Characterize

“I wouldn't characterize it the way Larry has, calling it a cabal... what Larry is suggesting in his comments is that very often maybe Mr. Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney would take decisions in to the president that the rest of us weren't aware of. That did happen, on a number of occasions.”

-Colin Powell,

as quoted in "Breaking Ranks: Larry Wilkerson Attacked the Iraq War. In the Process, He Lost the Friendship of Colin Powell" by Richard Lei (Washington Post, January 19, 2006)