"There is no African-American in this county who has not been exposed to this kind of situation," Powell said. "Do you get angry? Yes. Do you manifest that anger? Do you protest? Do you try to get things fixed? But it's the better course of action to try and take it easy and don't let your anger make the current situation worse."On Palin:
The former secretary of state said he has been racially profiled "many times," including an incident that took place while he was the national security adviser to President Reagan.
"Nobody thought I could possibly be the national security adviser to the president, I was just a black guy at Reagan National Airport," Powell said. "And it was only when I went to the counter and said, 'Is my guest here waiting for me?' that someone said, 'Oh, you're General Powell.' It was inconceivable to him that a black guy could be the national security adviser." CNN
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, he said, is a "fascinating figure ... you have got to hand it to her." Palin transferred power to Gov. Sean Parnell on Sunday.Powell says republicans afraid are of Limbaugh.
He repeated his assessment that the former Republican vice presidential candidate had not been ready for the Oval Office last fall, but said she was worth watching.
"Apparently, she is going to re-enter public life ... . We will have to see what her plans are," he said Tuesday. "I don't know if she is doing all of this for political purposes or just to start a new life in the wonderful world of speaking. And we will all be watching with great interest."
Powell on Gates:
