Powell's Endorsement Is a Huge Slap in the Face for McCain

The condemnation of John McCain by John Lewis -- a man McCain called one of the three wise men he would consult as president -- was a huge personal blow to McCain. But Powell's endorsement of Obama is even more of a slap in the face.

Powell is a man that McCain has tremendous respect and admiration for. He once said he respected Powell more than any man in the world. In the New York Times Magazine this summer McCain said, "Colin Powell, a man who I admire as much as any man in the world, person in the world..." McCain called Powell one of the most "credible" and "respected men in America. Politico reported in August that McCain was even considering asking Powell to be his running mate. McCain has repeatedly said in the past that if elected he would have asked Powell to serve in his administration. Powell and McCain know each other well and have worked closely together. His public endorsement of Obama is a huge validation of Obama and a tremendous repudiation of McCain.

McCain said, "Colin Powell, a man who I admire as much as any man in the world, person in the world..." [NY Times interview with John McCain, 7/13/08]

McCain considered Powell for a running mate. "Retired Gen. Colin Powell is among the potential running mates who have been considered by John McCain, campaign advisers told Politico. Powell was among the possible vice presidential choices the Arizona Republican senator was thinking of when he said he would not rule out a supporter of abortion rights, a key adviser said." [Politico, 8/23/08]

McCain said President Bush was "blessed" to have Powell working for him. McCain said, "I think the president is blessed to have two extremely talented people (Powell and Rumsfeld), experienced people, working for him, and others, but particularly those two." [MSNBC Hardball, 4/23/03]

McCain called Powell one of the most "credible" and "respected men in America. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) praised Powell as one of the "most credible" and "most respected" men in America. [LA Times, 2/6/03]

McCain said he admired and respected Powell, said he was one of most "honest" men he had "ever known." "Sen. McCain: Well, Colin Powell's one of the most honest men that I've ever known and I admire and respect him enormously, and so obviously I'd take his word for it." [CNBC 4/20/04]

McCain was "exuberant" over Powell's selection as Secretary of State. After it was announced that Powell had been nominated by Bush for Secretary of State, McCain said, "I'm exuberant over the prospect of his [Colin Powell] stewardship of American foreign policy. There's a lot of very dangerous places in the world due to the fecklessness of the Clinton administration." [NBC Nightly News, 12/15/00]

McCain lauds Powell's selection as Secretary of State. Senator John McCain "I think his credentials and his charisma will have a significant effect, a beneficial effect, on the conduct of American foreign policy." [NBC Nightly News, 12/16/00]

McCain said if elected in 2000 he would have appointed Powell to his cabinet. On Larry King in 2001, McCain was asked whether he would have named Mr. Rumsfeld and Colin L. Powell to a McCain cabinet. 'Oh, yes." [CNN Larry King, 11/28/01]

As leader of the International Republican Institute, John McCain gave Colin Powell the Freedom Award. "As Senator John McCain waited to speak at the annual awards dinner of the International Republican Institute, a democracy-building group he has led for 15 years," "Mr. McCain could use the chairman's [of the institute] perch to score points with important Republican figures -- he presented Freedom Awards to President Bush, former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and, in 2003, the incoming Senate majority leader, Bill Frist." [NY Times, 7/28/08]

Comments

[Archivist1000]

I had a sad moment for Hillary the other day when she said (paraphrasing) that nobody should 'assume' anything .... a lesson she learned the hard way, to be sure!

Hillary understands that while a candidate can be the frontrunner for a long time, at the end of the day, all that really counts, is the VOTE .... it would be a shame if Obama supporters took victory for granted, and stayed home on November 4.

GO VOTE EARLY if you can .... but VOTE ! Take NOTHING for granted, it aint over 'till it's OVER ....

GO VOTE EARLY if you can ... you or someone you love might get sick on Nov 3 or 4 and you might be unable to go!

GO VOTE EARLY if you can .... there may be problems at the precincts .... don't be caught out !


GO VOTE EARLY if you can ... Obama has been working his butt off for 2 yrs, just for this one DAY .... don't let him down, when he needs YOU

GO VOTE EARLY if you can .... elections are won one vote at a time, and the result lasts 4 yrs!

[Pulemerci]

Actually he's been campaigning (not working) for more than 2 years.

[Pulemerci]

Powell's endorsement is the elephant (race) in the room. Just like Oprah, (who has never previously endoresed a candidate, ever), Powell has never endorsed a liberal senator with very little experience (or a lot of experience for that matter).

[BizProf]

Asks Limbaugh, Would Powell have supported a "white Obama"?, implying that any two politicians, given identical policy views and ideology, should be equally regarded. This is, of course, preposterous. Moreover, it's entirely the wrong question, like asking, "Would you vote for the exact same person if he were in fact a fundamentally different person?" That is, to consider a "white Obama" is as ridiculous as a "black McCain".

It seems clear that Powell was persuaded by what he sees in Obama's character. And of all character traits -- intelligence, integrity, loyalty, humility, etc. -- race/gender are irrefutably the only ones in which Obama has had no say, and never will.

My point? Race matters, and it should. It matters in the same way that Hillary's gender matters. Were we wrong to applaud her for it, to rejoice in the number of cracks in the glass ceiling? No " because, among other things, succeeding in a man"s world says something about Hillary"s character, just has succeeding in a white man"s world says something about Obama"s character. What exactly it says, and how loudly, is for each of us to decide. But race (or gender) not only contributes to character, it underscores and shapes every life experience one may have. To ignore it or attempt to toggle it on or off to see how our perspectives change is misdirected and futile.

Thanks for the soapbox, and Peace to all of you.

Proud Early Voter for Obama/Biden '08!

[Pythia]

Partial lyrics from Tracy Chapman's CHANGE.. SOMEONE TELL OBAMA
DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN... great tune

I believe this is what Colin Powell felt:


How bad how good does it need to get?
How many losses how much regret?
What chain reaction
What cause and effect
Makes you turn around
Makes you try to explain
Makes you forgive and forget
Makes you change
Makes you change

[BarackMarley]

Here's why the GOP is racist for trying to racialize Powell's endorsement
http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/gop-pundits-question-powells-integrity-on-race/

[OneWorlder]

I don't really understand why my previous comment was deleted. Perhaps because it violated the HuffPost moderators sensibilities with regard to the benevolence of Colin Powell, who was instrumental in the concerted effort of the Bush Administration to frame-up and engineer the "war" and occupation of Iraq.

The following link details Powell's part in the 935 lies and demonstrable falsehoods used by the Bush Administration to initiate their war of choice.

http://projects.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/

Is a Powell endorsement such a good thing after all? I'm sure an articulate rebuttal will not be forthcoming.

[Merersu]

Powell was mistaken for his involvement in getting us into Iraq. But, he was also very sorry for his part in it and tried to stop it. When he couldn't, he left the administration. He may have been fooled, but he didn't compound the mistake with more lies. Powell is a stand-up guy.

[JJK]

Maybe you're right. I'd like to think you're right. I'd like to hope you're right. Darn it, I want you to be right!

But, I am cynical enough to think that Gen. Powell is now just currying favor with Obama so the new State Department leadership will take a kinder, gentler view of Powell's complicity when they start writing the true history of the Iraq War, sometime after 12:00 noon on January 20, 2009. When the Democrats take over the State Department, the DOD and the National Security apparatus, the memos and reports that warned against the War will start coming out after being suppressed by Condi Rice and Dick Cheney for the last five years. They won't make Colin Powell look very good. He wants a hand in writing that history.

[OneWorlder]

Ah, I see. A "stand-up guy". I guess I missed the part where Powell stood up and spoke out against the veritable buffet of 935 lies laid out by the Bush Administration to frame-up "war".

Would you care to guess how many endorsements will be forthcoming from other "mistaken" Bush Administration apparatchiks who assisted in laying out the fraudulent case for "war" with Iraq and whom might be included in a potential Obama Administration?

[JJK]

I agree. I would have been more impressed had Obama said "thanks, but no thanks" to the endorsement. Obama certainly doesn't need it to win the election.

Colin Powell was the only member of the team of thieves and liars that set our country careening towards the Trainwreck called the War in Iraq who had the national stature to stop it. Instead we got his disgraceful performance before the UN Security Council (and the World).

People are called "great" down the centuries because they have the courage and perspicacity to step up at the very kind of times that led to Powell's failure of conscience and courage. If ever in our history there was an opportunity for one individual not only to "step up," but also to be proven right by history, this was it.

I simply do not buy the "spin" that Powell was "misled." This was one of our country's greatest warriors, who received the respect of millions, including myself at one point. I refuse to believe that Powell did not know in his gut and heart and head that Saddam Hussein was not the threat that Cheney and Wolfowitz and Feith were building him up to be. Instead, he went along and silenced what was inside, just as Robert McNamara has now admitted doing during Vietnam.

Powell may have said "sorry," but he has never had the courage to admit the full extent of what he did.

[WasteNJ]

I see your perspective and share some of your concerns on Powell's UN performance. Over time it looks like he was used, maybe willingly maybe not, as a pawn in order to convince the UN to invade Iraq. No doubt he was the most credible member of the administration. Learning the details of inner White House workings, Powell was marginalized by Cheney and Rumsfeld. I think it's possible that he genuinely regrets his actions and wants to redeem himself.

[JJK]

Yes, but redemption is usually preceded by full confession. Robert McNamara has admitted to misleading the American people about what he knew during the buildup of US troops and strength in Vietnam.

I refuse to accept the argument that Powell was "misled" by the bad guys and it is laughable to think that he was "marginalzied" by people like Cheney and Rusmfeld, whom he no doubt held in contempt and whom he could have destroyed with a single press conference.

General Colin Powell was one of our greatest and most experienced warriors, a man who once held the high respect of many of us, including myself. I just do not believe that, in his gut and heart and soul, that that man, that Army General who knew combat and its costs, did not know that Hussein was not a true threat to the United States. He went along.

I think he is now cynically currying favor with those who will begin to write the true history of the Iraq War on January 20, 2009. He is trying to salvage his legacy and hoping he can influence where he is placed in that history.

[gotborked]

...and Obama has said that he admires and respects McCain.
An individual from the right can admire an individual from the left and vice versa without it being a "slap in the face" when the admired one says he's voting the other way.
This is not unexpected. Powell hasn't been seen as a man of the right since the first gulf war. He was a great military man, but his heart has always leaned left socially.

[noillim]

I am extremely happy that Colin Powell came out in favor of Obama. He is truly an honorable man who puts country first. There was a time that I was disappointed by what Powell did before the United Nations. But after time has passed and I have done my research on the reality of the situation, I understand how he was completely misled by Bush, et al. They lied to him and betrayed his trust. They turned their back on him. I feel that the reason he stayed was to try and help remedy a situation that, after being misled, he helped to create.

A friend of mine (a former Repub who just voted for Obama in FLORIDA) helped me understand more about this great American's experience. He really opened my eyes. I think that Colin Powell showed great courage in coming out in favor of Obama. He had to know there would be backlash. Since the time he endorsed, I have seen others in his party, those who supposedly hold Mr. Powell in such high regard, question his loyalty, call him ungrateful, and suggest that the only reason he favors Obama is because of race. It truly is disgusting and shows the narrow-minded mentality of the GOP, while expressing more than ever the amazing character of Colin Powell.

[fishgirl26]

Republicans will spin this into a race thing because it is the easiest thing to do. I work w/ a diehard repub. who believes that (he also believes that Obama is a terrorist and has those "ties"). I believe that Sec. Powell was given false info about Iraq. I think at the time he thought it was real but the pressure of getting it done and putting it out there was too great by Cheney, Rumsfeld and others and they figured that having Powell put it out there would be less "seedy". Gen. Powell was sent down the river by his president, his party, and they tarnished his stellar career. I know he believes that Sen. Obama is the best candidate and that's why the endorsement. I laud you Gen. Powell for your courage to stand up and really take a stand and put your "country first" as you have for years.

[munki]

General Colin Powell... Thank you...
The hero with many great admiration - speaks for itself...
The photo you referred - gave many of us tears...
Thank you for reminding the "reality"...

[UltraClassic]

Come now Max. Is this some sort of surprise? One thing is certain, General Powell did not endorse Senator Obama based on experience and leadership.

Cast aside the political nonsense and let's get real Max.

[wanttruth]

Thank you, Gen. Powell!

[truthorsnare]

Do republicans REALLY believe that Powell endorsed Obama simply because he's black? Is it REALLY not possible that Obama, in Powell's view, is just the BETTER candidate who happens to be black?

Never mind that other (white) CONSERVATIVES have come out and admitted that the McCain-Palin ticket is weak for a variety of reasons. Some, like Christopher Hitchens, have even endorsed Obama because of it. Yet you have goofs like Limbaugh proclaiming from atop of idiot mountain that A FOUR STAR GENERAL'S choice was driven solely by race.

If this REALLY is the case, are we to presume that all of McCain's supporters are only backing him because he's white?

[munki]

General Powell is above the color...
He told all Americans... we are America and Americans...

[Overd0g]

He also told all Americans "there are WMDs in Iraq"

[profounddogs]

You raise an interesting question. I guess if it is true when we listen to Rush and idiots on the right that Powell only endorsed Obama because he is black, then the people who are voting against Barack is only because he is black!

Amazing. I've also noticed that white men outnumber women who vote against Obama because of his race. WHAT IS STILL WRONG WITH WHITE MEN IN THIS COUNTRY???? GOD, GET A CLUE!

[libsRchildren]

As a conservative, I and all my friends have no issue whatsoever with Barack being half black, half white. We do however feel very concerned about the direction Obama represents. You libs really need to get out more, if only to find that you're the only ones still whining about color.
And yeah, maybe more men do tend to not support Obama, but that's the result of the fact that men tend to look into issues where most women (and liberal men) vote for those that make them FEEL good.
Simple stuff for simpletons.

[JRsNana]

While it remains to be seen just how this endorsement "matters", it has been interesting to listen to the McCain surrogates spin spin spin just how much it "ultimately doesn't matter."

[Willythekorn]

Those of us baby boomers who were aware of the politics of the '60s and '70s ought to be finding the current situation for the Republicans very familiar. During that time the Democrats, sick from too much power for too long, had split into centrist and leftist camps that day by day grew less able to speak with, let alone work with, each other. Ultimately, this led to the "Reagan Democrats" and the subsequent diminution of the party for almost 30 years.

Now the Republicans, sick from too much power for too long, have fallen into the same trap and God willing, we will see the a new group -- the "Obama Republicans" -- who can not live with the headlong rush to the right by the so-called "Republican base".

For better or worse, the voters of the United States have been, in aggregate, either center-left or center-right for much of their history.. Sooner or later, the party that forces out it's own moderates is going to have to spend some time in the outer darkness.

General Powell's "defection", then, is not a defection at all. He can (and did!) say, like Christopher Buckley and others, "I didn't leave the Republican party. It left me."

[UltraClassic]

That's a good comment Willy and sad to say, pretty close to how many of us conservative libertarian types feel.

Use to be, the argument was for either big government or limited government. The only choice we have now is either big government or bigger government.

But the true danger to the GOP are right wing radicals. Will democrats govern from the center or will they go frolicking off into left wing la-la land just as the GOP kisses up to the far right? Time will tell.

[SandraL]

What a great comment Willy. I have always been a democrat, but my father who is very conservative has always voted republican. This year though, he is undecided. He likes Obama, but thinks he's too inexperienced. This endorsement will go a long way in helping his decision. He has also told me that he is apalled at the behavior of his party, and the comments coming from the McCain campaign. Im hoping beyond hope that he votes for Obama. And by the way, my father is latino, and has been a republican since he moved here in the 50's. He witnessed the chaos of the 60's and 70's, voted for Reagan, and both Bushes. He remains conservative but might vote across party lines. I know my mother will be this november.

[Canengam]

The number of friends and family who have crossed the floor over the last month alone has left me flabbergasted. It seems like every week my Republican friends are given another excuse to jump ship: robocalls, false terrorist accusations, Powell's endorsement, Palin...

It's funny, too, because other than the extraneous messaging and tactics, the candidates literally say many of the same things. www.votethequote.com shows this in an interesting way, and has driven my Obama-supporting friends up the wall by showing them that they lean toward McCain on some issues - hilarious!

All in all, I'm glad Powell has come over from the Dark Side - it's about time.