Colin Powell on 'Hannity'

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He is the personification of the American dream Colin Powell who joined the army as a young man and went on to serve in four presidential administrations will join me right here tonight in studio.

Now Colin Powell's impressive resume includes being the sixty -- the 65 secretary of state under president George W.

Bush.

National security advisor -- the President Reagan rising to the rank of four star general he was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- the first gulf war.

And in his brand new book -- work for me in life and leadership which hit stores today.

Secretary Powell shares the experiences that he encountered throughout his life that shaped his.

Incredible remarkable career and it's good to see that secretary -- story hospital on time for a long time -- -- you know I was just what you're doing great she -- terrific.

Yeah I'm I'm hanging in there here and -- in and this -- my 75 birthday I'm feeling great so I -- -- you don't that you really look like yeah I know you've had a long career but you know you're looking really young so congratulations thank you.

I've -- you talk about one story we spent a lot of time it's cup before coming on there talking about President Reagan.

I loved President Reagan as that I write you work for him.

Can you tell the story about he came to with a problem yeah and then he's looking at the squirrel that he put some -- out for -- in the -- Well I wanted to -- about this problem that we had and just to us in the Oval Office he's sitting in front of the fireplace some off on the couch.

And so I'm telling him telling him and he seems to pay no attention to me so I talk louder.

Still -- paying attention -- and then finally stops.

And he -- Colin -- yes the squirrels just came and got the not so I put out form this morning.

And so I yes Mr.

President and so I left went back -- my office and I thought about it.

And I said I can only Hussein and he Hussein -- Colin I really really like Levy also here for as long as you want me to.

But it's your problem I hire you to solve problems you let me know and I have a problem.

And so I learned that lesson and when he didn't have a problem that only he itself.

Sean he was like that is on top of it -- -- right questions and made decisive.

Judgments.

And so I learned a lot from him and I've tried to apply it later in my life to always have people you can trust to get things done for you.

And let them do things they can do and you try to stay a little bit above and as -- -- do you.

President Reagan was sort of -- level of aggregation above the rest of us some of that's right word really need is more ground level where an umbrella -- -- ground level and out of the leader any leader.

Should always be a little bit above the -- -- away from them.

But thinking about risk opportunity outside the immediate confines of the organization and -- it was good -- -- that's that's the message you communicated to.

Not only all American hospital far -- -- dealt with.

Did you know it was interest because at the time the threat economically was not the decline in Europe or or China it was.

Japan Japan -- a great story in the book -- I.

I and that chapter by telling the story of they whole cabinet marching in one day to complain about the Japanese buying everything in 1988 right.

And they're from Reagan sitting there listening to them and they're saying you know they've bought Rockefeller Center they bought Pebble Beach -- to be spared nothing.

And Mr.

President orderly and I do that congress is and the people who math and reading to scholarly looks back at them since well.

I'm glad they think Americans -- good investment that was that was the meeting was over he was -- he was building here.

You know and of course they didn't know wasn't a good investment at the time I lost all our money we got -- -- back.

Well and well hopefully if I look I've never been more worried that I am today about the economy about the world situation.

You know -- this is.

I've known you for a long time you were gracious enough -- secretary of state you -- interviews and I spent time with you I watched a military career.

Where you grew up in New York -- he didn't grow up for the silver spoon in your mouth by any stretch.

And you've achieved the highest levels of power and you work for.

Ronald Reagan.

And what what I.

Don't understood what I didn't understand and -- hopefully can explain this as I look at President Reagan.

And where he stood on socialize medicine and a lower taxes and limited government government is the problem not the answer.

And then I -- I watched as you endorsed.

President Obama.

I didn't understand it.

And that a lot of conservatives didn't understand.

In.

Spite of that I thought looked at a very carefully back in 2008 and I saw the economy going into a free -- I saw a situation where we were in two wars that really weren't sorting themselves out as cleanly as they should -- I felt that the Republican Party at that time was conveying.

An impression.

Harshness.

There was a certain ugliness of some of the things that were being said.

About President Obama and some of the things that you see happy campaign events.

How but it was the economy more than anything else that I thought he might be better able handle them somebody who I have allies regard for and have -- for thirty years as John McCain you know I.

And I watched that I remembered -- and maybe this just a point of disagreement we won't we wouldn't be able to resolve.

You know.

When usually he didn't like in particular he felt it was a character assassination and bring up like.

Bill -- and let me go back and this is what you said at the time and -- play for in and ask your question -- I was troubled.

A couple of weeks ago when the middle of the crisis to campaign said we're gonna go negative.

They announced it.

We're gonna go negative and attack his character through Bill Ayers.

And -- I guess the message this week is we're gonna -- -- socialist Toronto socialist.

Because he dare she suggests that maybe we ought to look at the tax structure.

We -- because of his ability to inspire because of the inclusive nature of this campaign because he is reaching out all across America.

Because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities and have to take that into account.

As well as his substance he has both style and substance he has met the standard.

Being successful president being an exceptional president.

I think he is a transformational figure he is a new generation.

Coming in to the world onto the world stage on the American stage and for that reason I'll be voting for senator Barack Obama.

For that that's when you've you've made the endorsement.

You said because of the inclusive nature of this campaign reaching out across America.

The president himself has now said the Republican plan for this country -- for dirty air and dirty water.

You're still a Republican right that.

Republicans want kids with autism and Down syndrome and the elderly to fend for themselves.

We have the democratic ads Paul Ryan lookalike strong grainy over the cliff.

Is does that sound inclusive if you think it could have -- seriously because I find him one of the most divisive figures.

In that I've witnessed in politics today.

Well -- -- -- the term is being used and rather freely I don't think he's -- to slice of the nation.

-- we have right now.

I've got dueling -- -- -- strongly held by both sides.

And the president is starting to go to mattresses justice of Republicans are gonna go to the Mac just to try to win the election.

What could have been more than just devices and then when President Obama was inaugurated for a number Republicans friends of mine.

And a number of commentators to say we're gonna destroy him.

We're gonna destroy him who said that a lot of people saying that traditionalist but I don't want it just taken off.

One of the harshest critics I wasn't -- -- the I don't I don't ever remember -- saying it.

Well I almost -- about Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright I don't know Bill Ayers from the man on the moon Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright or just -- passing things through.

To my ears and his church when he years well hello repentant terrorists giving speeches starting your political career in his house that didn't impress you at all at the time it was a guy who was living in Chicago and happened to have a friend by the name of the -- But I don't see Bill Ayers is having that kind of longstanding terrorist influence on the president.

But -- I don't mean this is ancient history now why -- cool but what I don't think it's the issue I think the economy in the president's record as you just can't get I didn't see you and reverend Wright's church for twenty years she wasn't and reverend and I didn't know anything about Reverend Wright or church and so -- -- that's my point this thing explodes.

And it becomes a big everybody tries to make of the defining issue the -- that -- campaign and guess what the American people heard it.

There are only attacks they heard all the things that was said about the Reverend Wright issue the president and Senator Obama gave -- speech on it.

And the American people took an extra are they elected -- president.

And they didn't listen to report well it was -- an -- -- Allen's I don't know that they -- that that's what makes this country great yeah.

Sean we do we have a wonderful country.

There has always been -- -- within our political system because the founding fathers designed it that way.

We don't have duels anymore.

I snuck that I've seen lately not ladies and they come back -- we may need to bring god forbid but god forbid but -- -- the fact is that as I say all my audience is look.

If this isn't totally links this is -- us.

Politics is tough stuff you should -- a founding fathers used to say to each other and in the early part of our on our nation.

But what they were able to do this specially in Philadelphia and 1787 for four months.

They -- about what how should be what -- senate should be the power the president the congress the Supreme Court and they had to deal with slavery.

True and they compromised on slavery because they couldn't solve it right and they said we're gonna create -- nation under constitution and they did.

And so I saw that kind and -- only amazing it's amazing that they did it.

And took us to New Year's results slavery but they knew what they were -- for that was great nation but sometimes -- politics today it seems like it's all about winning.

Not compromising let's not even think about we have we just had a gentleman who who -- mr.

Lugar.

Now in Indiana and his first statement is I'm not going to compromise anything as a country gonna work.

If nobody's going to come to become -- Washington compromise.

-- -- though you -- some -- so amazing about our founders and framers that are often beaten up.

By people even today what I always thought was amazing about them is that they put in place a system.

To right wrongs correct injustices.

And history.

Has I think proven them right in -- your Greenwood.

And I fully agree with -- we've done it's a wonderful system and it takes time sometimes you have to ultimately get a consensus from the people.

And the only -- you get a consensus to move forward.

Is for there to be compromised -- could build a consensus you know we're not doing enough for that now we're not doing enough.

OK look let's have a dream let's let's play some poker together Tip O'Neill and Reagan you've got to.

All right we'll bring the -- -- -- -- it's not there anymore there's this tornado once it's funny because I get accused of this hot.

But the president saying do you want dirty air and water I don't want dirty air water I want I have clean water for my kids hooked up.

All right we're gonna come back Politico are -- more with the -- former secretary of state Colin Powell one --

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Colin Powell on 'Hannity'

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