“Colin Powell was a great lion with a big heart. We will miss him terribly.”

The awkward moment came during a CNN town hall in Baltimore as the president was trying to sell his agenda.

“He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!”

“Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat.”

“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American.”

“Somebody ought to go up there and tell him it’s over.”

“I think this is something we should do and we should do it as quickly as we can.”

Powell is pushing back with an unbiased look at Robert E. Lee.