colin powell endores Obama

[tom the pit leader]

Just saw this on the news, Colin Powell endorsing Obama. This could be the final nail in the coffin that is the McCain camapign, but you never know.


Discuss.

[Villalba]

Yeah i saw this and laughed, even Republicans are turning their tables too choose Obama rather than McCain, is just a proove that people vote with their pockets.

[James Davis]

I'm doubtful this will have much of an effect. When was the last time any of you voted for president based on an endorsement? The closest an endorsement ever came to influencing my decision was when Michael Moore's endorsement of Obama prompted me to favor Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

As for Powell's choice, this saddens me deeply. Not because I believe his endorsement will be significant, but because of his long term legacy. People will view Powell's endorsement as based exclusively on race, and nothing else. I don't believe this, but when other people see a Republican endorsing a ton of values that he absolutely abhors, it's going to raise question marks. Considering the service Powell has given this country, the backlash he will receive because of this saddens me.

[Megamind]

:woot:

[leninrocks244]

It's because he's black.

:angry:

[The Corporal]

I don't see why some liberals are so stoked about this. Liberals were mad at Powell for "lying about WMDs in Iraq" but glad to have his endorsement? If I were a liberal I'd look at that with about the same thoughts many people had when Bush endorsed McCain - wtf...that's not good for him...

[AzureShadow]

The only relevant endorsement in this campaign is Bush's, which we've already seen. It ain't gonna influence people at all.

[Villalba]

Actually Corporal, the fact is that people just got one source for wmd's in Iraq, which in turn wasn't very reliable. The people responsible for Iraq wasn't Bush, it was a failed intelligence, that the administration decided to go by. For Barack to receive his endorsment, and as i remember, he was one of the only people that went against the war, even when all around the nation, the so called "liberal media." was for it. In the end there was a price to pay, and the thought that they would be greeted as liberators, soon died down as the Iraqis soon found out they just move from a dictatorship to an imperialist occupying power. Which their biggest fear was "They are here to take our oil." This might be true, especially for a guy like Dick Chaney, which i consider the real smart guy in there. The one who spoke like a true oil man, the fact is that both Dick and Powell through Poppy Bush administration did not wanted the idea of occupying Iraq, saying it could turn into a massacre of epic proportions.

[Lmcfalcon12]

It's because he's black.

:angry:

This ^. I'm with Lenin. This is "a big fucking surprise". NOT! :drgrr:

[The Arbiter]

First of all, the other four secretaries of state all endorsed McCain, but of course the media doesn't tell anyone that. Also, who cares what Powell thinks, he wasn't a very good SoS...

[Villalba]

I have to dissagree on that. Powell is the Al Gore of the democratic party, they bring many votes. And as i know Powell is a black Jamaican American with a lot of conservative ideals.

[The Arbiter]

He was a bad SoS and I don't even understand how he calls himself a "republican" yet he tends to lean democratic very often. Also, the other 4 SoS's endorsed McCain.

[James Davis]

I still maintain that endorsements don't matter at all at this point. If someone can point to a 3-4 point Obama bounce in the major polls in the next couple of days, I'll stick my foot in my mouth.

[FreeMason]

Actually Corporal, the fact is that people just got one source for wmd's in Iraq, which in turn wasn't very reliable. The people responsible for Iraq wasn't Bush, it was a failed intelligence, that the administration decided to go by. For Barack to receive his endorsment, and as i remember, he was one of the only people that went against the war, even when all around the nation, the so called "liberal media." was for it. In the end there was a price to pay, and the thought that they would be greeted as liberators, soon died down as the Iraqis soon found out they just move from a dictatorship to an imperialist occupying power. Which their biggest fear was "They are here to take our oil." This might be true, especially for a guy like Dick Chaney, which i consider the real smart guy in there. The one who spoke like a true oil man, the fact is that both Dick and Powell through Poppy Bush administration did not wanted the idea of occupying Iraq, saying it could turn into a massacre of epic proportions.

Nah the Bush administration (in conjunction w/ UK gov't) was behind the whole thing. You don't believe me, go here:

http://downingstreetmemo.com/index.html

[bigdaddychacha]

Yeah i saw this and laughed, even Republicans are turning their tables too choose Obama rather than McCain, is just a proove that people vote with their pockets.
I'd bet all the money in my Korean bank account that Powell isn't voting Obama because of his own personal finances...

It's because he's black.
...Or because he's black.

It's probably because, although he's intensely conservative on defense, military, and foreign affairs issues, he's actually had a middle-of-the-road streak on domestic civilian issues ever since he was promoted into Bush Sr.'s administration. Since the Republicans have proven themselves to be bankrupt on their defense, military, and foreign affairs issues throughout the past 8 years, and since the economy seems to be imploding, it makes perfect since for him to vote Democrat this time, black or white, rich or poor.

Also, he's probably a bit bitter about the way he was used during Bush's administration and the unceremonious ending to that relationship.

First of all, the other four secretaries of state all endorsed McCain, but of course the media doesn't tell anyone that. Also, who cares what Powell thinks, he wasn't a very good SoS...
Could you please name the other four SoSes? (without consulting wikipedia of course.) That's why Colin Powell's endorsement is noteworthy.
Colin Powell's tenure at the State Department should be considered within the context of his battling with Don Rumsfeld at the Defense Department and Bush's assertion of more power over both while they fought. It wasn't just Powell, it was the whole situation.

He was a bad SoS and I don't even understand how he calls himself a "republican" yet he tends to lean democratic very often.
He's been a Republican since at least the 1980s when he came into public life. The definition of Republican keeps shifting to the right and Powell is middle-of-the-road on domestic issues.

Also, Freemason is correct about whether Bush Administration or the intelligence community is to blame for getting us into the mess. Bush manipulated the intelligence, this has been extensively documented and proven beyond any doubt.

[leninrocks244]

This ^. I'm with Lenin. This is "a big fucking surprise". NOT! :drgrr:

That was sarcastic, though...

[The Corporal]

Could you please name the other four SoSes? (without consulting wikipedia of course.)
Henry Kissinger is one, I forget the names of the others off the top of my head. Frankly, considering his incredible career, do the other four even really matter? No. Another thing I saw today is that McCain is thrashing Obama in the military vote, 68% to 23%. Not surprising to me, but the "our troops shouldn't be in Iraq, they hate it there" rhetoric is proven to be a worthless pile of liberal shit with that kind of disparity.

He's been a Republican since at least the 1980s when he came into public life. The definition of Republican keeps shifting to the right and Powell is middle-of-the-road on domestic issues.
The definition of Repubican has shifted to the left, based on the politicians and their policies (the Democrats are going left too, for that matter - JFK would be a Republican if he reanimated as a zombie today). Whether that is an indication of Republican voters shifting left or Republican politicians becoming just as power-hungry and despicable as many Democrat politicians, I don't know.

[Villalba]

As i remember Republicans during the times of Abraham Lincon were left. Civil Rights and voting rights for African Americans, i guess that is very left leaning. Ohh what Abraham Lincon would have said as to how his party has become. For shame.

[bigdaddychacha]

As i remember Republicans during the times of Abraham Lincon were left. Civil Rights and voting rights for African Americans, i guess that is very left leaning. Ohh what Abraham Lincon would have said as to how his party has become. For shame.
What about Republicans during the segregation and civil rights eras? Abraham Lincoln was a long, long time ago, there's been a little too much water under the Republican bridge to name check him with the party of today, methinks.

Henry Kissinger is one, I forget the names of the others off the top of my head. Frankly, considering his incredible career, do the other four even really matter? No. Another thing I saw today is that McCain is thrashing Obama in the military vote, 68% to 23%. Not surprising to me, but the "our troops shouldn't be in Iraq, they hate it there" rhetoric is proven to be a worthless pile of liberal shit with that kind of disparity.
The bolded part is the point I was trying to make with regards to Powell. :D
As for members of the active duty military supporting Republicans, of course they do! All the soldiers I've known who came back from Iraq and Afghanistan say all they watch over there is FOX News and that between at least 2001-2005 (and probably on until today), it was absolutely faux-paux (spell?) to openly question the wisdom of our great leader, the chimp!

The definition of Repubican has shifted to the left, based on the politicians and their policies (the Democrats are going left too, for that matter - JFK would be a Republican if he reanimated as a zombie today). Whether that is an indication of Republican voters shifting left or Republican politicians becoming just as power-hungry and despicable as many Democrat politicians, I don't know.
JFK was smack-dab in the middle of some of the most trying periods of the Cold War. Of course he was hawkish, that doesn't make him a Republican today! Hell, Richard Nixon ended the Vietnam War; does that make him a spineless Democratic surrendur-monkey?

I maintain that Republicans have been shifting further and further to the right ever since at least Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and I invite any further evidence to the contrary. The only things that politicians seem to be going to the left on are those increasingly undeniable issues like global warming that you end up looking ridiculous when you continue to oppose. I think there will be more of those issues soon; the gays aren't going back in their closets, folks, I don't care who you vote for; and ever since Reagan, the Republicans can't seem to run an economy without racking up insurmountable debts. As Colbert said, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." ;)

[Lmcfalcon12]

That was sarcastic, though...

Heh. Well in all honesty, I'm not surprised.

[The Corporal]

I maintain that Republicans have been shifting further and further to the right ever since at least Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and I invite any further evidence to the contrary. The only things that politicians seem to be going to the left on are those increasingly undeniable issues like global warming that you end up looking ridiculous when you continue to oppose. I think there will be more of those issues soon; the gays aren't going back in their closets, folks, I don't care who you vote for; and ever since Reagan, the Republicans can't seem to run an economy without racking up insurmountable debts. As Colbert said, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." ;)

I was submitting the increasing tendency for big government as the primary reason why the Republican party (not necessarily the voters) has been moving to the left. In the last 10 years, Republican politicians have slowly crept further and further away from the small government roots that were championed by the likes of Ronald Reagan. Why else would so many Republicans vote for the bailout?

[leninrocks244]

Heh. Well in all honesty, I'm not surprised.

:P

[Villalba]

In history? In history we will all be dead.

[tom the pit leader]

I was submitting the increasing tendency for big government as the primary reason why the Republican party (not necessarily the voters) has been moving to the left. In the last 10 years, Republican politicians have slowly crept further and further away from the small government roots that were championed by the likes of Ronald Reagan. Why else would so many Republicans vote for the bailout?

Well, you arn't going to like this, but small government doesn't exist anymore, anywhere. I cannot think a an nation that isn't going more twords the middle of the free market to total planed economy spectrum.

[The Arbiter]

Big government's going to be the end of us all.

[tom the pit leader]

Not really, killing the enviornment will. It doesn't matter who isn't in charge when the enviornment can't sustain human life anymore. The only form of government that can change the trend is a large, well run, better armed, government that isn't afraid to use force to stop pollution/massive deforestation/over fishing/ ect.

[FreeMason]

Big government's going to be the end of us all.

Agreed, but neither of the parties are actually trying to make the gov't smaller. Maybe the Libertarians, but sometimes even they don't stand by what they say they believe in...sigh...what we need is an Anarchist party! Mostly for the irony of having anarchists run for gov't office, but whatever. Or, if we don't want to go that far, maybe we can revive the Anti-Federalists.

[bigdaddychacha]

I was submitting the increasing tendency for big government as the primary reason why the Republican party (not necessarily the voters) has been moving to the left. In the last 10 years, Republican politicians have slowly crept further and further away from the small government roots that were championed by the likes of Ronald Reagan. Why else would so many Republicans vote for the bailout?
Ah, I see what you mean by left, I didn't know you meant less to do with politics but more to do with size and scope of government...Well, I'll agree that Republicans can't really say much about small government anymore after the past 8 years, but the style of oversized government that they've advocated really has nothing to do with a left-wing style "big government." I think the right has created its own beast this time!