Retired Gen. Colin Powell wants to make it clear: He doesn't hire illegal immigrants.

The former secretary of state is explaining comments he made Sunday during a wide-ranging interview on NBC's "Meet the Press." Asked about immigration in this country, Powell advocated a path to legal status for those here illegally because they "are doing things we need done in this country."

"They're all over my house, doing things whenever I call for repairs, and I'm sure you've seen them at your house," Powell told host David Gregory. "We've got to find a way to bring these people out of the darkness and give them some kind of status."
On Monday, Powell's office said he "misspoke."

"I don't hire illegal immigrants," Powell said in a statement obtained by USA Today. "On Meet the Press yesterday, I referred to illegal immigrants working around my house. I was referring to the many service contractors who work in my neighborhood, using mostly immigrant workers, who do good work. Some may well be 'illegal.' There are 11 million illegal immigrants in this country and most are working somewhere in our economy."

In the interview, the former secretary of state also defended President Obama, whom he endorsed in 2008. Powell, a Republican, accused "fringe" elements on the right of staging "nonsense" attacks on the president, instead of going after his agenda.

Powell said accusations that Obama is Muslim or wasn't born in this country are dragging down political discourse.

"Let's not go down low. . . . Let's attack him on policy, not nonsense," he said. http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/20 ... mmigrants/