Colin Powell endorses Obama

[formerlurker]

Meet the Press is not the only one reporting this.

OMG really?  You mean the MSM picked this up and are running it ad naseum?  I am in shock.

Tell me, what exactly would have happened had Powell endorsed McCain?  

The pundits would claim it is a yawner and no big deal -- and certainly not the catalyst to change the dymanic of his campaign standing.   However, Powell -- who makes some pretty disturbing, baffling and weak arguments for endorsing Obama, is somehow the nail in the coffin for McCain.  

I question his waiting it out until 2 weeks prior to the election, and really am not buying the undecided excuse.   Powell is too political active for that comment to sell.  

I really don't see this being such a great deal.  

[RobJohnson]

OMG really?  You mean the MSM picked this up and are running it ad naseum?  I am in shock.

Tell me, what exactly would have happened had Powell endorsed McCain?  

The pundits would claim it is a yawner and no big deal -- and certainly not the catalyst to change the dymanic of his campaign standing.   However, Powell -- who makes some pretty disturbing, baffling and weak arguments for endorsing Obama, is somehow the nail in the coffin for McCain.  

I question his waiting it out until 2 weeks prior to the election, and really am not buying the undecided excuse.   Powell is too political active for that comment to sell.  

I really don't see this being such a great deal.  

It is a big deal.

Obama is now supported by one of the most pro-war politicians in the Untied States.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Call me unsurprised.

Ditto.  Let's not forget his "Powell Doctrine" from JCS days, which was the basis for the totally unrealistic strategy Powell (As SoS) and Rumsfeld (As SECDEF) put together for the Iraq War.  His subsequent conflicts with Rumsfeld when it didn't work as planned seriously damaged the Powell trademark with both Left and Right, for different reasons.  A Colin Powell endorsement now is worth a fraction of what it was worth eight, or even four, years ago.

I expected him to do this myself, I don't think it's really going to change many minds. 

[NHSparky]

It is a big deal.

Obama is now supported by one of the most pro-war politicians in the Untied States.

And that'll hold REAL well with the moonbat left base.

Rove, you magnificent bastard!!!

[TheSarge]

Obama is now supported by one of the most pro-war politicians in the Untied States.

McCain is endorsing Obama?

I thought Powell was?
 

[formerlurker]

It is a big deal.

Obama is now supported by one of the most pro-war politicians in the Untied States.

His support for Obama has been set for quite sometime now.

Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell said yesterday that the United States is losing what he described as a "civil war" in Iraq and that he is not persuaded that an increase in U.S. troops there would reverse the situation. Instead, he called for a new strategy that would relinquish responsibility for Iraqi security to the government in Baghdad sooner rather than later, with a U.S. drawdown to begin by the middle of next year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494.html

Race

Powell condemned controversial remarks by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor of 20 years, as "deplorable" but complimented Obama for his speech on race:

"Rev. Wright is also somebody who has made enormous contributions in his community and has turned a lot of lives around," Powell said, "And so, I have to put that in context with these very offensive comments that he made, which I reject out of hand."

[. . .]

"I think that Sen. Obama handled the issue well . . . he didn't look the other way. He didn't wait for the, for the, you know, for the storm to go over. He went on television, and I thought, gave a very, very thoughtful, direct speech. And he didn't abandon the minister who brought him closer to his faith," Powell told Sawyer.

http://cayankee.blogs.com/cayankee/2008/04/colin-powell-on.html

June 13, 2008, 1:42 pm
Colin Powell Sees McCain-Obama Race as Tough Choice
Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said it’s not out of the question that he may support expected Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in the race against John McCain.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/13/colin-powell-sees-mccain-obama-race-as-tough-choice/

But Colin Powell, former general for President Bush I and former secretary of state for President Bush II, gave Wolf Blitzer on CNN some hints about his thinking during a Friday interview. One of them: he may vote for a Democrat or independent, which he said last summer on "Meet the Press." Here's what he said Friday:

I am watching this race with the greatest of interest, and I know all of the leading candidates. Now, I don't know Mr. Huckabee as well as I know Senator McCain and Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, but I am watching this.

And I will ultimately vote for the person I believe brings to the American people the kind of vision the American people want to see for the next four years. A vision that reaches out to the rest of the world, that starts to restore confidence in America, that starts to restore favorable ratings to America.

Frankly, we've lost a lot in recent years. I am going to be looking for the candidate that seems to me to be leading a party that is fully in sync with the candidate, and a party that will also reflect America's goodness and America's vision.

And I will be looking for the candidate that I think will be the most competent candidate. The one who can deal with problems and bring the government together with the Congress to solve these problems.And so I know them all. I am a Republican, but I am keeping my options open at the moment.  

And I am in touch with the candidates. And anybody who wants to talk to me about an issue, I'll do so.  But sooner or later, as any other American, I will make my choice.

Hmm, a party "fully in sync with the candidate" and "We've lost a lot in recent years..." Let's see, which party could he possibly be thinking about?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/08/colin-powell-wi.html

Colin Powell echoes a Barack Obama talking point
Colin Powell on "Good Morning America" today sounded like he was giving Barack Obama's talking points when it comes to the experience question.


ABC News' Dianne Sawyer asked Powell what he made of the presidential candidate's "relative lack" of  seasoning as a national and international figure.

"He doesn't have experience at the senior levels of national government. But I've seen other individuals come along who didn't have that breadth of experience and what they do is surround themselves with people who do bring that experience.

"With Sen. Obama, he didn't have a lot of experience running a presidential campaign, did he? But he seems to know how to organize a task and he seems to know how to apply resources to a problem at hand. So that gives me some indication that (with) his inexperience in foreign affairs or domestic affairs, he may be someone who can learn quickly."

This is a point Obama has made repeatedly -- that he should be judged by voters in large part on the presidential campaign he has put together, whose success can't be denied.

In references to Iraq, he has argued that experience does not trump judgment -- a bid to spotlight his early opposition, while an Illinois state senator, to the war there.

And, as the New York Times reported in this story, at a fundraiser Sunday in San Francisco he mocked what government officials really learn when going abroad on "fact-finding" trips while touting his own travels, such as a stop in Pakistan he made as a college student.  

Powell, ever the diplomat and shrewd inside-the-Beltway navigator, this morning maintained the political stance that first drew attention almost a year ago, saying he liked all three presidential candidates and considered them good friends.

But he really sounded like an Obama man.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/08/colin-powell-wi.html

Colin Powell edging closer to Barack Obama?
As the general election campaign evolves, retired Gen. Colin Powell may be assuming the role that Al Gore occupied during the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination -- the big "get," the  potential endorser whose backing would cause quite a stir.

Gore, of course, never did choose sides; he bestowed his formal embrace on Barack Obama after Hillary Clinton had conceded the race.

But Powell has given indications that he will make a public pick. And speculation that he's leaning toward Obama is sure to go up a notch with word from the National Journal's "Hotline on Call" that the two met privately two weeks ago in Powell's office in Alexandria, Va.

The Hotline item reported that a Powell spokeswoman said that the tete-a-tete occurred June 18 and lasted about an hour.

The Powell aide, Peggy Cifrino, termed it "an informal conversation" and added, "There’s no looming endorsement. They came to talk about issues."

Cifrano also noted that her boss had met with John McCain a week earlier. But news of the Powell/Obama chat comes on the heels of a Robert Novak column opining that President Bush's former secetary of State "probably will enter Obama's camp at a time of his own choosing."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/colin-powell-ed.html

[formerlurker]

As a key reason, Powell said: "I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14714.html


I don't know about you guys, but I hear Republicans says this all the time...........



 

[paladin0]

Some of his reasons.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/19/colin-powell-endorses-obama/

And for the record, I just absolutely love the knee-jerk "he's voting Obama cause he's black" reactions.  /sarcasm

Do you honestly think that he'll come out and say "I'm only voting for him because he's black?" Those are rehashed Obama talking points, I expected better from Powell.

For the record, I had a deep respect for the man, and I would have supported his bid to be President. He would have been someone that I could point out to my kids about honor and integrity. Now, not anymore.

How much you want to bet he'll be Obama's Sec of Defence so Obama can run around claiming to be bi-partisan?

Paladin0

[Zeus]

Powells endorsement of Obama not a big Surprise to me. It's a little about policy and a lot about helping a brother out,ya know. Fo' snizzle.

[Hawkgirl]

I'm not really surprised.  Color trumps everything I suppose.  What a disappointment.  McCain must be flipping out.

[jtyangel]

I'm not really surprised.  Color trumps everything I suppose.  What a disappointment.  McCain must be flipping out.

I'm not surprised either. I've been seeing the 'color trumps everything' attitude in my own neighborhood among blacks who I KNOW have absolutely no vested interest in anything politically Obama is pimping. I've already been disappointed by people in my own neighborhood so this is no shock at this point.

[Hawkgirl]

BTW...I do not believe this will help Obama....I think this will mobilize white voters to go out and vote for McCain.  This is radical racism.  Powell, the Secretary of State of one of the most hawkish republican presidents ever, crosses the aisle to the most liberal senator???  Anyone would be quite naive to presume this is anything but a racial cast vote.

[Zeus]

I'm not really surprised.  Color trumps everything I suppose.  What a disappointment.  McCain must be flipping out.

It is an strange phenomenon.Many a blacks will sell out Ideals for color. They will deny it to the bone but they do it time & again.

[Hawkgirl]

It is an strange phenomenon.Many a blacks will sell out Ideals for color. They will deny it to the bone but they do it time & again.

One of my colleagues, a republican, former captain of the army, boasted about being a "card-carrying republican" for years.  He is black.  I asked him last week who he was voting for..., "Obama".
Not shocked...just confirmed my fear that blacks are coming out in droves voting for a president because of his skin color.
I can say with certainty color would not affect my vote.  If Michael Steele were running against John Kerry, It would NEVER enter my mind to vote against my ideals because the white guy was in the Dem. Party.  It' something I just can't fathom or understand. 

[Chris_]

It is an strange phenomenon.Many a blacks will sell out Ideals for color. They will deny it to the bone but they do it time & again.

They have been brought up that way.  Most other minorities (Latinos are on the bubble)  come here and work hard to get out of abject poverty.  The Black population is brought up with the clear message: You can't compete, only fools play at Whitey's Game of Success, keep your hand out and it will get filled. 

This means that when one of Their Own is in a position to take care of them, both hands go out to be filled.

That is why Conservative Blacks are so hated by the left -- they won't fill them hands.

 

[Hawkgirl]

I'm not surprised either. I've been seeing the 'color trumps everything' attitude in my own neighborhood among blacks who I KNOW have absolutely no vested interest in anything politically Obama is pimping. I've already been disappointed by people in my own neighborhood so this is no shock at this point.

Yes, everywhere with few exceptions.

[paladin0]

When he complained about McCain using Ayers, it signalled to me a total sell-out. He of all people should know the importance of who you surround yourself with.

Paladin0

[TheSarge]

It scares me that he might be the next SecDef.  He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton gut the military.

Obama...IMHO would be ten times worse as far as the Armed Forces are concerned than BJ Bill ever was.

[DumbAss Tanker]

It scares me that he might be the next SecDef.  He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton gut the military.

Obama...IMHO would be ten times worse as far as the Armed Forces are concerned than BJ Bill ever was.

He didn't do a real hot job as SecState either.  In fact his "Powell Doctrine" legacy from being CJCS during Gulf 1 had a lot to do with screwing up Iraq pretty royally in 2003.  Between the two positions he held, he managed to dig a hole it took four years and Rumsfeld's departure to work out of.

[TheSarge]

Even during the Gulf War it took a direct order from his boss...SecDef Cheney to actually going form digging in defensively in Saudi Arabia to actually kicking Saddam out of Kuwait.

[Wretched Excess]

obama should reject powell's endorsement and repudiate his role in the war that obama has been decrying as wrong for
5 years.  or she should STFU and admit that he is even negotiable on that, along with everything else that he has done
a 180 on since he snuck through the primaries.

Reporter: Mr. Secretary, there were a number of chinks in your own armor, actually, because of the lead-up to the Iraq war and the events. How much did that play into your decision about this? And will it be taken perhaps by some, because of your previous high-profile position, won't it be taken by some as a repudiation of the Iraq war?

Powell: I don't know why. The Iraq war is the Iraq war. We now see that things are a lot better in Iraq. Maybe if we had put a surge in at the beginning, it would have been a lot better years ago, but it's a lot better now, and we can see ahead to where U.S. forces will start to come out. And so, my concern was not my past or what happened in Iraq, but where we're going in the future. My sole concern was where are we going after January 20 of 2009, not what happened in 2003.

I'm well aware of the role I played. My role has been very, very straightforward. I wanted to avoid a war. The president agreed with me. We tried to do that. We couldn't get it through the U.N. and when the president made the decision, I supported that decision. And I've never blinked from that. I've never said I didn't support a decision to go to war.

More

[Splashdown]

It has been painfully clear to me that race trumps reality ever since the first OJ verdict. The way both communities viewed the verdict was a real eye-opener to me.

Powell's choice was no surprise at all.

[rich_t]

Colin Powell is still a great man who has done more for this country then most of us will ever dream of doing.  He spent 35 years fighting for what he just did.  Making a personal choice for who he'd like to see as President.  I hope everyone here will honor that choice of his, and still give him the respect he has earned and deserves.

I too respect and honor his choice. 

We all have the choice to endorse who we want.  I will not deny him his choice.

[PatriotGame]

Colin Powell is still a great man who has done more for this country then most of us will ever dream of doing.  He spent 35 years fighting for what he just did.  Making a personal choice for who he'd like to see as President.  I hope everyone here will honor that choice of his, and still give him the respect he has earned and deserves.

I have to agree here. While I do not agree with his decision - in fact it pisses me off - I can not denigrate the man. His long-term service to this nation far out weighs this single decision of his. From the way I see it - Mr. Powell has seen his share of fighting and human suffering to believe that supporting Obama will change that suffering in the future. As I stated, I do not agree with Mr. Powell's decision because I feel that while an Obama president may relieve human suffering - the human suffering involved will be that of those that wish to destroy this nation. In fact, the human suffering of Americans will increase when Obama begins his socialist rule of this nation. After that begins, I will have no other choice than to blame my neighbors that voted for that commie Marxist pig Obama. Let the cards fall where they may...

[Lacarnut]

I too respect and honor his choice. 

We all have the choice to endorse who we want.  I will not deny him his choice.

Trashing the Repub. party was uncalled for. Had it not been for Repub. Presidents, I doubt he would have attained his lofty positions in the military and in the Bush cabinet. I put him in the same category as Dick Morris in that respect.