Colin Powell endorses Obama

[sup-rbeast]

Many of the conservatives on the board seem to always talk about Powell and his judgement as being an asset and a reason they would want to vote for him. I think he's shown good judgement here. But, then again I share his reasoning.

Powell endorses Obama for president
Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat "?transformational figure'

msnbc.com and NBC News
updated 1 hour, 31 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president on Sunday, criticizing his own Republican Party for what he called its narrow focus on irrelevant personal attacks over a serious approach to challenges he called unprecedented.

Powell, who for many years was considered the most likely candidate to become the first African-American president, said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press"? that he was not supporting Obama because of his race. He said he had watched both Obama and his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for many months and thought "either one of them would be a good president."?

But he said McCain's choices in the last few weeks "? especially his selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his vice presidential running mate "? had raised questions in his mind about McCain's judgment.

"I don't believe [Palin] is ready to be president of the United States,"? Powell said flatly. By contrast, Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, "is ready to be president on day one."?

Powell also said he was "troubled"? by Republican personal attacks on Obama, especially false intimations that Obama was Muslim and Republicans' recent focus on Obama's alleged connections to William Ayers, the founder of the radical '60 Weather Underground.

Stressing that Obama was a lifelong Christian, Powell denounced Republican tactics that he said were insulting not only to to Obama but also to Muslims.

"The really right answer is what if he is?"? Powell said, praising the contributions of millions of Muslim citizens to American society.

"I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me,"? Powell said. "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower."?

In an interview Sunday on Fox News, McCain said he was not surprised by the announcement.

"I've always admired and respected General Powell,"? said McCain, who cited the endorsements he had received from former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger. "We have a respectful disagreement."?

Bolstering Obama's international credentials
Powell, a retired Army general who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the first President Bush before becoming secretary of state in the current administration, is one of the most highly decorated military officers of modern times and an admired figure in both parties. The Obama campaign is likely to cite the endorsement as an answer to critics and undecided voters who have questioned the foreign policy credential of Obama, a first-term senator whose national experience amounts to four years in the Senate.

Powell said a major part of his decision to turn his back on his own party was his conclusion that Obama was the better option to repair frayed U.S. relations with allies overseas.

"This is the time for outreach,"? Powell said, saying the next president would have to "reach out and show the world there is a new administration that is willing to reach out."?

In particular, he said, he welcomed Obama's president to "talk to people we haven't talked to,"? a reference to Obama's controversial pledge to hold talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"I think that [Obama] has a definite way of doing business that will serve us well,"? Powell said.

Won't campaign for Obama
As recently as a month ago, Powell said that electing an African-American president would be "electrifying"? for the world but that he remained undecided. The unsteadiness of the Republican campaign in recent weeks, especially on the economic crisis, went a long way toward pushing him off the fence, he said.

"It isn't easy for me to disappoint Senator McCain as I have this morning,"? said Powell, who emphasized that he would not campaign for Obama because of his admiration for McCain's long record of service in the military and in Congress.

But as he examined both campaigns in the last few weeks, he said, he became "concerned"? that "in the case of Mr. McCain, he was a little unsure how to deal with the economic problems."?

"Every day, there was a different approach,"? he said, adding that he also "would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court."?

McCain would be a good president, Powell said, but Obama is "a transformational figure"? who would be an "exceptional"? leader.

"I truly believe that at this point in Amserica's history we need a president who will not just continue ... basically the policies we have followed in recent years,"? he said. "We need a president with transformational qualities."?

For that reason, he said, "I will be voting for Barack Obama."?

By Alex Johnson of msnbc.com

[PVVikeFan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Powell, who for many years was considered the most likely candidate to become the first African-American president, said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press"? that he was not supporting Obama because of his race.
</div></div>

Wanna buy some beach fromt property in Dunbar ??? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]

[sup-rbeast]

I was waiting for some of y'all to turn on your hero Powell....

[PVVikeFan]

Didn't turn on him. Just statin' the obvious. I can't really fault him for it. I can't honestly say I wouldn't do the same if I were him.

[R13]

This will IMO get a lot more votes for Obama, white veteran votes.

[R0cketer]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PVVikeFan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Didn't turn on him. Just statin' the obvious. I can't really fault him for it. I can't honestly say I wouldn't do the same if I were him. </div></div>

I think he made a couple valid points. One being if it was just race, he would have made the endorsement earlier, and two being that he isn't campaigning for him, just doesn't agree with some of the directions McCain has been.

I like McCain but it seems like his campaign has been throwing everything they can against the economic crisis and seeing if anything sticks.

[Milk3]

It's because of race

[MikMo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was waiting for some of y'all to turn on your hero Powell.... </div></div>

He aint my hero. I lost all respect for him when he testified before the UN that there were WMD's in Iraq, when knowing good and well there weren't.

[imported_ut1]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This will IMO get a lot more votes for Obama, white veteran votes. </div></div>

There are a lot of people I admire and respect who have endorsed Obama. Doesn't change my mind about him, or them, in the slightest. They have to vote their convictions, I'll vote mine.

[R13]

I mean I dont think it will make a huge impact, but will sway a few votes.