Obama Speaks Out on Powell Endorsement (Updated Re George Will on Race)

Barack Obama welcomed the endorsement of Colin Powell at a North Carolina rally on Sunday, linking the decorated veteran to soldiers serving today.

"With so many brave men and women from Fayetteville serving in our military, this is a city and a state that knows something about great soldiers," he told the crowd, according to remarks released by the campaign. "And this morning, a great soldier, a great statesman, and a great American has endorsed our campaign to change America. I have been honored to have the benefit of his wisdom and counsel from time to time over the last few years, but today, I am beyond honored and deeply humbled to have the support of General Colin Powell," said Obama.

Obama benefited from some of Powell's wisdom on Sunday morning, when the two spoke for about ten minutes. Robert Gibbs, a senior aide to the senator, said Obama told Powell that "he looked forward to taking advantage of his advice in the next two weeks and hopefully over the next four years."

At the rally, Obama also cited Powell's leadership as an inspiration for a spirit of service and community that transcends old divisions -- which Powell discussed as one of Obama's strengths during his Meet The Press endorsement.

"General Powell has defended this nation bravely, and he has embodied our highest ideals through his long and distinguished public service. He and his wife Alma have inspired millions of young people to serve their communities and their country through their tireless commitment and trailblazing American story," said Obama. "And he knows, as we do, that this is a moment where we all need to come together as one nation - young and old, rich and poor, black and white, Republican and Democrat."

UPDATE: I must add that it is truly saddening to see some conservatives respond to Gen. Powell's endorsement by impugning his decision with baseless personal attacks, or recklessly suggesting that race helps Obama's campaign, instead of responding to the Powell news for what it is -- the bombshell of a former senior Bush national security official endorsing the opposing party's nominee. (For more, see Sam Stein's report that Rush Limbaugh and George Will took those tacks on Sunday.)

Now Powell's endorsement may get Mr. Will thinking about "race," but thankfully most of the American public sees Powell differently, on the merits, as a decorated military leader and statesman. As I wrote on Friday, Powell remains the most respected person ever to serve in the unpopular Bush administration. That is precisely because most people assess his views and character based on his record. Other major national security figures in Bush's cabinet, from Don Rumsfeld to Condi Rice, have unfavorable ratings that quadruple Powell's. Yes, voters can tell Rice and Powell apart, even though they are both Republican secretaries of state who happen to be black. By the logic of Limbaugh and Will, however, that Rice endorsement should be just around the corner.

Finally, for further reading: I assessed the role of Powell, Rice and Obama in our segregated power structure in this Nation essay. It's long, but it explores the way some observers, like Will, misunderstand the challenges facing racial minorities in politics and government.

From The Nation.

Comments

[wayoutleft]

can we put away the obama-for-peace bobble-head doll now? i think everybody's seen it .

[adjam]

Let me get this straight.. whne a black man endorses a black man it is racist and when a white man endorses a white man it is an endorsement....someone want to explain to me how this can be?

[AbstractImp]

What is interesting is that much of what Colin Powell said on endorsing Obama was similar to some of what George Will himself (and so many others!) have been saying recently.

And yet, the only thing George Will heard was Powell saying it was great to have an African-American running for president.

What George Will did in effect was reduce his own argument to purely race. Three right wingers standing on the lawn in front of Fox "News" complaining about other people's racism just doesn't wash any more.

You know, we are watching and listening to these people speak out, having their little "Winston Smith moments". How these repubicans react to Powell is now added to how they are discussing everything else that stands before the nation this year.

Keep to your ignorance, and be left behind.

[SethBLiNK]

I could care less what Rush Limbaugh thinks, but I really thought George Will was smarter than that.

[helix711]

Good on Powell.

In other news, I don't understand why everyone so far has given so much respect to Pat Buchanan...every time he opens his mouth on TV, I cringe. I've had to start turning the volume down so his yelling of inanities/GOP talking points doesn't abuse my eardrums.

But he shows up on any and every show on MSNBC because they feel they have to give him a chance to speak his opinion. There are millions of people in the world whose opinions--regardless of party or ideology--are more worth listening to...I don't care how long the guy's been around.

[PDinCA]

Buchanan plays the same role on MSNBC as a "straight man" in a comedy team or a "liberal" on Fox News.

[Texas4Obama]

Pat Buchanan Plays The Race Card, Special Sunday Hardball (10/19/08)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x219590

[Texas4Obama]

Ari-
You may need to update your article once more and add the remarks of Pat Buchanan (regarding Powell's endorsement AND RACE) that were said on Sunday's edition of Chris Matthew's Hardball show.

[Sarastro]

Finally Colin Powell gets to again show the world his truly noble character and puts his country first. I look forward to him serving his country as part of an administration based on merit rather than privilege or personal loyalty.
Things are looking up for America and the world at large.

Obama / Biden '08

[DebbieinPhx]

Eloquent, well considered, steady, intelligent. A truly great man.

[Freda from Scotland]

I was delighted for you good people that Secretary Powell has endorsed Senator Obama for President of the United States of America. Here is a man of principle who has spoken out against the despicable tactics of the McCain/Palin ticket. He regrets Iraq. Never in all my years have I witnessed the republican party conduct such a programme of lies, deceit, harassment via the automated telephone calls and entering into dialogue regarding pro-American and anti-American as per the words of Governor Palin and Michelle Bachmann. Let me tell you please how that all sounds from over here ' you will live in a dictatorial state if governed by MCain and Palin '- remember the words of George W Bush ' if you are not with me then you are against me'. To endeavour to label people as anti or pro-American is a very serious issue, does it mean that they are invading your democratic right to support the party of your choice? Also to invade the privacy of your homes with lies about Senator Obama and not giving you the opportunity to reply is again against your democratic rights. May I ask one question please 'why does Senator McCain not mention that it was a republican governor who appointed Mr Ayers and he sits on a committee with other republicans as well as democrats? Please let all senior politicians from all sides of the aisle come out and stop this now, speak out.

[IhaveaDREAMwhitegirl]

Powell finally endorses a candidate...Hmmm, was this strategic timing? (me thinks so)

Props to all the HuffPosters,(minus tr0lls) as Powell's comments are echoes of what we have been posting here for some time now. Powell's words and feelings re: this counrty carry more political weight than the pureed (sp) sloppity slip shod slop of ABC,NBC,CBS,CNN,FAUX etc.

Thank you Colin Powell, we need more public officials and elected servants (Senators,Congressshortbus Govs and Mayors to speak their minds now, Befor the election or for ever hold your peace! (or seat)

Pick your pony, elected folk.

The internet is the new news Thank the Lawd!

[cparry61]

People do not think before they speak. That is one reason why Obama will make a great President. He thinks before he speaks. Now those who do not think before they make a judgment call are simple minded. 90% of the Blacks have ALWAYS!!!! voted Democratic....They voted for John Kerry, they voted for Al Gore . Did you ever hear any of them complain that THEY didn't want to vote for a WHITE man??? Nope! So why do we as white people judge them because they vote for a black man?? I didn't hear anyone complain when the black man casts his/her vote for a white man??? If people would just THINK before they open their mouths. God Bless Obama!

[billbee]

I roared approval of what you say! Keep it coming.

[Gina322]

Best post of the day - hands down

[RenaissanceMom]

Exactly cparry. If an African American that was relatively unknown came out of the woodwork somewhere and was the republican nominee and you saw Blacks migrating their support en masse, then I'd say that they were voting solely based on racial pride and solidarity. I'm an african american democrat voting for a democrat - the fact that he's also african american is a bonus!

[Karon]

My goodness ... so it's racism when a black man (Powell) endorses a fellow black man (Obama)? Hmm, how interesting! Well, then, what about when a white man (fill in the name) endorses another white man (fill in the name): Does THAT count as a "racist endorsement," or "just an endorsement"? George Will seem to forget that blacks have endorsed and voted for white democratic presidential candidates for decades and decades, but I doubt if he ever saw anything abnormal about it. That's the trouble with racism; it conditions one to illusions.

[JLee]

It's not surprising. It's the only possible way they can spin this. Lincoln Chaffee and Susan Eisenhower, other Obamacans, aren't black but neither are they former Secretaries of State and experts on foreign policy, an area that is supposedly McCain's forte. Nor were they officials in the Bush administration. This endorsement is devastating--conservatives have to mitigate the blow somehow, and they latched on race. It just shows how bad this is for them and how desperate they are.

[sharri]

I would expect nothing less from Limbaugh. But George Will I thought had integrity.

[WarrenPeace]

I respect your idealism, but really, "George Will" and "integrity" should not be in the same sentence.

He worked for the Reagan campaign while keeping that work secret and acting as an "impartial" network commentator. He wrote repeatedly that the so-called Monica Lewinsky scandal was "worse than Watergate." He defended the invasion of Iraq and implied that anyone who questioned it did not know the history of warfare.

He writes well, but he's a blinkered, Georgetown elitest who has never cared for anyone but his own class -- the privileged, affluent, moneyed few.

[Doofus]

George Will, who has said good stuff about Obama & bad/honest stuff about McCain, was reacting to news 'just in' from George S. & it seems as if he's a bit too blunt (but not
necessarily mean). Much of the country IS 'eager to feel good', no?

George Stephanopoulos: We just found out that former Sec. of State General Colin Powell has said he's going to vote for Barack Obama. Big impact?

George Will: Some impact. And I think this adds to my calculation -- this is very hard to measure -- but it seems to me if we had the tools to measure we'd find that Barack Obama gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black because so much of this country is so eager, a, to feel good about itself by doing this, but more than that to put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson game of political rhetoric.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html

[Doofus]

This may be 'poorly phrased', it may be 'unconsciously racist'. I don't know.
The meaning, to me, is this: that GW believes many more people are voting
for Obama (for whatever reason) than are NOT voting for him because he's
black. And that's good. That's the way it ought to be.

[billbee]

uh, ditto?

[walk0nwalls]

Quite the response from Obama, it's got a nice poetry to it.

I like it a lot.

[DRaymond]

Of course Will and Limbaugh and the others are all going to say it was about race. If they were to admit that it wasn't about race then they would have to deal with the actual content of Powell's rebuke of the current state of the Republican Party.

[NotMcCain]

Great point! Of course, you're right.

They have to discredit Powell's well-thought out and detailed endorsement of Obama some way.

They argue that "No! McCain does all those things Obama does--only BETTER!"

Because he obviously doesn't.

What have they got left? Powell isn't a terrorist or a socialist. So he's got to be discredited with their OTHER smear reason--race.

McCain and his spokespeople are just ... pathetic. I guess they don't even realize that historians are going to write EXTENSIVELY about this election--and McCain & Cos. conduct is not going to be portrayed flaterringly at all.

[pons1595]

You're right, of course, but imagine you're one of his children. In the near future, you will be around to experience the words that will be used to describe your father and his "campaign." Not something I would want to experience.

[LITU]

When has George Will been right except in hind sight?