NBC, MSNBC and CNN on Monday eagerly hyped Colin Powell calling out Republicans in Congress, citing this as an example of the former Secretary of State criticizing “his party.” The fact that Powell has endorsed Democratic presidential candidates in 2008, 2012 and 2016 didn’t come up.
Speaking at a CNN event, Powell lectured the GOP: “The Republican Party has to get a grip on itself. Right now, Republican leaders, both Senate and the House, are holding back because they are terrified of what will happen if they speak out.” On NBC’s Today, reporter Kristen Welker touted, “Former Secretary of State Colin Powell making headlines for these comments about his party.”
Co-host Savannah Guthrie opened the show by trumpeting the remarks, “The GOP circles the wagons around the President, but former Secretary of State Colin Powell says it's time for Republicans to step up.”
The show hyped the comments again in the 8 AM hour with Welker using identical language to her earlier assertion: “Former Secretary of State Colin Powell making headlines for these comments about his party.”
As a reminder, Powell endorsed Democrat Barack Obama in 2008, Democrat Obama in 2012, and Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016. Over on CNN Newsroom, host Poppy Harlow paraphrased, “Colin Powell says, ‘My party is in shambles right now. Has got to get a grip,’ to use his words.”
On MSNBC, Ayman Mohyeldin parroted, “Interestingly enough, the former Secretary of State Colin Powell, he actually took on Republicans for defending President Trump.” Why would this surprise Mohyeldin?
Back in 2009, when Powell was only one year into endorsing Democrats (and not 11), former Vice President Dick Cheney offered his take, musing, “My take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn't know he was still a Republican.”
Partial transcripts of the comments can be found below. Click “expand” to read more.
Today
10/07/19
7 AM tease
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Good morning. New whistleblower. A second person comes forward. The GOP circles the wagons around the President, but former Secretary of State Colin Powell says it's time for Republicans to step up.
COLIN POWELL: They need to get a grip. And when they see things that are not right, they need to say something.
...
KRISTEN WELKER: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell making headlines for these comments about his party.POWELL: The Republican Party has to get a grip on itself. Right now, Republican leaders, both Senate and the House, are holding back because they are terrified of what will happen if they speak out. Will they lose a primary? Our foreign policy is in shambles right now, in my humble judgment. And I see things happening that are hard to understand.
8:04
WELKER: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell making headlines for these comments about his party.
POWELL: The Republican Party has got to get a grip on itself. When they see things not right they need to say something about it. Because our foreign policy is in shambles right now in my humble judgment.
CNN Newsroom
10/7/19POPPY HARLOW: Colin Powell says, “My party is in shambles right now. Has got to get a grip,” to use his words.
MSNBC Live
10/7/19AYMAN MOHYELDIN: Interestingly enough the former Secretary of State Colin Powell, he actually took on Republicans for defending President Trump.
