The Colin Powell endorsement: Triumph of hope over reality
Gravitas.
The media’s in a tizzy over Colin Powell’s Meet the Press endorsement of Barack Obama this morning.
It’s not a surprise to anyone who’s paid attention to his pro-Obama murmurings over the last four months.
How will people outside the Beltway bubble respond?
Yawn.
Here’s the vid:
Powell’s embrace of Barack Obama is a triumph of hope over reality. He told Tom Brokaw that Obama’s “steadiness” and “not jumping in and changing every day” convinced him that The One was ready to lead.
Hello?
Guess Powell relied on Obama’s website after he purged his surge criticism from it.
Powell then goes on to pooh-pooh Obama’s longtime “limited relationship” with Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers as an “issue that is not central” to the campaign — just as evidence of the closeness of these two very chummy “neighbors” mounts.
Judgment, schmudgment, eh, Secretary Powell?
Finally, we arrive at the real reason Powell is endorsing Obama: The party, he complains, has become too “narrow” for his tastes. Pro-abortion Powell can’t stand the thought of two more Republican Supreme Court appointments. He thinks Sarah Palin is too conservative. He shares the Obama view of our base as racist and non-inclusive — but has nothing to say about the rabid pack of America-damning preachers who helped make Obama the “transformational” figure Powell has placed his faith in.
Powell also makes reference to all the Obama-is-a-Muslim rumors, blaming the Republican Party for all that. Never mind the Democrat Hillary backers like Bob Kerrey and on down to her grass-roots supporters who indulged themselves and trafficked in those very rumors Powell smears conservatives for spreading.
The orgy of Obamedia attention Powell will receive the next 24 hours is disproportionate to its importance.
The press only loves maverick Republicans when they jump in bed with Democrats.
Just ask John McCain.
***
One last note: I see in comments that many believe Powell supports Obama because he is black. Powell has said electing a black president would be “electrifying.” He is a staunch supporter of government racial preferences.
It’s a mistake, though, to attribute Powell’s endorsement primarily to some kind of race loyalty.
It’s Obama’s social liberalism, not his skin color, that attracts Powell most.
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Ever wonder why Powell is a republican?
He’s more like Lieberman in terms of his position in issues. But I believe Powell is in bed big time with the DNC. And they likely tell him.. “you can do more for us as a Republican who supports Dems, than as a a Former Republican.”
Very thoughtful strategy. It’s sad that the RNC is not even close to the Dems on political strategy.
The name… is Jindal. Bobby Jindal.
Make a note of it.
Digshot, I don’t buy that racism crap anymore. It is what will be used to crush dissent here in american so shove it.
Shocker. The funny thing is the MSM trumping this up as Powell being so credible, when they tore him a knew one over WMDs and Iraq. that my friends is what we call “Bias”
Wasn’t he unlce tom and untrustworthy only a few short months ago to the left?
I would most certainly; most likely in a accusatory voice:
It is race, sorry but that is how it is. He was a popular General, popular with both the troops and populace; less so with the senior officer corp.
But for now, with General Powell, it is all about race. PKAmmoTroop #300 said it about as good as I have seen.
Wander off the Democrats reservation and you are an Oreo, coconut, Uncle TomTom whatever. Point is that General Powell knows that Democrats NEED to keep race and class animosity high-fore ever. It is part and parcel of eternal revolution. But is all about race.
Snodfy:
Good point. The MSM is fickle; say what they want to hear, they love you. Say a truth that they don’t like, they hate you.
McCain has learned this the hard and painful way.
I’m gonna watch Night Of The Living Dead (original) on Halloween night. I’ve never seen it before, but I’ve heard/read a lot of good stuff about it; besides, it MIGHT prepare me to go to the polls the week after!
Ba-dump-bump-CHING!
I’ve been thinking the same thing, too, for quite some time. I’ve never been polled, nor do I know of ANYONE…yes, I’m only one person, but sounds like I’m not the only one. I really think this is just another ploy, much like “calling Florida for Gore” in 2000, to discourage conservative voters. It has the opposite effect on me, though. I become much more determined when told I shouldn’t do something.
Never been polled, neither has anyone at my workplace.
MtsEdge:
How’s it goin’, girl???
I agree; they would LOVE to discourage us from voting before Election Day even comes.
“Your candidate is too far behind . . .”
“He is unpopular . . .”
“You VILL stay home on Election Day, Yah?”
As Amy Holmes put it on Bill Bennett’s radio show, waiting until two weeks before the election when Obama has a better than 5% lead in the polls wasn’t exactly a “Profile in Courage”.
She also noted in 1996 at the GOP convention that Powell claimed to be a Republican despite being pro-death and pro-affirmative action because he believed in “Limited government”.
Yeah, right.
Speaking of
abortiondeath rights…“To suggest — as some Catholics do — that Senator Obama is this year’s ‘real’ pro-life candidate requires a peculiar kind of self-hypnosis, or moral confusion, or worse,” Chaput said according to his prepared remarks, titled “Little Murders.”
First, you can spare me the lecture on whose supporters are doing what. Yes, it’s heinous for any liberal to call a Colin Powell an “Uncle Tom,” but at least we aren’t hanging Obama in effigy. If that doesn’t embarrass and disgust you enough, watch this.
The Republican party USES minorities (I’m not even talking about ABUSING) by hand picking from the miniscule number of minority party members they have (RNC minority delegates this year were the fewest of either party since the 60s) and giving them prominence in order to show that the party that opposes affirmative action and amnesty is somehow a friend to minorities.
Like I said, do you really think that you would have ever heard of Michael Steele (or Alberto Gonzales or Bobby Jindal) if they were white?
Sorry, the CRA was a north-south thing and not a Democrat-Republican thing. But since you brought it up, here’s the actual voting record:
House:
Southern Democrats: 7-87 (7%-93%)
Southern Republicans: 0-10 (0%-100%)
Northern Democrats: 145-9 (94%-6%)
Northern Republicans: 138-24 (85%-15%)
Senate:
Southern Democrats: 1-20
Southern Republicans: 0-1
Northern Democrats: 45-1
Northern Republicans: 27-5
Obviously, there were more Southern Democrats than Republicans, but that only ended when Republicans opposed affirmative action and welfare, and Democrats like Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes opposed flying the confederate flag.
How dare I? Because you’re calling one of the most distinguished military servants this country has ever had a racist. That’s how dare I. Have you heard any — ANY — Democrats say that Joe Lieberman is supporting John McCain only because he’s white?
Hey, frostrt! Things are great here! Just keepin’ up the good fight for what is RIGHT! Not lettin’ em get me down, no way.
Have fun watching your scary flick on Halloween. We’re taking the kids trick-or-treating. I think I’m going to go as Sarah Palin! On second thought, Sarah’s much better looking than me, so I guess I’ll go as Tina Fey.
By the way, how does dancing like a black person at an anti-poverty benefit strip a four-star general, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State of his “gravitas”?
You stay classy, Michelle Malkin!
Seems to be ok when the leftwingers do it to McCain, who I think an equal, if not more distinguished military career!
Pot calling kettle black?
I’m sure you were similarly OUTRAGED when the left has hung BOOOOSH in effigacy, and has had multiple calls for his death, right??
uh yeah sure…
anybody for a signed Powell book?? maybe I should just save it for a post election book burning should mao-bama get elected…lol
Everyone please spare me the “WHAT ABOUT THIS” and “WHAT ABOUT THAT” — I don’t support anything you’re talking about, that does not represent me any more than Mr. Obama in Effigy represents you, and if you think that what some fringe hateful lefties have done gives you and Rush Limbaugh the right to smear Colin Powell as a racist, then you truly have no shame.
general powell will have to answer the troops for several of his acts. the 4000+ dead in iraq today are at he and bush41′s feet because they wouldn’t fight the enemy until it was defeated. nowwhatever happens due to the muslim world feeling obama won’t retaliate is partially on him too. affirmative action meet affirmative action.
right4life: You didn’t expect him to be fair did you? I mean calling for bushes death has been the “hip” thing to do for 8 years now.
So black people dance differently from whites – isn’t that raaaacist thinking?
true, some pigs are more equal than others…
redstateskeptic: You don’t get to act one way for 8 years then all of a sudden find those very actions bad when somebody else does them. Obama is a liar. He is directly supporting voter fraud. And quite frankly is is not all that smart. So yes, we do get to hang him in effigy if we want. Its called free speech. Remeber that from when YOUR side did the same thing?
but you imply that we do. and the ‘fringe hateful lefties’ ARE ALL OF THEM!!! give me a break.
and Rush’s point wasn’t racist, it was true. and the truth hurts.
Redstate: Now who is the racist? You are saying that if those gentlemen were white they wouldn’t have gotten where they are. So apparently they must have gotten there by affirmative action because they couldn’t make it on their own merits. You make a good point…the point being, you are a raaaaacist!!!
I think their examples are extraordinary b/c of the pressure put on people of color by the black community in particular to NOT be conservative. RSS is trying to blame Repubs for not offering policies that appeal to blacks, but welfare and affirmative action (at least the way it is generally applied) appeal more to ne’er-do-wells who WON’T do what they need to do to succeed on their own. This makes Jindal and Steele and others like them that much more courageous b/c of the flak they take from people of color who won’t think/do for themselves.
The conservative position on these two issues is better for ALL Americans, including minorities. All people refine their character and work skills by struggling to succeed, not through victimhood and patronization.
I guess I’m in good company, since I don’t know how many times I’ve heard Rush say the same about Obama. Michael Steele and Bobby Jindal seem like very intelligent and competent politicians (Aberto Gonzales, not so much) but how do you explain the GOP falling over itself to anoint a one-time lietenant governor and a governor with less than two years on the job (kind of like…) as the President-In-Waiting? Where’s the love for Rick Perry or Sonny Perdue or Tim Pawlenty?
Well stated and clearly explains an extremely important difference between conservatives and liberals!
Yet she still has more experience than Obama. You would know that if the press did thier damn jobs. If the press had done thier jobs, Obama would never have even been nominated.
Excuse me, Redstate…but I don’t believe for one minute you actually listen to Rush. But if you heard him say that, it is because Obama has such a mysterious past and no one know how the heck he rose from an obscure community organizer to almost POTUS in just a few years. Perhaps if we understood better, we might actually admire the man for his great skill and talent in coming so far so fast. As it is, most of us think he has been pushed along by radical ideology and a lot of very wealthy and influencial left-wingers like George Soros, Bill Ayers, et al. That is the difference. Of course, when the minority is a conservative, he/she is blasted as an affirmative action Uncle Tom. But if the minority is a liberal he is the messiah.
Bobby Jindal would be noticed no matter what he looked like. Check out his amazing accomplishments sometime.
Has anyone on this post heard about HOW OBAMA GOT $150 MILLION DOLLARS IN SEPTEMBER??? Apparently, a lot of contributions came in from the internet by small donations that don’t have to be reported. This is very suspicious. If those donations can be traced to overseas, that would be very telling.
We’re talking about Colin Powell here, not Audy Murphy or U.S. Grant. The mans a chair-warmer.
Probably more fraud and illegal activities. If Obama didn’t have the cover of “RACISM” then the media would have slaughtered him by now. If elected, this guy will be the most fraudulant president in us histroy.
How do you explain the Dems falling over themself to anoint a one-time community activist with less then one term in office as President of the United States?
If Plain is lacking experience, how is Obama qualified to be POTUS?
The stock lefty answer is that he’s qualified by virtue of running for office.
It’s been said many times that it is truly the Dems/libs who want to continually identify and evaluate people based solely on race. The hypocrisy of the left is breathtaking. And since we’re talking about affirmative action and Colin Powell, he himself admits that his position was given to him based on AA. I posted earlier that I lost all respect for him when he tried to elevate Hamas to the level of political discourse usually afforded a sovereign nation, in that case Israel.
If he was running for class president, maybe.
Like likes like.
Hey, I was class Veep, Secretary, AND Treasurer… I must be qualified to be the President.
oh, wait, I’m only 32.
In 3 years, you’ll be far more qualified than Obama for the job.
If Powell was not black, would anyone dream of calling him “one of the most distinguished military servants this country has ever had”?
Id RSS’s case, the worship is also based on his endorsing Obama. I’m sure that a year ago Powell was a war criminal.
Red State Skeptic, I, for one, am not “embarrassed” that someone hung Obama in effigy.
That person’s responsible, not me.
Also, I’ve watched President Bush and Cheney hung in effigy, and worse, for eight years.
It’s impossible for me to get riled up about The One being given a taste of the race baiting he has fomented.
For a country reportedly in the throws of an economic near-collapse and a citizenry with little to no disposable cash to donate to political campaigns, I’d like to know the answer to that one myself!
I guarantee the majority of those donations are dirty foreign money, read: $audi.
I’m sure RSS is experiencing the agony of inner turmoil at this time…
Hit submit too soon: I pray for Israel’s continued existence should B. Hussein Obama win -
Of course everyone remembers obamas most solemn vow to use only federal money. This alone proves Obama is a fraud and a liar!!!
If Palin had skipped this governor nonsense and gotten elected to the Senate instead, then spent her entire first term running for POTUS, then presumably she’d be more than qualified to be President, never mind VP.
At least, those are the rules the left has made for Obama.
Look at Powell trying to be strategic…instead of speaking at the convention he wanted to be the October surprise.
don’t worry about that…Someone else is looking out for Israel…as our Russian and Iranian friends will find out to their horror…
Yeah, but they are white Republicans. That makes it not only allowable, but a good thing.
Guess what, DBNinKY? Israel’s enemies will all be destroyed one day. Happy ending. In the meantime, Israel’s military kicks butt!
That’s nice. You might want to spare a thought for America.
Agreed.
Beat me to it, right4life. Also, my prayer is that the US will not, through foolish policies, become one of those enemies of Israel. We will suffer the consequences if we do.
Except that it’s not really much of a surprise!
I’m afraid we will. Israel will be alone when they have to face the iranians and the russians…
I think that time is near, and thats why I think Obama will win.
Well, looks loke we’re on track for the end of the world in 2012 like all the kooks have been saying.
If an iranian nuke is used on israel, israel will make the entire middle east glow. Oil will not even pause at 300 dollars a barrel. Like it or not, we need oil and will do for at least 20 years. The idiot Obama doesn’t even see this.
I have been having a similar discussion with a relative. She thinks that God will use this election to bring judgment on the US. We have been long overdue. I pray that it will not happen in my lifetime or my children’s lifetimes, but I agree that it has to happen sometime.
If Obama is elected I see these as real possibilities.
IRAN will strike Israel as soon as possible.
Russia will take over Georgia and many other countries as well.
A strike by Al Qada will turn Afganistan and Iraq into killing zones. Both governments will fall and all leaders of both countries executed.
Oil prices will skyrocket.
But you dems go ahead and see what Obama means by “real world change”.
I’m afraid we’ve been coasting along for a while on the works of our forefathers…and when we go down, it’ll be over a cliff, quickly.
I think Powell’s main motivation is to see the Republican party burn to the ground. I don’t know if that desire is fueled by the need for vengeance against Bush, or if he genuinely sees how far the party has fallen, but I think he’s right. I don’t think for a second that this is some sort of race-based bias – Powell has always been a man of principle, and I can see how that principle would cause an absolutely horrific response to what has happened to Republicanism in the last eight years.
My assumption is that Powell is not voting for Obama, he is voting against Republicanism in its current form. It takes a lot of courage to do what he has done in endorsing Obama – but his words reveal some of the motives behind that endorsement, and they are logical, reasoned and most likely, shared by many other disgusted republicans.
Just b/c Repubs are “disgusted,” doesn’t mean they want Obama to become POTUS.
agreed, MtsEdge, I will not ruin my country just to prove a point.
Yeah, it takes real courage to support the medias Anointed One. What were you thinking when you wrote that?
You don’t mean America’s chickens are coming home to roost, do you?
There’s a lot of kooky “Christians” here who worship Israel more than Christ.
And the trolls have arrived.
The GOP has transformed itself into a second socialist party. Powell has attacked the GOP for being too right wing!
If Powell is a man of principle, and that seems to be a laughable suggestion, then his principles are liberal ones.
Has everyone forgotten Plamegate already, and Powell’s actions in it?
Agreed Michelle…But unfortunately the comments are filled with exact opposite statements. Think many folks here are suffering from PDS…Powell Derangement Syndrome that is.
You may have heard this before, but it it worth repeating. Howard Stern sent one of his minions into the ‘hood to do a little test. He transposed Obama’s and McCain’s positions etc. and presented them to Obama supporters as Obama’s. Things like “Do you agree with Obama’s pro life position?” and “How do you feel about his decision to pick Sarah Palin as VP? Do you think it was a good choice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM2xHggg7Uk
The respondents all said that the views were good and the agreed wholeheartedly with them!
So whatever Obama said or did, the brothas and sistahs will vote for him.
I guess it is the issues, right?
The “man in the street” has become the “dope in the street.”
A better one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCcHzUmVP5c&feature=related
happyscrapper — my theory on Obama is that he was never the black candidate but really the liberal yuppie candidate.
When you go back and look at it, the last time the “yuppie” demographic was in control was with JFK (yes, no one called them Yuppies back then, but they were their ancestors). Before that, you had a small town habedasherer and a small town General as president.
After JFK you had:
1. LBJ — who was an old time hardscrabble southern Democrat (and who got us into Vietnam)
2. Nixon — who was a small town grocer’s son
3. Ford — who was a rural Republcian
4. Carter — like LBJ from a traditional southern Democratic backgtround
5. Reagan — who took his practical small town beliefs to Washington
6. Bush 41 — a member of teh old line Eastern GOP establishment
7. Clinton — who promised power to the yuppies, but instead governed like a moderate Republican
8. Bush 43 — who they hate.
Given the demographic and economic changes in America, the liberal yuppies feel it is their time, to take back what was taken away from their parents and grandparents 45 years ago.
You’re a drama queen.
A racist drama queen.
Oh please, we have already seen it happen. You are just too blind to see it. Why do you support a budding dictator?
Chap, I’ll ignore your snark to respond to the substance of your question. God does bring judgment to nations, although not perhaps for the reason(s) you may think. We are judged by whether we are obedient to Him, and that includes how we treat His chosen people, Israel. Now all of that may sound like religious mumbo-jumbo to an enlightened nonbeliever like yourself, but God doesn’t need backup from anyone. He is Who He is, and does what He sees fit. That includes judging nations for how they treat Him and His chosen people.
Oh, good. The clown who defends Rev Racist Wright and his “White people created AID’s” crapola is here to denounce other people as racist.
et tu, Colin?
Colin finally abandoned all semblance of conservativism with this endorsement. At the end of the day, all the rationalization about the post-racial racist, divisive uniter, non-leader leader, only somewhat questionable befriender fails to cover Powell’s primary reason for the endorsement: The Messiah is black.
A fitting end point to Powell’s tarnished legacy.
That’s not Christianity. You’ll look long and in vain in the NT for an injunction to Christians to set Israel on a pedestal like this.
I wish you people could peddle your kooky ideas elsewhere.
MtsEdge,
So you have no problem with the phrase “God damn America” so long as the damning is for one of your preapproved reasons?
Flenser, there is no need to insult someone with whom you disagree.
Good lord.
Chap, these aren’t “my” reasons. And yes I do have a problem with that phrase, any time it is used.
chapoutier:
Went right over your head didn’t it?
never mind…
Digshot, I am serious, why are you supporting someone who shows every sign of being a budding dictator? Haven’t you read ANY history?
I was being descriptive rather than insulting. I suppose you’ll be chewing me out for calling that racist bigot Digshot a racist bigot then.
Stop worshipping Israel and calling it Christianity.
Plymouth, I’ve been thinking that perhaps, after the election, there may be enough groundswell for a 3rd party to finally get some traction. Esp. if key conservatives get rid of the (R) behind their names and create/join a 3rd party.
you mean like Paul wishing he was damned so his jewish brethren could be saved?
please. you’re an anti-semite, plain and simple.
I worship God, not a country. However, I do take Him at His Word, “I will bless them that bless thee (Israel) and curse them that curse thee”(Gen. 12:3).
I will not and cannot support any politician who doesn’t take this seriously.
Radio report says BroBama is surprised but pleased by the Generals endorsement and there will be a position for him in the One‘s administration.
He Who Has Come would never lie. But remember: The Anointed is watching, He Who Is has ememies everywhere.
Do we have to learn Russian or Arabic? Both?
A word you are going to hear alot over the next 4 years if the one gets in: “RACIST”. They are already planning to crush dissent, the first really big tell tale sign of a dictatorship.
Those kooky ideas are now at the heart of both of our major parties. Israel first!
If Israel would just lob a few nukes into Iran, McAmnesty could maybe ride it into the White House.
I havent had time to read this entire thread but I want to echo some of the early posts.
This will be the 20th Presidential election in my life time and the 15th in which I will be eligible to vote.
I have never been polled and do not know anyone who has been polled nor do any of the many people I have asked about this know anyone who has been polled?
No.
Let’s see what could be the reason for Colin Powells “reaching” across the aisle…oh yeah, he’s black…as are 95 % of the blacks in America that going to vote for the Zero. Don’t let it be said race had anything to do with it. Anyone surprised?
After all that’s not nearly as bad as the 25% of the Moslem’s in London that had no problem with the subway bombings. And Birds to flock together?
It’s a peculiar “Christian” who’s not heard of Christ, the New Covenant, and that the “chosen people” are now all of mankind.
Seems to me that you’d be better off converting to Judaism. That way you’d be free to read the OT all you want and ignore the New.
Flenser, this thread is going way off on a tangent. God has not abandoned the OT, in fact, Jesus Himself said, “I come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.”