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Powell endorses Obama as ‘transformational’
Mike Allen & Jonathan Martin
Politico
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Retired General Colin L. Powell, one of the country’s most respected Republicans, stunned both parties on Sunday by strongly endorsing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and laying out a blistering, detailed critique of the modern GOP.
Powell said the election of Obama would “electrify the world.”
“I think he is a transformational figure,” Powell said. “He is a new generation coming … onto the world stage and on the American stage. And for that reason, I’ll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.”
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.”
(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)
Powell, once considered likely to be the nation’s first African-American presidential nominee, said his decision was not about race.
Moderator Tom Brokaw said: “There will be some … who will say this is an African-American, distinguished American supporting another African-American because of race.”
Powell, who last year gave Republican John McCain’s campaign the maximum $2,300, replied: “If I had only had that in mind, I could have done this six, eight, 10 months ago. I really have been going back and forth between somebody I have the highest respect and regard for, John McCain and somebody I was getting to know, Barack Obama. And it was only in the last couple of months that I settled on this.”
“I can’t deny that it will be a historic event when an African-American becomes president,” Powell continued, speaking live in the studio. “And should that happen, all Americans should be proud — not just African-American, but all Americans — that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It would also not only electrify the country, but electrify the world.”
Obama communications director Robert Gibbs said the two men spoke for 10 minutes at 10 a.m., and that the candidate thanked Powell for his endorsement and said “he looked forward to taking advantage of his advice in the next two weeks and hopefully over the next four years.”
Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the campaign had not been told of the endorsement: “We didn’t know until General Powell spoke on ‘Meet The Press’ .”
Powell, making his 30th appearance on “Meet the Press,” said he does not plan to campaign for Obama. He led into his endorsement by saying: “We’ve got two individuals — either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now — which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time.
“And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities — and you have to take that into account — as well as his substance — he has both style and substance, he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.”
Powell said that he is “troubled” by the direction of the Republican Party, and said he began to doubt McCain when he chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.
“Not just small towns have values,” he said, responding to one of Palin’s signature lines.
“She’s a very distinguished woman, and she’s to be admired,” he said. “But at the same, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don’t believe she’s ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made.”
The endorsement is likely to help the Illinois senator convince skeptical centrists that he is ready to handle the challenges of commander in chief, and undercuts McCain argument that he is better qualified on national-security issues.
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25 Responses to “Powell endorses Obama as ‘transformational’”
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October 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
He lost all credibilty long ago….
October 19th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Did you know that Jeff Rense is now a Zionist? And if i get another death threat from a Neocon, I’m thinking jail time.
October 19th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
How is that membership in the Klan, btw?
October 19th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
What confuses me is why Obama doesn’t want to nationalize the oil industry… seems to me that might be a great way to take these fat cats down. Oh yeah he’s just another corporate shill and the old, fat, rich masses dont care which is enough to get him into office. attention old fat people, i hope you like living in a cardboard box because when you run out of money that’s where youre stayin.
October 19th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I really like Colin L. Powell ,I wish he would run for president.I would’nt vote for McCain if you had a gun to my head,I probably would vote Obama if you twisted my arm because I think he’s the best of the two.But in reality I miss Ron Paul ,i’m glad he’s still in the senate though he can fight the good fight in there as well .
October 19th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
We might as well say goodbye to any real hope in the upcoming PR exercise
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MtgCxAhC68Y
October 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Powell has no credibility anymore, the lying cocksucker
October 19th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I like how he said that the job of the vice president is to be president. Hasn’t that been the truth for the past eight years with Darth Cheney?
October 19th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
powell, now what did that nice black american leader call powell?
doing his masters bidding ?
i asked a history teacher a question in the library on friday, he was there with his class.
“how can america of today be so blindly misled by their government, just as the people of nazi germany during the holocaust ? ”
without blinking, he said
“americans willingly allow themselves to be misled, as they see the short term gains in oil and resources”
he said america is just like the roman empire, the rise and and eventual fall.
he said america’s fall will be abrupt, just as if it lept off a cliff in suicide, not a gradual decline.
americans turn a blind eye to the salughter of 5 million innocent iraqis, for oil
americans turn a blind eye to the slaughter of thousand of afghans for an oil pipeline route
americans turn a blind eye to forcefully drugge state of their armd forces, to let them kill innocents
americans turn a blind eye to the suicides of thousands of their own young children during and returning from unjust wars
americans turn a blind eye to removing prayer from school
americans turn a blind eye to the rape and pillage of innocents here and abroad
americans turn a blind eye to baby killing through abortions, 30 million a year of their own children
americans turn a blind eye to false worship of money as a gd
americans turn a blind eye to their own destruction
we, the innocents, stand and cheer
our eyes have been opened
so that we may cherish the destruction of modern day babylon
may your ashes be replaced with a peaceful, gd fearing people
let the celebration begin
america’s end is near
October 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I used to think that Colin Powell was his own man. That notion was squashed flat when on February 5, 2003 at the UN Security Council, he knowingly told baldfaced lies to the world’s people about Iraq’s “WMDs and biological weapons labs” that he knew did not exist. He could have been a true hero of the 21st century and told it the way he knew it was, possibly avoiding an unwinnable war that has trashed our economy, killed thousands of US servicepeople, more than 1 million Iraqi civilians, and all but destroyed any sense of respect the US has in the rest of the world. But instead, Powell selected cowardice and appeasement, rather than statesmanship, heroism and patriotism. He went what was then the easy route, when 65% of the country, denied the facts by a complicit lapdog media, was baying for middle eastern blood in revenge for an attack that had zero connection with Iraq (and precious little to do with Afghanistan as well).
Powell endorsed Barack Obama. Whichever way the wind blows. Again. Big deal. Obama is now endorsed by not only a liar and a coward, but also the army officer who helped cover up the My Lai atrocity in Vietnam.
We really do have a own-party system.
October 19th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I used to think that Colin Powell was his own man. That notion was squashed flat when on February 5, 2003 at the UN Security Council, he knowingly told baldfaced lies to the world’s people about Iraq’s “WMDs and biological weapons labs” that he knew did not exist. He could have been a true hero of the 21st century and told it the way he knew it was, possibly avoiding an unwinnable war that has trashed our economy, killed thousands of US servicepeople, more than 1 million Iraqi civilians, and all but destroyed any sense of respect the US has in the rest of the world. But instead, Powell selected cowardice and appeasement, rather than statesmanship, heroism and patriotism. He went what was then the easy route, when 65% of the country, denied the facts by a complicit lapdog media, was baying for middle eastern blood in revenge for an attack that had zero connection with Iraq (and precious little to do with Afghanistan as well).
Powell endorsed Barack Obama. Whichever way the wind blows. Again. Big fucking deal. Great. Obama is now endorsed by not only a liar and a coward, but also the army officer who helped cover up the My Lai atrocity in Vietnam.
We really do have a own-party system.
October 19th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
bloggulator -
at least some americans read books
you are a wise man, the stuf you speak of is the truth
BUT you will never read it in the american school system, NEVER, EVER
perhaps you can share your wisdom with your fellow americans
October 19th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Mr. Powell…sigh
October 19th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Thanks what I’m talking about. Colin Powell a distinguished statesman and who told the truth regarding this election. All you who are bit’in on General Powell are poor idiots! Rant, rave, scream. Obama will be the next President of the free world. Like it or leave the USA!
October 19th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Just another politician trying to convince us that there’s still some genuine credibility left in politics.
I truly don’t believe there are too many people gullible enough to honestly believe that it matters who you vote for. Those with integrity and actual effective solutions do not get covered in the mainstream media. Therefore they won’t get enough coverage to get elected. And the two candidates that do get the coverage are owned and paid for by the people that really run the show. The pattern has repeated itself for too long for people to keep kidding themselves. I don’t think, deep down, many really think there’s any point to running out to vote on Election Day. It’s an empty gesture. Not insincere, but empty nonetheless.
It is time to start building new societies OUTSIDE this ridiculous, juvenile, superficial system that is given to us. It starts with using an alternative currency and using that currency within a rational economic and commercial system. Support that with some sensible social policy and we have a social infrastructure that can replace these babbling idiots and scam-artist bankers.
The system has been formulated with an inflation-proof currency and a workable plan for implementation. Check it out:
Don’t fight the system:
Replace it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73×8uOXQjag
October 19th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Wikipedia:
Colin Powell, then a 31-year-old Army Major, was charged with investigating the letter, which did not specifically reference My Lai (Glen had limited knowledge of the events there). In his report Powell wrote: “In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between Americal(sic)[25] soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent.” Powell’s handling of the assignment was later characterized by some observers as “whitewashing” the atrocities of My Lai.[26] In May 2004, Powell, then United States Secretary of State, told CNN’s Larry King, “I mean, I was in a unit that was responsible for My Lai. I got there after My Lai happened. So, in war, these sorts of horrible things happen every now and again, but they are still to be deplored.”[27]
October 19th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
More proof that they’re all moving in the same direction, have the same mindset, and that the two party system is really a one party system.
October 19th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
To Hell with Obama AND McCain. Anyone stupid enough to vote for a Democrat OR a Republican deserves the ass reaming they are going to receive. If either of these maggots was interested in real “CHANGE” they would be running as some alternative party
candidate. Wake up, people!
Check out Ralph Nader’s website. Nader supports universal health care. He would begin an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. He would deal with corporate corruption. He has called for a real investigation of 9-11. He criticizes Israel for its criminality. He supports strong borders and says the best way to handle immigration is to stop supporting corrupt foreign governments so the people of those countries don’t have to leave in the first place. He has been pushing for the impeachment of the war criminals Bush and Cheney. The list goes on.
Neither Obama or McCain would ever consider ANY of these things. Change, my ass. Whatever disagreements you may have with Nader, you have to admit he blows these fuckers completely out of the water. last time I checked, he’s going to be on the ballot in something like 47 states.
Ron Paul would be a great selection too.
October 19th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I was going to point out what a lying scumbag Powell is, but it looks like enough posters have already taken care of that.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:30 am
WARMONGER NWO PUPPET POWELL has not surprised us by switching sides to try to be on the winning team. He would’ve done better by telling the truth about the Iraq war and coming clean with the American people. He’s kept a slinky low-profile until now. No cajones…And does ‘electrify the world’ mean ‘fry it’ ?
Don’t vote for either pro-war candidate.
VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE – it’s not wasted – it could change history!!!!!!
October 20th, 2008 at 7:53 am
How can it be stated that “Powell, once considered likely to be the nation’s first African-American presidential nominee”, When Alan Keyes already ran for the office back in 1996 and 2000??????? Jeez, how soon the sheeple forget! Keys has more integrity in his little toe than Obama & McCain have in their whole f’n bodies!
October 20th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
#9,Don’t forget Reagan/Bush Sr.
October 20th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Yahshuatwo ?Now what the fuck is that supposed to mean?!It’s not like he’s gonna make raping white bitches legal!He’s gonna fuck us over,like all the others!Yahshua
Part 2?You ain’t Jesus,you’re a Fa@@%^!!!!!
October 20th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
and by the way…..Colin L. Powell,is not “Black” or African American.I remember seeing something on the msm about how he is Native American,African,White,Etc,etc….. He IS America.
October 20th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
“Charlie Says”,Yes we are all lying scumbags.You are correct sir.