Hume: Colin Powell's GOP racism claims are 'weak'

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Hi I'm Bill O'Reilly thanks for watching us tonight the talk a voice memo will be on the media coverage of Al Gore is Al-Jazeera deal.

And that will be in our second segment with Bernie Goldberg.

But our lead story tonight is present Obama's press conference this afternoon.

Two big issues gun control and the national debt.

The president wants to raise the debt ceiling for the fifth time in his administration but he doesn't want to commit to many spending limitations in the future.

Therefore the house could possibly not give the president the power to raise -- debt ceiling.

In February.

Republicans in congress after choices here they can act responsibly and pay.

America's bills.

Where they connect -- responsibly and put America through another economic crisis.

-- -- what the president is still he wants Americans to believe the GOP is the problem not massive spending.

Likewise on the gun control -- president wants -- to come to a head to highlight Republican opposition.

To limiting guns and ammunition.

Joining us now from Washington with his take Fox News senior political expert -- to it seems to me present is playing politics rather than problem solving and my wrong.

Well I think you have a point about -- he'd like to get Republicans into bill but I would put in a solid everywhere in this in the sense that I think that he'd be perfectly happy.

To get the gun control measures that he favors whatever they turn out to be.

When -- recommendations come and get them -- in congress over without Republican successful Republican opposition he'd be happy gets a debt limit raised without any Republican I'm standing in the way -- the public -- in the way that he'd be happy further to get an immigration bill to his liking pests.

And I but I think he thinks and in each case if Republicans resisted -- doesn't get a bill he gets an issue to use against them and you know it's -- important lesson two years away from mid term election which I think he thinks it's possible for him to win back control of the house for his party.

And and then that would be Katie bar the door.

OK but don't you agree that if the president gets the debt ceiling raised with no commitment to spending cuts in the future.

If he gets -- ban of assault weapons ammunition.

More stringent background checks that this will -- Divide the Republican Party say they squeak it through -- -- -- Boehner makes it happen which I don't think he's going to by the way.

Then the Republican Party fractures.

It becomes weaker.

So the strategy that the president's employees basically I'm not going to compromise.

On the debt ceiling I don't know what he's gonna do on gun control but I'm not gonna compromise on debt ceiling.

You better give me the power to do it all do it by executive order and then say it's your fault.

So either way he gets the Republicans if they pass they get -- If they oppose he demonized.

It's a really Smart.

Political strategy well I think it.

It it it it could be an -- and it's worked to some extent so far but it hasn't worked a 100%.

Remember now.

Republicans got control of the House of Representatives.

Under -- during his term after his first two years when he was very aggressive event -- initiatives.

And that kind of stopped in his tracks and he can't do very much over -- resistance now although I think he feels as you suggested -- -- resistant you know that they.

There will lose on that I'm not sure that's true of so and I sure that's true on guns build.

Gun control has been a very dangerous issue for Democrats -- there may be such a wellspring of public good is -- on this issue now that.

It will be unpopular step it's something isn't done.

But I'm not sure that's altogether true or not only -- -- a proposed very much.

On on gun control and I also and I also think on immigration.

That.

You know that's an issue that I think we're where Republicans have some real jeopardy because.

Of the of the sense in the country now that the Hispanic vote is important that it was -- it was very helpful to Obama this time around the Republicans can't afford.

To -- Republican tactic comes -- is reasonable in that.

All right now -- how used to be a Republican and I don't think he has any longer.

However he -- not changed.

As far as we know.

He -- some very startling to me comments about racism recently roll the -- When I see a former governors say that the president is shocked and and -- That's of racial era slave term.

When I see another former governor after the president's first debate we didn't do very well says that the president -- lazy.

He didn't say he was slow he was tired he didn't do well he said he was lazy.

Now I mean -- mean anything to most Americans but to those of us are African Americans the second word to shift -- and is a third -- goes along with it.

And I would be the N word but pretty strong stuff by general Powell -- react to.

Well my first thought was it -- if the Republicans.

Have I don't know what he called a deep vein of intolerance in them.

You couldn't prove it by his career the last three Republican presidents.

Have had Colin Powell bat in there administrations and he is and they have never shown in an inning that opportunity.

Ronald Reagan made in the the national security advisor.

President Bush 41 made -- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and of course President Bush 43 made -- secretary of state.

So I don't think you can prove the deep vein of intolerance by Colin Powell's personal experience.

The comments that he took it seems to me -- a couple of stray comments.

From this past presidential season one of them by Sarah Palin who is really not a central figure in Republican party of politics at the moment and wasn't then.

She's out of elective office sees more or less on the sidelines -- has a following to be sure.

And then many spoke about -- a comment that President Obama was lazy you know that comment by the way.

-- that need not be considered a racial comment after all.

That the president was known not to enjoy preparing for the debate and his ideas were fearful that he didn't do so intensely enough still that first debate.

You know that's -- that I'd -- a sentence of that the case that he makes is -- And and I think it's an odd thing for -- man who declares himself to be Republican and has done so well on the Republican presidents to say.

All right Chris thanks very much we appreciate it.

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Hume: Colin Powell's GOP racism claims are 'weak'

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