.
  • jshapiro, on 10/12/2007, -20/+3This is all CRAP!!! I fired him.
  • econoar, on 10/12/2007, -12/+72 on the frontpage at the same time.
  • djpnuemo, on 10/12/2007, -12/+2SEARCH BEFORE POSTING!!
    buried!
  • coldfusion055, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1Wasn't this on the front page an hour ago?
  • adml_shake, on 10/12/2007, -16/+4"He had never directly told the president but thought he had made clear to him during the summer of 2004 that he did not intend to stay into a second term."


    Soooo Bush "knew" that he wasn't planning on staying around, and went ahead and replaced him? Whats the big deal here? This happens all the time in the corporate wold, you put in your 2 week notice and your ass is handed walking papers the next day.
    • Loonacy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12That's a good point. The only thing is the part after:

      "Senior Powell aides were convinced that the secretary anticipated an invitation to stay, and they were equally certain that he intended to accept."

      He hadn't given official notice that he was leaving, and in fact evidence suggests he was going to stay. The administration didn't even give him that chance, though.
    • adml_shake, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4maybe, but you say "yeah I think i'm leaving after this term....I don't feel like doing this again" enough and to the right people and it's gonna get back to the wrong people who think you are serious. If he really wanted to stay then why would he even say something like that? Because it obviously got back to someone who thought he was serious.
  • jbus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Too bad Powell kept this little fact under wraps for so long. Even though he was fired and his opinions were completely disregarded, he was still being a good little sycophant trying to cover Bush's ass. What is it about Bush that garners him such staunch loyalty?
    • neoform, on 10/12/2007, -12/+3it's called "presidency", he's the boss.
    • jbus, on 10/12/2007, -6/+18@neoform:

      No, the American People are the ones in charge... Bush works for us, as did Powell and anyone else in the administration and anyone in any previous and future administration. Their first obligation is to the citizens of the United States of America, not to cover the President's ass.
    • ShiverMeBoner, on 10/12/2007, -2/+17@jbus,

      "No, the American People are the ones in charge... Bush works for us, as did Powell and anyone else in the administration and anyone in any previous and future administration. Their first obligation is to the citizens of the United States of America, not to cover the President's ass."

      Ideally this would be the was things SHOULD work, but in reality, government is run by big business and people with the most money. You're naive if you truly believe what you said.
    • jbus, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5@ShiverMeBoner:

      I think we all know how things currently work in our government. That doesn't mean that we have to resign to it, or that we can't aim to fix the problems. Are you suggesting that we cast aside our principles because it would take too much effort to ensure that our government works the way it was intended??? That sounds awfully lazy to me. There's always a way to make things better, it just takes some willpower and plenty of effort.
    • PopcornDave, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@jbus

      You're right, and if people actually remember their history, there was a little conflict called the Revolutionary War. If anyone doesn't remember that particular uprising, it would be a good idea to read up on it.

      When at least 33% of the people get pissed off enough at their government, they act. Hopefully if and when they do this time, it won't have to be with guns.
  • maddmike1959, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14This is my problem with Collin Powell, He always seems to come out with stuff like this way to late. Why couldn't he have said anything about this when it actually happened?
    • spraguep, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Releasing this information before an election if much better, otherwise it would already be forgoten.
  • LAhazmat, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8 Powell has too much integrity to be one of the Bush henchmen.
  • marcushe, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5It makes sense that he was fired.

    Colin Powell was a rising star - he was to be presidential material.

    The republicans wouldn't have anything to do with black president and / or nominee.
    • p0s3r, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Which party is the one known for throwing oreo's at blacks in the opposing party? Let me give you a hint, it sounds kinda like hypocrite.
    • ZenMojo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Have you met a black Republican? They're worse than born-again Christians. Or Jews for Jesus.
  • nfulton, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12Colin Powell was the guy that told the UN information he himself doubted, and showed us what looked like a vial of coke and photos of nothing and some sketches of truck based wmd labs. I have no respect for the guy . . . He could have saved tens of thousands of lives by calling "Bullsh-t" early on.
    • jbus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I completely agree... I no longer have much respect for him. Instead of coming clean to the American people, he chose to keep quiet and pull himself out the public light. Maybe he kept quiet because he was ashamed of his actions or maybe he was just trying to cover his own future political ass, just in case he ever decides to run for President. Either way, his actions are not that of a person I would trust as President.
    • tybris, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3He is a Republican...
  • ChuckFreck, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1From an article in GQ a long time before Powel was "fired".

    Powell's chief of staff, Larry Wilkerson, on whether Powell will return
    for a second term: "He's tired. Mentally and physically. And if the president
    were to ask him to stay on -- if the president is re-elected and the president
    were to ask him to stay on, he might for a transitional period, but I don't
    think he'd want to do another four years."
  • peritonlogon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Hmmm, sounds like he's planning to make a bid for office... Powell '08?

    I'd be down for that.
    • djbruker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3As I remember it, I think he didn't already run for president because his wife preferred he did not. Out of respect for her, he stayed out.

      But fortunately, Powell is a man of dedication and service. If he were DRAFTED into running, by any party, I think he would do his duty and serve as president of the US.

      He's a good, solid leader who, I believe, would be dedicated to making the right decisions for the US and all 300 million citizens. Quite unlike most slimey politicians beholden only to special interests, power acquisition, and power abuse...
  • absentmindedjwc, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1disreguard.... digg me down.....
  • ichbinladen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Powell is a tool, he was used and discarded like a bloody tampon.
  • mattyohe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The woman on MSNBC calls him "Pat Colin"... Stop reading from the prompter and think about what you are saying you automaton!
  • diggdong, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Kissinger is the secretary of state. Different war, same plan.
  • DocDEB, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2In the run up to Iraq I was saddened to see Powell's integrity compromised. I thought then and I still think now that he should have resigned rather than be the mouth piece for a war that he knew was on shaky ground. We can speculate that if he had resigned it might have gotten people to sit up and think a bit before rushing off to war. It is likely that the administration would have smeared the heck out of him but I think he still would have come off better than how it turned out. I think that at the time he was still thinking like the good soldier he was so he followed his president's orders. Unfortunately that does not excuse him from some responsibility for the current mess.
  • esoteric, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1This is a duplicate story and inaccurate, mark as such.
  • thelonegunman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1hey! where are the neocon trolls flagging this as "possibly inaccurate"?
  • Dred, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1differentangel read the top ten ways to reach the front page article.
    • differentangel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I can't find the top ten ways? Post a link Dred.
  •  

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