Well, how 'bout that.

[catsittingstill]

Colin Powell endorsed Barak Obama for president.

Hmm.

Comments

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

And the usual noise machine is already proclaiming this One Black Man Voting For Another.

Pat Buchanan's take was especially revealing, I thought. Referred to Powell's endorsement of the Democratic candidate as "ingratitude". I'll leave the subtext as an exercise for the reader.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

As if every black person thought the same as every other.

But, well, Pat Buchanan. Not really mainstream white thinking, is he? Probably not even mainstream Republican thinking.

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

Reminds me, as a lot of things have over the last eight years, of when Murphy Brown finally responded to then-VP Quayle's comments about glamourizing single motherhood:

FRANK FONTANA: Murph, It's Dan Quayle!

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

Maybe this is due to my ignorance of who's who in the U.S.A., but I don't get how this can be a good thing. If I've got the right person (Iraq WMD cheer-leading and deception), it seems more like, "Here, have an albatross!" No?

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

While it was indeed largely Powell's gravitas that helped sell the Iraq war, he was not the primary cheerleader for it; that pom-pon shaker is currently sitting in the Oval Office. Powell resigned as quickly as was courteously possible once the truth about the non-existent WMDs came out.

No, this isn't an albatross. This is an incredibly well-respected statesman crossing party lines to endorse the candidate he has decided, with great reluctance, is the better choice.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Colin Powell was very well respected, among members of both parties, up to the point he was duped into giving that "weapons of mass destruction" presentation at the United Nations Security Council.

When WMD were not found, it did hurt his credibility quite a bit. But I think a lot of people have forgiven him for that and remember his position as "largely-ignored-voice-of-reason" in the Bush Administration.

My estimate is that this will help Obama with those people who had doubts about his capability to be a good commander-in-chief, and about his foreign policy credentials.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

So, my opinion of Colin Powell just went up a couple of points back towards respect. I think, however, that his position as "largely-ignored-voice-of-reason" will remain intact, and it will have little impact on folks, who have in the main already decided upon whom their vote will fall.

[barbara-the-w.livejournal.com]

The key point is that it opens the way for Powell to be part of Obama's administration, with all the centrist-frouha that engenders. Powell is fiscally conservative, militarily conservative -- but socially/sociologically liberal/libertarian. The right wing of the GOP has driven its centrists a step too far this season. He's the signpost of less-well-known people shifting their votes. They voted for the Party of Reagan...and they've finally realized that Party doesn't exist anymore.

The goal will be to keep those centrists from crossing back over the line. Should prove interesting.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Powell is one of the few republicans I can think of at the moment whom I would be glad to see included in Obama's administration. I think it would both make a statement about the centrist, reaching-for-consensus nature of the administration and it would add a good, competent person to the administration.

I don't think Powell should be used as a mouthpiece again, though, no matter how tempting it might be.

All of this is IF Obama is elected of course (don't want to jinx anything).

[mbumby.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all counts.

I think, though, that the endorsement, and the notion of him being included in the administration would both be more powerful were they not both Black. If for no other reason than that it would keep those with different beliefs than mine from saying "the only reason is...".

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Yes, I respect him more as a result, but I'm not sure I agree it won't make any difference. It probably won't make a *big* difference, but recent elections have been so close that every vote counts (I will *never* forget that again), and I think there are a fair number of people further to the right than I am who respect Colin Powell and take what he has to say seriously. It's true that there are maybe only 10% left who might change their minds (or have yet to make them up) but 10% is a lot--60% to 40% is a landslide. And even 51% to 49% is a "mandate"--at least according to George Bush.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

It may make a bigger difference with the military who--god knows why--are largely supporting McCain/Palin. You'd think that losing a war would dissuade them, but no. It may also make a huge difference after the election, when there is going to be a serious temptation to violence.