Powell endorses Obama.

[Manedwolf]

"I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming into, onto the world stage and the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama," Powell, who also served as President George H.W. Bush's Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Kiss kiss.

Traitor.

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

[Monkeyleg]

I don't see Powell endorsing Obama because of race, although that could be one factor. I suspect this was his chance to get even with GW and many Republicans for being ousted and "dissed."

[Manedwolf]

I don't see Powell endorsing Obama because of race, although that could be one factor. I suspect this was his chance to get even with GW and many Republicans for being ousted and "dissed."

I would bet cash he's been promised a position in the New Glorious Regime as well.

[Werewolf]

I would bet cash he's been promised a position in the New Glorious Regime as well.

That is one very astute observation sir. AND - Most likely correct.

That said what is it with military guys who support socialists and say stupid crap like if you want to shoot an assault rifle join the army? In 13 years of military service I never once ran across an Officer that thought like that. Enlisteds, sure but no officers.

<shakes head in wonderment> What is this country coming to?

[Nitrogen]

Kiss kiss.

Traitor.

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

Karma is a bitch, ain't she?

[Manedwolf]

Karma is a bitch, ain't she?

What?

[Perd Hapley]

I think he is a transformational figure

I think you've had too much kool-aid. 

[agricola]

I would bet cash he's been promised a position in the New Glorious Regime as well.

Perhaps.  Still, given that the widespread misinformation and fibs in favour of Obama is strikingly similar to the widespread misinformation and fibs in favour of invading Iraq, perhaps he is being pressured into saying these things...

[wmenorr67]

This is not a surprise.  I would have been surprised if he hadn't endorsed him.  And I expect we wouldn't have heard a peep if he wasn't going to endorse Obama.

If you want a good read find "The Failure Factory."  It explains why we are in the political situation we are currently in.

[Tallpine]

Okay, well then I'm going to publicly come out and endorse McCain.

He's an old white guy like me, and he has a Celtic Mc/Mac name so that makes him a good guy.

[MechAg94]

IMO, he endorsed Obama for his own reasons and doesn't want to discuss it.  The statements he gave sound like Obama campaign talking points.  A position in Obama's administration could be the reason as much as anything else.  It also could have been purely about race for all I know.  There also might be some bad blood between him and McCain from years back.  

If he had a disagreement with Bush about Iraq, he certainly didn't let that affect his salesmanship of the invasion.  I can't believe he wouldn't have had his own information sources to tap.  

All that said, he would likely be better than most of the other people Obama would tap for an administration slot.  

[taurusowner]

I used to have a lot of respect for that man.

[RocketMan]

This does not surprise me.  I have been steadily losing respect for Powell over the years.  This just takes it down another notch.

Edited to add:

Powell does things for Powell.  Country does not come first in his considerations.

[longeyes]

Powell's arguments for endorsing Obama are right out of the Left's playbook.  They are pure rationalizations.  He could not seriously believe, given Obama's previous statements, that Obama would really make a good Commander-in-Chief or a better one than McCain.  He couldn't possibly excuse Obama's alliance with a man like Ayers.

I think we all know why Powell has come out for Obama, and I'm sorry to say it prefigures a world of trouble for this nation.

[Waitone]

Powell knows who executives are and how they operate.  He knows probably better than most people.  So here he is endorsing someone who has never, ever had to operate in an executive environment. 

I vote revenge.  It was Powell's chance to stick it in the Bush family ribs and break it off.

Can't say I blame him.

[longeyes]

It may have been revenge but it was sure as hell bad tactics.

Who is he getting even with, the American people?

I think we all want to believe his motive is other than base because, let's face it, Powell has been held up as another "post-racial" icon for a generation.  He proved today that, to me anyway, that he is all too "general."

[agricola]

Powell knows who executives are and how they operate.  He knows probably better than most people.  So here he is endorsing someone who has never, ever had to operate in an executive environment. 

I vote revenge.  It was Powell's chance to stick it in the Bush family ribs and break it off.

Can't say I blame him.

Pretty stupid revenge then, since he isnt doing anything to anyone who Bush is particularly close to, just jumping on the pro-Obama, anti-Palin bandwagon with the rest of them.  Nor is it especially meaningful, since he was probably waiting to see which way the wind was blowing before committing himself bravely to the fray.  As for him being done in by Bush, I would have rather more (ie: some) respect for him if he had done what other people did, and refuse to go along with the invasion and resign.  Instead he was the chief cheerleader for the whole deal.

As for the endorsement, lets hope he regrets it as much as everyone else will.

[Ben]

Powell does things for Powell.  Country does not come first in his considerations.

Good point. He could have made this announcement a few months, versus a few weeks, before the election. I'm interested in his timing.

[Jamisjockey]

I would bet cash he's been promised a position in the New Glorious Regime as well.

Agreed.  Ambassadorship in a high position, or maybe even a cabinet post to prove Obama's  bi-partisanship.

[Gowen]

Powell was never known to be very conservative.  No surprise here.

[De Selby]

Here's a theory:

Maybe Powell, like a significant number of Americans, is looking at the financial crisis and failing wars that follow a good 30 years of Reagan-Clinton-Bush policy, and believes that McCain is essentially of the same political school as those leaders.  Therefore, he believes that Obama (wrongly, in my opinion) will handle the nation's problems differently.

The William Buckley conservative thread went up in smoke with a few thousand pensions last month, and this having "conservatives" for Obama is the result.  The arguments about cutting corporate taxes, spending billions on defense, and preemptive action have been conclusively settled by the headlines, and they have not settled in favor of the post-Vietnam conservatives. 

Most of the discussion lashing Obama for "socialist" policies and supporting the extension of the Reagan-Clinton-Bush policies is going to become a historical footnote.  It's what will come to replace that discourse that is the interesting question, at this point.

[Nitrogen]

I used to have a lot of respect for that man.

I have even more for him.

He basically did this to smack the modern day republican party across the face.  Republicans have pandered to the hard-right base (the religious right being the main part) and it has totally ruined the party.

Republicans used to be for smaller government.  Not anymore.  We've seen the largest expansion of government under this republican administration.

Republicans used to be about fiscal responsibility.  Not anymore.  Our national debt is currently higher than it's ever been.

Republicans used to be about freedom.  McCain authored one hell of a bill stifiling free speech in the name of campaign reform.

Republicans used to be about freedom.  Now they are more about authoritarianism, unless it can win them more votes.  (Abortions, while repugnant, are none of the governments business, as is what homos do in their own bedrooms, or if they want to get married.  Victimless crimes like drug use as well.  None of the governments business.  Each allows the Government to grow larger, exerting more control over your life.  A good exception being guns; as there's a large enough voting block that feels strongly enough about this to keep them free, for now.  Modern republicans will at least pay this right lip service.+

The modern right has ruined the republican party, much like Clinton ruined the democratic party in the 90's only less so.

Modern liberals have gotten back to their roots, because they learned they do not do well when they stray from them.  They are about helping the poor, middle crash, and disenfranchised.  They are about making the government work for the people, instead of staying out of the people's business.

I think when Republicans get back to the business of gettng OUT of our business, they will once again do very well in our political landscape.  

I guess I feel differently about these things as most people here.  I'd rather vote for a real liberal than a fake conservative; and I think that's what Powell was trying to say.

As soon as the Republican party kicks the Religious Right to the curb where it belongs, they are a lost party.

Then again, strangely enough, I seem to be voting republican for everyone else this election, except for President.

EDIT:  DANGIT Shootinstudent, I hate it when I agree with you.

[Nitrogen]

Powell was never known to be very conservative.  No surprise here.

Powell is not a "neocon", but a conservative.  There is a difference.

[Ron]

The modern right has ruined the republican party, much like Clinton ruined the democratic party in the 90's only less so.

There was only a minority Republican party with next to no influence on public affairs before Reagan and his "pandering to the hard-right base (the religious right being the main part)"

[Stevie-Ray]

Powell was never known to be very conservative.  No surprise here.

Nor was he ever a flaming liberal. Totally race-oriented. No surprise here, either.