*sigh*
Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama on Meet the (De)Pressed, today.
Color me unamazed, but disappointed. Apparently he feels “energized” by Senator Obama’s rock star charisma and ability to generate excitement amongst the masses.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell announced Sunday that he will be voting for Sen. Barack Obama, citing the Democrat’s “ability to inspire” and the “inclusive nature of his campaign.”
“He has both style and substance. I think he is a transformational figure,” Powell said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“Obama displayed a steadiness. Showed intellectual vigor. He has a definitive way of doing business that will do us well,” Powell said.
~~~ Powell said he questioned Sen. John McCain’s judgment in picking Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate because he doesn’t think she is ready to be president.
He also said he was disappointed with some of McCain’s campaign tactics, such as bringing up Obama’s ties to former 1960s radical Bill Ayers.
I know Republicans haven’t been thrilled with Colin Powell (his State Dept was part of the problem in making the WMD angle a centerpiece of his UN speech, as well as with bungling post-war operations); but someone remind me of all the names he was called by those on the Left. They don’t know whether to embrace him or savage him some more, over there.
I need a little Cash, to humor me up a bit:
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
Why be surprised at Powell’s endorsement of Obama? From this site http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/pow0bio-1 we learn that
“In his years of military service, General Powell never disclosed his political sympathies; he was registered to vote as an independent. Although he was known to have supported the 1964 campaign of President Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, he had served in both Republican and Democratic administrations.”
So he was never either a staunch, principled conservative or liberal.
We also learn that “Powell earned an MBA at George Washington University in Washington, DC”. Hmmm — a General with an MBA. Does all that stuff on how to read a balance sheet come in handy on the battlefield?
Reading the rest of the bio, it sounds like he is the consummate Washington insider. Is it little wonder that he supports the candidate of the Washington insiders and derides the ultimate outsider, Sarah Palin?
@Craig: You really can’t see YOU are the one with the race problem? Just about every article on this site somehow gets to the point of race. GET OVER IT Everyone needs to read all the posts to the articles, see how the racism escalates, its sickening. Start talking about the issues, ALL of them, not just the race issues. And as you talk about the issues watch how it will somehow get back to race. Yes it happens on both sides to a point, but it is getting ridiculous. The hate is being spread like a wild fire, I’m expecting to get ready for a race war. When you talk about the “spreading the wealth” statement, while I may not agree with you, but at least I can respect some opinions expressed, that is untill it starts to get to the racist hate spreading crap. Is it really so scary for people to wrap thier mind around the fact that a man that happens to be black, has support from informed voters, white and black alike? Stop looking at things so one sided and start opening up your minds. Don’t be sheep.
Poor Voter,
It is because I have looked at all the issues, that I can’t understand why a single person in America would be voting for Obama. None, not one. So what’s left if the issues of Obama are all wrong? Why should someone vote for him? So he can destroy America? What other reason is there?
@wordsmith:Wordsmith 37:
Obama’s ability to inspire people and give them hope for a better tomorrow. It sounds like a utopian wishful thinking. But a charismatic leader who can inspire others…the power of that should not be dismissed as “superficial”.
There is certainly no question that Obama has a gift that gives people a sense of optimism; it’s certainly something that Reagan had the ability to do: make Americans feel proud of their country, again, and proud of themselves and their ability to accomplish greatness.
We may all see the adoration as undeserved; but the fact that he inspires and provokes it….there is something positive and powerful in that. ***unquote***
I disagree with your comparisons and your conclusions. If there are no sound principles behind the rhetoric, then there’s nothing positive there at all (a stark contrast to Reagan, btw). In a way, I do think Obama is a sort of messiah, though. The misguided sheeple have been longing for deliverance from their evil (Bush) — and lo and behold, a “charismatic” leader doth appear. It’s hardly surprising. But the surprise will come in the realization that things are not always as they seem, and very often — just the opposite.
I missed the actual interview this morning (although I may tune in, if it’s on MSNBC in half an hour). But after reading the transcript of Powell’s endorsement, it actually rings pretty solid to me, on reasoning (whether I agree with some of his assessments or not).
For myself, this part resonates:
From the Arlington Cemetery website
From the New Yorker magazine Powell referenced:
Ken Wiebe:
And I disagree back 😉 . Look at how strong the power of faith is; of what people can accomplish if they have confidence instilled in them. Faith can move mountains, even if based on a lie/fairy tale. Obama evokes that kind of self-empowerment in a good many of his supporters- those who give him a “messiah-like” quality.
He may have the wrong policies for the country; but, those who support him….many are good, solid people. If they move their lives in a positive direction, if a black inner city child finds inspiration to succeed because he recognizes that someone who looks like him can “make it to the highest office”, or merely any kid of any ethnicity drawing vague inspiration from the media and campaign-created image, then something good may well arise from it.
From American Thinker:
AT contributor Humberto Fontova will be a guest ont he KSFO Morning Show on San Francisco’s KSFO radio at 8 AM Pacific, 11 AM Eastern time, to discuss Fidel Castro’s endorsement of Obama. An internet feed is available here:
http://ksfo.com/article.asp?id=723446
I strongly disagree with you, Wordsmith. Jim Jones had the same Obama’s ability to give hope to the people. Promissing them the moon… but they only got the Kool-aid. The power of faith is a very dangerous thing when it comes from evil persons like Obama, Tim Jones and Hitler. NOTHING good will arise from it.
You’re making assumptions based upon your own prejudice/partisanship, leading you to missing my point in pointing out Obama’s “ability to give hope to the people”. You compare him to Jim Jones and other “evil persons like Obama”.
MLK and JFK I consider flawed men with some flawed policies; yet they had the ability to inspire people, to imagine, to dream, and to achieve. Part of it, of course, is due to their tragic ends that makes us want to remember only the good about them.
It’s this sort of language (and belief) that will cause us to turn off voters and lose this election. You do us no favors by calling Obama evil. I reject the premise that Senator Obama is “evil”. I also align with most mainstream Americans in finding that belief “offensive”.
So I guess that hanging around with terrorists, crooks, and anti-Americans is Okay with you, Wordsmith. And hiding your medical report, your birth certificate and your past associations is alright too? And ACORN’s fraud is fine also? And turning the USA into a socialist/communist country is the right thing to do in your opinion. You see no evil in that? Well I do, and you will to, when this bum becomes your next President. I can’t believe what I am reading here, I guess I must be on a leftist blog and I didn’t realize it yet. Maybe I should go find a real conservative blog. This one is not for me if people don’t see the evil in Obama. Gee, how blind can you be? Incredible! I must be dreaming… this is a nightmare for sure.
You really have trouble with comprehension, sometimes, don’t you? Try focusing like a laser beam on what I’m saying and not projecting what your partisan blinders want you to believe that I am saying.
I understand you perfectely Wordsmith. I’m even stating your comment: “I reject the premise that Senator Obama is “evil”.
You couldn’t have made it more clear to me. I think I am done with this blog. I prefer NO QUARTER who is a Democrat blog, but at least they havent lost their judgment about Obama.
Craig,
I am not the whole blog. If you don’t like what I write, if you don’t like listening to me not “amen chorus” you, then don’t read my responses to your bull-headedness. Don’t read my posts.
I question Obama’s judgment and have questions regarding his character. But he is not “evil”. And you will never woo American voters by saying it. You just give lefties political fodder of us being “hate-filled” kool-aid-drinking kooks.
Craig,
As a follow-up to Wordsmith’s comments above, this is what happens when you cross the line.