Powell Endorses Obama - Is this significant ?

britexpat
By britexpat

Herr General endorses Obama.. Is this significant? Should Powell, as a former member of the Republican Administration endorse someone from the oposition ??
Is it sour grapes ? is it because they're both Black ??

Come on you Americans... Enlighten us..

The Times

Colin Powell, the Republican once tipped to become America’s first black President, endorsed the Democrat, Barack Obama, yesterday as a “transformational figure” who was ready to be the next Commander-in-Chief.

President Bush’s former Secretary of State said that he was backing Mr Obama, not because of his race, but because he had met the standard to be an exceptional President. And he delivered a stinging rebuff to the Republican, John McCain, describing his campaign as petty and troubling.

Endorsements rarely have a decisive impact in presidential politics, but the effusive backing for Mr Obama by a man so widely respected could play a significant role in persuading some undecided voters. It also ensures that the news will dominate media coverage of the campaign for the next 24 hours, robbing Mr McCain of one more day to change the trajectory of the race with only two weeks to go until the election on November 4.

At a rally in North Carolina, Mr Obama basked in the endorsement, calling General Powell “a great soldier, a great statesman and a great American”. He added that he was beyond honoured and deeply humbled to have his support.

General Powell, who oversaw victory in the 1991 Gulf War, made clear that his decision to back Mr Obama was as much a sign of his unhappiness with Mr McCain, his campaign and his choice of Sarah Palin to be his running mate. General Powell, an avowed moderate, said that Mr McCain’s choices in recent weeks — especially his selection of the Alaska governor — had raised questions in his mind about the Arizona senator’s judgment.

“I don’t believe she’s ready to be President of the United States, which is the job of the Vice-President,” General Powell said bluntly. He decried what he called the “rightward shift” of the Republican Party — he cited Mrs Palin’s selection as an example — and criticised Mr McCain’s “unsure” response to the economic crisis. “Almost every day he had a different approach to the problems we were having,” General Powell told NBC’s Meet the Press.

By realtorqatar• 20 Oct 2008 13:07
Rating: 4/5
realtorqatar

With all those Lies in his wallet.. I smell a smoking Gun.. in Him.. It's not significant, He is liar.. leading to kill innocents and still dying because of the same.

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|Re@ltor Q@t@r |

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By kqureshi• 20 Oct 2008 13:05
Rating: 5/5
kqureshi

Yes its very very significant. There are more then 3 million voters in USA currently serving in arm forces or they are ex servicement. Powell is recently retired well respected general from US army. Traditionally these 3 millions voters in USA are Republicans but endorsement by Poweel will move quite of few of these people to vote for Sen Obama. I left Ohio for Qatar on October 5th and already acsted my vote for Obama before my departure from USA. Obama is the man for next 8 years.

By britexpat• 20 Oct 2008 13:05
britexpat

Bravo...

I vote Abu for the next president.. That way, we can go from a 'percieved muslim" to an "actual muslim"

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 13:01
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

" I'm also troubled by, not what Sen. McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said, such things as, "Well, you that know Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is: What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

By JMT• 20 Oct 2008 12:44
Rating: 4/5
JMT

how divided the Republican party is at the moment. Powell appeals to the educated, honest Republicans that still believe in integrity.

Sarah Palin has been divisive in Alaska and she will continue to divide. I'm hoping that the Republican party still has enough intelligent beings to vote for integrity.

I liked what Powell had to say, and I'm glad he said it. He didn't have to come forward at all, but because he is a good guy, he wasn't going to sit by and watch the negative things the McCain campaign (and the Republican party at large) is doing without saying something.

By Gypsy• 20 Oct 2008 12:29
Gypsy

I agree he should have been, but I feel for him in that I don't think ANYONE realized just how bad the Bush admin would get until it was too late.

By britexpat• 20 Oct 2008 11:12
britexpat

You are right. Powell managed to remain untainted during the Bush years, but perhaps he should have been stronger and more vocal against the neo-con policies.

I hope that the fence sitters will swing to Obama and Palin will be forgotten sooner than later..

By Gypsy• 20 Oct 2008 10:44
Rating: 5/5
Gypsy

I believe it's significant and may actually sway over a few Republicans who were sitting on the fence. Powell managed to get out of the Bush administration with his dignity and reputation in tact, and in fact just as popular as he was when he entered it. A lot of people respect his opinion and I think a few will follow his example in this.

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 10:41
anonymous

I believe in my heart that Sarah Palin does not know the definition of Eskimos and Oil.

She probably thinks of Eskimos, like the ice cream pie and Oil as olives.

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

— Tho

By Vegas• 20 Oct 2008 10:25
Vegas

Now that was funny...

You can't teach experience...

By Winn• 20 Oct 2008 10:12
Rating: 5/5
Winn

Washington: Alaska Governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her impersonator, Tina Fey earned the American television program "Saturday Night Live" its best ratings in 14 years over the weekend.

Palin later appeared alongside Seth Meyers on "Weekend Update," declining to perform a rap song that had been written for her. Amy Poehler "filled in" for Palin as actors dressed as Eskimos, Palin''s husband, Todd, and a moose danced across the stage.

http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1683015

Rap, moose dancing, impersonators....hilarious!!

-----------------------------------------------

Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian!!

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 10:07
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

The hard part was filling my absentee vote, I had to spend time researching those local candidates, senators and town hall candidates and specially the amendments that are being propose to the state constitution. i definitely hand carried my absentee vote to the post office early this morning.

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

— Tho

By britexpat• 20 Oct 2008 10:00
britexpat

You patriot you..

I agree.. I think Obama will win .

I am just afraid that once elected , he might become known as "O'Bummer" because he cannot deliver what he promised..

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 09:51
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

This politics of endorsement has the similarities of car companies spending millions of dollars in promotion and using Hollywood stars to promote their product. It Is all about identifying themselves in their own opinion on who is the best.

Definitely it is a low blow to theMr McCain maniac-moronic fan club, specially coming from a Republican.

His endorsement, not only will attract the republican and liberian voter, but unify the minority groups of America overall. the odds are against Mccain.

Mr. Collin Powell has a clear and exemplary report card not only Military, but politically.

Not like McCain and that crazy woman, who loves to plagiarize Obamas ideas for a better future.

Yes, you call it black on black, but it is Not!

There will be the very first Black President of United States.

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

— Tho

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 09:07
anonymous

turncoatism in America is a big nonoh.. And Obama should be very careful about that endorsement.

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

By anonymous• 20 Oct 2008 08:42
Rating: 3/5
anonymous

I'm not an American but here is my take on this.

I do think that Powell's endorsement of Obama is significant. Not in a big way but it could swing those undecided voters.

He gave the most eloquent statement on what made him come up to his decision. And his statement basically strenghtens and reassures the public that Obama can be trusted to be the President.

Will McCain's supporter now give their votes to Obama? I don't think so. The way things appear to be, It seems that Powell doesn't carry that much of persuasion. But it will definitely weigh heavily for those Independents/undecided voters who are leaning towards Obama but have doubts about his "experience" and on foreign policy.

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