Colin Powell Endorses Obama
Posted on October 19, 2008
It’s no surprise, but will it influence the mind of independent, undecided voters? For folks like my aunt, it very well could. While she did not like McCain, she was also afraid of the ties and inexperience of Obama. She had decided to sit it out. However, she has a lot of respect and admiration for Powell. His endorsement could boost people’s confidence in Obama on foreign policy. However, most people expected this endorsement for a while now, and it probably won’t have as much of an impact as would have if he had done it earlier in the summer. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a big endorsement…one I’m sure McCain wishes he had.
After months of hints and speculation, former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama this morning, a huge vote of confidence in the Illinois Democrat with just 16 days left before the November election.
“He has both style and substance,” Powell said of Obama on NBC’s “Meet the Press”. “I think he is a transformational figure.”As we wrote on Friday, the Powell endorsement carries huge symbolic importance — not only is he a former high-ranking member of President Bush’s Cabinet but he also was the most visible face in making the case for the war against Iraq.
Powell’s endorsement complicates any attempt by John McCain and others within the Republican Party to cast Obama as naive on world affairs and unready to lead in a dangerous time. Obama now has a ready retort: “Well, Colin Powell seems to trust my judgment; that’s why he endorsed me.”
I will not attempt to speculate whether race had any impact on Powell’s endorsement, however that won’t stop others like Rush.
Rush Limbaugh said Colin Powell’s decision to get behind Barack Obama appeared to be very much tied to Obama’s status as the first African-American with a chance to become president.
“Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race,” Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail. “OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I’ll let you know what I come up with.”
As for Powell’s statement of concern this morning about the sort of Supreme Court justices a President McCain might appoint, Limbaugh wrote: “I was also unaware of his dislike for John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Antonin Scalia. I guess he also regrets Reagan and Bush making him a four-star [general] and secretary of state and appointing his son to head the FCC. Yes, let’s hear it for transformational figures.”
The media is in a frenzy over this endorsement, the rest of us yawn.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, Elections, News, Politics As Usual, Racism
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16 Responses to “Colin Powell Endorses Obama”
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Powell is pro-choice, pro-Affirmative Action and, according to that interview, against actual constitutionalists like Alito and Roberts.
If I were Powell, I would vote against McCain too just based on the issues. Hell, I wouldn’t even be a Republican. I think the only reason Powell called himself a Republican was because we are so pro-military. That seems like the only issue the GOP and Powell agrees on.
Powell is supporting a terrorist sympathizer chickenhawk over a fellow vietnam veteran and war hero. Of course its about RACE.
How well did the Bush administration treat Powell? His endorsement of the Democratic candidate may have something to do with politics, policy and payback, not just skin color.
As a fellow veteran of Colin Powell, his endorsment of Obama is nothing less than his spitting in the face of every servicemember past and present. Any Al Qaeda attack on the U.S. would eventually be overcome. An Obama Presidency would destroy America forever. This is because America is more than just a place on a map. America exists entirely due to the belief in certain philosophies, and an Obama Presidency would be an abandonment of all those philosophies. America is not supposed to be a Socialist nation. Powell’s efforts to help make it so are a direct betrayal of the nation he once served.
Why should people give credence to a washed-up presidential-wannabe who became an alcoholic because the Republican constituents deigned not choose him to be their candidate since 1992? Bah humbug! Have a political backbone, Gen. Powell. You’re a warrior–don’t kowtow to racial, political and ‘ethnic pride’ pressures from kooky left-wing radicals, Afrocentric flakes,
pseudo-intellectuals and loony liberal ranters.
‘Tenshun, soldier! Be your own man!!!
After listening to Colin Powell’s reasoned thoughtful interview it’s been interesting to read the comments on this site. He’s endorsed Obama because of you boys! Your narrow views(that’s being generous) are going to give the Republican party it’s biggest defeat since 1964. Take a deep breath learn to do something other than rant and rave, and make your time in the wilderness useful.
“He has both style and substance”
Sunstance? Okay, who has Powell been listening to all these months? I’ll give Obama points for style, but substance? Please. To have substance, you have to know what you’re talking about and Obama, well…
“Powell’s endorsement complicates any attempt by John McCain and others within the Republican Party to cast Obama as naive on world affairs and unready to lead in a dangerous time. Obama now has a ready retort: “Well, Colin Powell seems to trust my judgment; that’s why he endorsed me.””
I don’t see how any endorsement could save Obama if he (again) says something stupid about an issue. Suppose a foreign matter springs up and Obama’s response is the same level of stupid as his initial response to Russia invading Georgia. A Powell endorsement won’t help him there. If anything, it could possibly call Powell’s judgment into question for supporting him.
And, Mark, what exactly was the Democratic response to Liberman endorsing McCain? Not exactly restrained, understanding or forgiving. Oh, sure, some certainly had no problem with it, but I guarantee there was foaming at the mouth in certain quarters. I’m sure those same people are now praising Powell as a hero, when not too long ago they were denouncing him. As for the Powell endorsement, people on the right have the right to criticize him for it. I’m sure will go far beyond simple criticism, though, and I won’t excuse that.
As for my take on this, big deal. Powell is free to endorse whoever he chooses. It’s not gonna sway me, but it could for others. Then again, it might not. I agree it would’ve had more impact if done sooner like during the convention, but who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see.
The only problem I had with the Powell endorsement was that he insulted my intelligence by giving the reasons he gave. Just tell us the truth why you set aside a lot of principles, and things that are tantamount to an insult to military people, law enforcement people, and other groups and people with certain beliefs and mores. “I endorse him because he is black and the first black candidate, and being black I feel that trumps other things.” Either way it’s not a game changer in the least.
It’s hard to say how this endorsement will affect the race. I think people are just numb to the election.
I’d like to see the candidates get back to the issues. No matter who is elected, th enext president needs to make the economy their first priority. I sigend this petition to the 44th President. . .
http://friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/44_email.html
. . the message is clear — the economy has to come first.
Powell was one of the architects of the war effort. He was responsible for the diplomacy centered on gaining compliance with the UN resolutions leading up to the war, which Obama, of course, said never really happened. Powell was the one who lead the charge to mobilize opinion for the war, telling the UN that we know Iraq has WMD and we know where they are. So now Powell can endorse Obama for his ideas and his substance? The primary idea behind Obama’s campaign was his opposition to the war: not the planning, not the execution, but that there was a war at all. Apparently Powell questions HIS OWN judgement and HIS OWN veracity.
To SpideyTerry: You seem to think that Obama is slowly hammering nails into his own coffin. I think polls would speak otherwise.
Even if you don’t like or support him, don’t deny that he’s winning just because it sounds better to you that way.
Powell is just another piece of a long term plan to overthrow our Democracy with a liberal and socialist government. IF Obama wins, we will have the same largely liberal house with the lowest approval rate in history, and a man at the White House signing our country away.
Many of us have honest problems with Obamas so called fleeting relationships with Ayers (how could a known domestic terrorist become a college professor in the US. teaching our children radical politics ???)Reverend Wright, a hate monger who keeps the blacks riled about the whites) Resco who is now in jail for the crooked deals he and Obama worked on. Farrakhan a radical muslim, who hates America. And, how many know about his relationship with Kenyas “Odinga” who is known to kill 15,000 Christians and excile another 500,000 from Kenya, Larry Walsh, etc.etc.etc.
When I was a young girl, our parents always told us that we would be judged by the company we keep…Seems to me that, honesty, character, honor, a love of Country doesn’t apply to advance to become Chief of the highest, most responsible position in the world. Our American President…
The lefts HYPROCRISY: a person with impeccable morals, decency, loves her country, has fought hard to fight corruption (instead of being part of it) like Sarah Palin is drug through the mud and treated worse than a criminal, and compared to Obama she is squeeky clean…And also, overlooking an Honored Veteran who fought for his country, and has spent years of experience and service in the government with an excellent record, is bashed and degraded…
Hyprocrisy is what the liberal party is founded on. I can, you can’t.
IF Obama wins and our fears are proven, the first to whine will be the liberals, and they won’t have a Bush to blame for their foley.
Another thing we learned when I was younger is, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR !!!
This RHINO is voting his color! No surprise there.
A US military man voting for an individual that has ties to a former terrorist? That is a surprise! Powell’s a disgrace (ò¿ó)
I’m in the military now, been to Iraq twice since 06, and I don’t feel offended. You are ignorant if you think everyone in the military supports Mccain, because he served in the Navy. Look at Powell’s policies and you will see that he is a moderate anyway. He endorsed based off the temperment of the two guys. You are exremely ignorant if you think its about race! Your narrow minded views are why Obama will win this election.
Powell may not have supported other white liberals but he has certainly back white conservatives.
In 2007 Powell dipped into his wallet and wrote a $2,300 check to McCain.
Powell’s contribution – the maximum allowed by law – came at a time when the press had written off McCain and said his campaign was about to collapse.
“[McCain campaign manager] Rick Davis called all the Republican heavy hitters in early August 2007, and said if they didn’t raise $50,000 by the end of the month, McCain was going to close up shop ,” a Republican insider who answered the same call from Davis told Newsmax.
McCain weathered the money pinch with the help of Powell, who wrote his check on Aug. 7, 2007 – at precisely the moment McCain needed it the most. The McCain campaign was delighted.
Louis: first, thank you for your service. Powell left himself open for those criticisms and you know it. Where was he when Obama needed him? His temperment hasn’t changed. Powell is a moderate Republican, exactly what McCain is. Obama is a far left liberal. If it was a “Bush thing” and Powell was upset with Bush and company then who better to endorse than a guy that stuck his thumb in Bush’s eye on almost everything he could without, of course, endangering you guys that are fighting? That’s when he stood tall, for you, when it wasn’t good for his political career. All the evidence points to one thing; racial opportunism and in order to work in his favor and gain some “street cred” he endorsed the “black candidate” at the 11th hour when he’s way up in the polls and almost assured a victory. That makes it a decision based on race. Remember Louis, he didn’t have to endorse anybody. He could have walked into a booth like the rest of us and voted for whomever he wished for whatever reason he wanted.