Colin Powell To Bill O’Reilly – “Why Are You Only Seeing Me As An African American?”

Retired General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, went on the Fox News Network on Tuesday and was interviewed by Bill O’ Reilly. Powell, and outspoken Republican who voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012, was asked by the host to defend his voting record for the Democratic president.

“What is it that you object to mostly, that caused you to vote for President Obama twice,” Reilly asked, to which Powell answered that the economic policies offered by the Republican candidates in 2008 and 2012, would not have fixed the economy. But that answer was not enough for Reilly and he ventured into trying to paint Colin’s votes for Obama, as based on race.

After pointing out that African-Americans are still suffering under President Obama, Reilly questioned Powell’s previous answer that the economy made him vote for President Obama. Powell seemed irritated by Reilly’s insertion of race into the conversation. “Why are you only seeing me as an African-American Bill?” Powell asked. “I’m an American.”

He then goes on to explain that although the economy is not where it needs to be, it is better now than it was before Obama took office. Powell also pointed out that when the general economy improves, as it’s doing now, then the economic outlook for other minority groups will improve as well.

The conversation progressed to immigration and voting, with Powell correctly stating that Republicans in the last election tried to “disenfranchise” minority by requiring voter ids and limiting voting days. “I want to see a Republican party that rather than try and make it more difficult to vote and restricting the days and hours you can vote,” Powell said, “a Republican party that says we want everybody to vote and we want you to vote for us.”

Powell and O’Reilly also spoke about Sarah Palin and other Republicans who turned him off during the previous campaigns.