'Rush Will Not Get His Wish and Mr. Cheney Was Misinformed'

Well maybe you can stop bad-mouthing two of the most popular conservatives out there. Maybe apologize for endorsing Obama while you're at it.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell touted his Republican credentials Sunday, shooting down pointed criticism from Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney that he had abandoned the GOP.

Limbaugh has called on Powell to join the Democrats, while Cheney has said he believes Powell already left his party.

"Rush will not get his wish and Mr. Cheney was misinformed. I am still a Republican," Powell said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

While standing by his loyalty to the Republicans, Powell defended his endorsement of President Obama last fall and continued to call on the Republican Party to be more moderate and expand its base.

"You can only do two things with a base. You can sit on it and watch the world go by, or you can build on it," Powell said. He said the party should be more inclusive.

This kind of advice has riled some conservatives, who warn that too much moderation will cause the Republican Party to merely mimic the Democrats. In calling for the party to be more moderate, Powell has also criticized conservatives like talk show host Limbaugh.