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RedditFormer Secretary of State Colin Powell's endorsement today of Barack Obama gives the Democratic presidential candidate high-profile evidence of the bipartisan appeal that Republicans fear most.
After being aggressively courted by both Obama and Republican John McCain -- with whom he has hjad a much longer and more intimate relationship -- Powell used a Sunday appearance on NBC's Meet the Press to declare his support for the Democrat.
Hailing Obama's "ability to inspire" and the "inclusive nature of his campaign," the man who was not so long ago a featured speaker at Republican National Conventions -- and some suggested a potential GOP contender for the presidency -- announced that he would vote for the Democrat.
"I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Sen. Barack Obama," Powell.
Rejecting as Republican attacks on Obama's patriotism and preparation for office as ridiculous and troubling, Powell said, "I think that's inappropriate. I understand what politics is about -- I know how you can go after one another, and that's good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."
The retired general said that, particularly with regard to the financial crisis, "Obama displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge... He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president."
While Powell said "it isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen. McCain in the way that I have this morning," McCain responded that the general's choice "doesn't come as a surprise." And McCain made note of the fact that he is backed by -- no kidding -- former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Memo to McCain: Powell may be an imperfect player in the minds of many (especially for those of us who recall his February, 2002, testimony on Iraq before the UN), but he trumps Kissinger.
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The clarity and substance of General Powell's endorsement of Obama, the strength of purpose and highly idealized comments and wringing criticism of the Republicans was wonderful to see and hear. It is truly regrettable that this clarity and definitively articulate commitment to the common good wasn't present when he was displaying the aluminum tubes at the U.N.. If he was as steadfast and true during that delusional debacle as he is now, he would be leading the race for President with Obama perhaps his running mate. jjpound
Posted by jjpound at 10/19/2008 @ 11:47am
Now we will read about General Powell being a known leftist America hater...
Go git him cons...
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 11:51am
Does this come under the "October surprise" umbrella?
Posted by leftofcenter at 10/19/2008 @ 12:04pm
Barack Powell? Is that a typo? Or a joke? I don't get it....
Posted by IslandBoy at 10/19/2008 @ 12:04pm
Considering how the Bush administration used Powell can you blame him?
The "The Nation" needs to purge the thousands of negative comments it's made about Powell over the years like Ohio is purging democrat voters.
Posted by bleedingheart at 10/19/2008 @ 12:05pm
The Colin Powell endorsement is the final nail in the coffin for McCain with independent voters. Powell, I am sure, regrets being used by Bush and the Republicans to lend credibility to an ill-advised war in Iraq.
From Talking Points:
The hype paid off for NBC this morning as Colin Powell went on Meet The Press and endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.
That's significant because Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush during the Gulf War and served as secretary of state for President George W. Bush.
Powell's support may make a difference with armed forces retirees around the country, especially in the vital swing state of Florida, where many retired military personnel live.
Before making his official endorsement, Powell praised both Sens. John McCain and Obama, saying he thought both men would make good presidents. But he said the Republican party -- his party -- had moved too far to the right.
Powell said pointedly that McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is not ready to become president, the most important criteria for a vice president.
He criticized the party and the McCain campaign for continuing to talk about William Ayers and for fueling hatred toward Muslims. Powell said it is not enough to correct people when they say Obama is an Arab and/or Muslim, by saying, "No, he's a Christian." Powell said the right answer is "So what if he is a Muslim?"
Posted by Metteyya at 10/19/2008 @ 12:06pm
Posted by IslandBoy at 10/19/2008 @ 12:04pm
Was gonna say the same thing ... maybe John Nichols wrote this while still having his morning "liberal media elitist free-trade organic" coffee?
Posted by leftofcenter at 10/19/2008 @ 12:07pm
The list of socialistic 'Merica Haters and domestic terrorist supporters of Obama is growing daily.
General Colin Powell
Warren Buffet
George Soros
Paul Volker
Peggy Noonan
Christopher Buckley-"While I regret this development, I am not in mourning, for I no longer have any clear idea what, exactly, the modern conservative movement stands for. Eight years of "conservative" government has brought us a doubled national debt, ruinous expansion of entitlement programs, bridges to nowhere, poster boy Jack Abramoff and an ill-premised, ill-waged war conducted by politicians of breathtaking arrogance. As a sideshow, it brought us a truly obscene attempt at federal intervention in the Terry Schiavo case."
Larry Hunter- co-author of "Contract with America" said of the GOP- "dead, rotting carcass with a few decrepit old leaders stumbling around like zombies in a horror version of Weekend at Bernie's, handcuffed to a corpse." (luvsliberty?)
Susan Eisenhower
wick Allison- former editor at National Review
Rear Admiral John Hutson, USN (ret.)
Paul O'Neill, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2001-02 under George W. Bush
AND
Charles Barkley!!
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 12:07pm
Not being a coffee drinker, I missed the "Barak Powell" title...
Freudian racial slip? I don't think O and Colin look at all alike.
Powell has very little sway over "the left". He has been a yes-man at too many times for those of us that are not sheep to grant him much credence.
But... for the "right", his "judgement" should give them pause to actually look at why Powell says what he says.
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 12:16pm
Can't wait to see the spin on this one.
Could it be to the level of "She can see Russia"?
It could take awhile for the con-sheep to start showing up, they have to go read the talking points and get up to speed. How will they link General Powell and Bill Ayers? The American People deserve to know the truth about General Powells ties to Bull Ayers. Did they pass in an airport? Did they share a cab in Chicago? Did they ever use the same antiperspirant? What did General Powell have to do with Scott Ritter undermining the Iraq War? ( A war Commander in Chief George Bush would have won were it not for Scott Ritter!!) General Powell needs to come clean on this important issue. The American people deserve to know.
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 12:23pm
What happened to the Democratic Party? Just a few generations ago, the party of Franklin Roosevelt went to bat for the little guy, the common man, the everyday Joe the plumber.
Not anymore. Now, the wealthy elites who run the Democratic Party have declared war on working-class Americans while pretending to defend them against greedy and heartless Republicans.
Those would be the same Republicans whose vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, doesn't just talk about working-class people but actually embodies one and yet has been savaged by liberals.
And those would be the same Republicans who have devised a tax plan that might just appeal to "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher, the Ohio resident who dared to confront Barack Obama over the unfairness of his tax plan.
In a candid moment that could well lose him some votes, Obama acknowledged to Wurzelbacher that he intended, if elected president, to take the wealth of those making more than 250,000 per year and "spread it around" to others making less. That wasn't very smart, and the Obama campaign knows it.
So they're trying to change the subject by making Joe the Plumber the issue. They're doing so, with a little help from their friends in the news media and labor unions, by digging into Joe's background in search of something embarrassing. Already, the pro-Obama forces have found that Joe Wurzelbacher owes back taxes, doesn't have a plumbing license, and may not be registered to vote. And there may be more to come.
That will teach Joe to keep quiet. Let's hope the country learns a lesson as well – about what the Democratic Party used to be and what it has become.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:31pm
It's a shame that Powell didn't take this opportunity to categorically renounce Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld for the way that they used and manipulated him into making that UN presentation. But then, you don't get 4 stars for being anything less than a team player, especially if you're a black man in a racist nation.
Posted by IslandBoy at 10/19/2008 @ 12:38pm
Obama raises $150 Million in September.............all the hogs buying tickets to the public trough.....geez...must have been a tough decision.
Posted by OneVote at 10/19/2008 @ 12:38pm
>>>Of course Powell endorsed Obama. Powell is black, and Obama is black. 95 percent of blacks vote for Obama. Now, of course, we know that 95 percent of Americans would not agree on the correct color of the sky, yet somehow 95 percent of black Americans find themselves in agreement on Barack Obama. Obviously, they are voting for him not because they agree with his policies, but because he is black. A more overt example of racism you will not find in modern America.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm<<<
You forgot THIS part of the interview, PONTIFICUS:
Powell, once considered likely to be the nation's first African-American presidential nominee, said his decision was not about race.
Moderator Tom Brokaw said: "There will be some ... who will say this is an African-American, distinguished American supporting another African-American because of race."
Powell, who last year gave the Arizona senator's campaign the maximum $2,300, replied: "If I had only had that in mind, I could have done this six, eight, 10 months ago. I really have been going back and forth between somebody I have the highest respect and regard for, John McCain and somebody I was getting to know, Barack Obama. And it was only in the last couple of months that I settled on this."
"I can't deny that it will be a historic event when an African-American becomes president," Powell continued, speaking live in the studio. "And should that happen, all Americans should be proud -- not just African-American, but all Americans -- that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It would also not only electrify the country, but electrify the world."
Posted by Metteyya at 10/19/2008 @ 12:47pm
Of course Powell endorsed Obama. Powell is black, and Obama is black. 95 percent of blacks vote for Obama. Now, of course, we know that 95 percent of Americans would not agree on the correct color of the sky, yet somehow 95 percent of black Americans find themselves in agreement on Barack Obama. Obviously, they are voting for him not because they agree with his policies, but because he is black. A more overt example of racism you will not find in modern America.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
Nonsense.
Posted by IslandBoy at 10/19/2008 @ 12:49pm
Of course Powell endorsed Obama. Powell is black, and Obama is black. 95 percent of blacks vote for Obama.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
Racist trash.
I daresay that Colin Powell is as smart or smart than many (?most) who blog here. To suggest that a man whose accomplishments vastly exceed your own (and my own) would make such a desicion solely on the basis of a knee jerk response to a candidate's skin color says far more about the biases of the poster of the statement than anything else.
This drivel is rotting, feculent effluvium with no place in the discourse of adults.
Posted by skeletonman at 10/19/2008 @ 12:50pm
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
Or how about this non-racial rationale:
Powell, making his 30th appearance on "Meet the Press," said he does not plan to campaign for Obama. He led into his endorsement by saying: "We've got two individuals -- either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now -- which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time.
"And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities -- and you have to take that into account -- as well as his substance -- he has both style and substance, he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president."
Powell said that he is "troubled" by the direction of the Republican Party, and said he began to doubt Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) when he chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.
"Not just small towns have values," he said, responding to one of Palin's signature lines.
"She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired," he said. "But at the same, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made."
Posted by Metteyya at 10/19/2008 @ 1:00pm
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
Or how do you use race to explain this:
Powell, 71, also used his Meet the Press appearance to criticize McCain and his campaign for invoking the former domestic terrorist William Ayers.
"Sen. McCain says he a washed-up old terrorist--then why does he keep talking about him?" Powell asked.
"They're trying to connect [Obama] to some kind of terrorist feelings, and I think that's inappropriate," Powell said. "Now I understand what politics is all about -- I know how you can go after one another. And that's good. But I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for. And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me. And the party has moved even further to the right, and Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift."
Powell said he has "heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion [that Obama's] a Muslim and might be associated with terrorists."
"This is not the way we should be doing it in America. I feel strongly about this particular point," Powell said. "We have got to stop polarizing ourselves in this way. And John McCain is as non-discriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that within the party, we have these kinds of expressions."
Posted by Metteyya at 10/19/2008 @ 1:01pm
ponti-Going by your logic one must conclude that all white people who are voting for McCain are doing so only because he is white and not because of the issues.Of course,we know that McCain had little support amongst republicans until a black was nominated by the democrats.
Posted by i'm nobody at 10/19/2008 @ 1:04pm
Powell said that he is "troubled" by the direction of the Republican Party
Powell understated the true nature of the situation, and he certainly isn't the only one who is "troubled".
Posted by IslandBoy at 10/19/2008 @ 1:06pm
Pointy......
And this is different white racist bias from the hillbilly-trailer park contingent how? Sure, there's racial bias on both sides of the fence. However, there is a qualitative aspect on the white racist side that is decidedly violent and more than a little creepy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRqcfqiXCX0
As to Palin's fitness for office - spare us OK? She's an unprepared pretty face put on the ticket because she whips up the far-right base. Her messes in AK shows to anyo0ne who happens to be looking, and her dreadful debate and interviews, and lack of answering questions drives home the fact that she is another secretive power-hungry twit
ALL .... have you noticed that the McCain campaign has devolved into a children's book. I hear him spouting this morning about not just Joe the plumber, but also Bob the bricklayer, Wendy the waitress and another cartoon character whose moniker escapes me.
Its kinda sad actually .... maybe after the election Sarah will "put Gramps down" with her moose-zooka.
Posted by leftofcenter at 10/19/2008 @ 1:16pm
Pontificus: My understanding is that "racism" is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own race. How does Powell's endorsement of Obama fit that definition? If Powell has a past record of endorsing enumerable white candidates, how does his present endorsement of a black candidate fit the definition of racism.
I suppose that 95% of eligible voters who happen to be black support Obama because the Republican campaign is exclusively focused on making white people scared of a black candidate.
Posted by RMT at 10/19/2008 @ 1:17pm
"doesn't just talk about working-class people but actually embodies one and yet has been savaged by liberals."
Sarah Palin hasn't been working class in a very long time. They have a net worth of over a million and got made $100,000 last year, not counting her salary as governor. Nothing wrong with being successful, byt you don't get to call yourself working-class with that kind of money.
"Republicans who have devised a tax plan that might just appeal to "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher, the Ohio resident who dared to confront Barack Obama over the unfairness of his tax plan."
Except that "Joe the Plumber" 1) isn't a licensed plumber, 2) is a tax deadbeat and 3) wouldn't take a tax hit under Obama's plan.
"Let's hope the country learns a lesson as well – about what the Democratic Party used to be and what it has become."
It's YOU guys who used him as a symbol.
Get ready to hear the phrase "President Obama" for the next 4-8 years.
Posted by brunowe at 10/19/2008 @ 1:22pm
I think they rant about racism to distract from their own religionism. I wonder if that's a word?
Go Red Sox.
Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/19/2008 @ 1:57pm
Correction: The leadership that interfaces with the corporate sponsorship doesn't give a hooha about your race, religion or anything else unless they can use it to win an election.
Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/19/2008 @ 2:00pm
"Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:31pm
uh, that's joe "keatingman" plumberbacher.
Posted by frosty zoom at 10/19/2008 @ 2:07pm
Powell is black, and Obama is black.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
no way.
both are hybrids.
just like you, planti.
Posted by frosty zoom at 10/19/2008 @ 2:09pm
thank you Colin Powell for your courage in endorsing Obama and for being a good example of doing the right thing for the right reasons. Thank you also for sharing your view about Sarah Palin which I entirely agree with. Hopefully this will help non racist undecided independent voters decide. I have had strong bad feelings about Palin since she was ill chosen. Anybody that cannot clearly and easily see this woman for the dangerous, manipulative, conniving, power and control hungry bully she is, is deluded, deceived, ignorant, stupid and blind and probably just like her. This election process and the bad behavior(words and actions) exhibited by many so-called professional people on the media have made our country a laughingstock for all the world to see and hear. There's plenty of shame to go around. It makes me sick. This country needs to grow up because we are sinking in our stupidity, predatory behavior towards one another and greed.
Posted by oneofmany at 10/19/2008 @ 2:42pm
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
Hey, PONTI, why did Dubya endorse Powell as his Secretary of State?!??!???!??
Posted by Maskdelta at 10/19/2008 @ 2:51pm
Just checked out what the freepers are saying. Surprise! They sound just like pontificus.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2109445/posts
According to posters there Colin Powell is a "weasel", "he is voting for the black guy because he is black", "The ultimate rino", "loyal to his race", "RACIST!", "mixed race trumps party ideology", etc.
Posted by seenile at 10/19/2008 @ 3:12pm
Well, I have to thank Pontiflogic for alerting me that his newest hero sandwich, "Joe", is in fact a poster child for the republicans, in default, unlicensed in his "profession" and confused about how which economic class to which he belongs.
gotta love Mccains judgement on this one!! Buwahahaha!
And now it is the "elitist liberal medias" fault for digging into one of McCains props?
Next talking point, ponti?
Obama- 374
McCain- 174
realclearpolitics.com
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 3:16pm
Well, seenile, you do know that Barak Obama has a funny name, and that he associated with a known terrorist, therefore General Colin Powell is a "Known Associate of Domestic Terrorists" according to the republican 6 degrees of terrorist separation. I bet Gen Powell has even been seen giving a terrorist fist bump!!
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 3:19pm
The race card was just way too easy, I thought for sure Ponti would use the Scott Ritter/Powell/AQ connection
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 3:22pm
Colin Powell has at last redeemed himself for his shameful and deceitful behavior while Secretary of State. He must feel alot better, but I agree with jjpound-confession is good for the soul, and he would feel even better if he could recounce his words to the UN. I guess this is the best we can hope for for him. For all the right reasons, Powell has done the right thing. Now if only McNasty woud renounce his tactics!!(i know, dream on!!)
Posted by oldintel at 10/19/2008 @ 3:22pm
!!!!
Did I call it or what??!!
an "afro-centric free-for-all"!
hehehehehe
hide your white blow-up doll, Ponti!!
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 3:24pm
crabwalk, it seems like everyone is doing the fist bump now. :)
Posted by seenile at 10/19/2008 @ 3:42pm
hide your white blow-up doll, Ponti!!
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 3:24pm
lol. nearly lost choked on my pizza when I read that.
Posted by seenile at 10/19/2008 @ 3:46pm
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:35pm
You are so irrelevant it is laughable. I would be well advised not to read your posts anymore. My nose is starting to hurt from the coffee that spurts out everyime I peruse your nonsense.
Posted by chaoszen at 10/19/2008 @ 4:23pm
Once again here's how the rules of RACISM work:
If you are BLACK and you vote for a BLACK candidate you are showing RACIAL SOLIDARITY.
If you are WHITE and vote for a WHITE candidate you are a RACIST.
Because,
WHITE people don't vote FOR anyone.
WHITE people vote AGAINST someone.
Now, how easy is that?
Posted by bleedingheart at 10/19/2008 @ 4:52pm
bleedheart-You republicans are sounding crazier and crazier as each day passes.
Posted by i'm nobody at 10/19/2008 @ 4:54pm
Posted by bleedingheart at 10/19/2008 @ 4:52pm
Again, anybody still left with any doubts as to bleeding's REAL political ideology????
Posted by Maskdelta at 10/19/2008 @ 5:28pm
BH and the 'ficus are hacks, but unfortunately convey the attitudes of too many rightists in this country.
The implicit message both send is something along the lines of
'black people don't actually think about for whom it is that they are voting, black people merely react instinctively - like animals - to the color of a particular candidate's skin and thus the votes of those people are tainted.
If blacks actually thought about it, they would see that voting for McCain would be better for them.
But they don't think like us, see, so ...' ad nauseum.
Absolutely disgusting that this sort of crap thinking still exists. I notice that the 'ficus hasn't been around since posting that bit of horseshit earlier today; piss-poor excuse for a human being, that.
And as for you, B-H:
Fangul
I say with a flip of my hand under my chin.
You are dead to me.
Posted by skeletonman at 10/19/2008 @ 6:01pm
The last quip Nichols makes here - about Powell trumping Kissinger is telling. As is well documented, Kissinger has blood on his hands and, quite arguably, could (and should) be tried for crimes against humanity. In that regard, he differs from Powell by not terribly much. Powell not only lied repeatedly in the run-up to the war, but also sat in the 'Situation Room' with Bush's 'Principals Group' (including Cheney, Rice, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld ...) to decide who to torture and how. Maybe he gave some push back then, but there is no evidence of it. The detainees were still tortured.
There is no integrity or honor in the man. If there were he'd have resigned rather than participate in those decisions and made public what what was going on. The fact that most Americans refuse to see that is akin to the fact that many still believe that Iraq had something to do with the 9/11 attacks.
Obama's eagerness to cement this endorsement should be TROUBLING to readers of The Nation.
Posted by zerosontheloose at 10/19/2008 @ 6:55pm
"The fact that most Americans refuse to see that is akin to the fact that many still believe that Iraq had something to do with the 9/11 attacks."
Don't forget another group of quacks:
Those who believe the 9/11 attacks were carried out by the US Government. Gawd damn America!!
Posted by bleedingheart at 10/19/2008 @ 7:41pm
I always thought that Colin Powell looked out of place in the Bush administration and when he resigned, I had a feeling of relief for some reason.
Maybe he was too honorable and his integrity to firmly intact to compromise but I always felt that he was uneasy and uncomfortable with his charge.
As difficult as I'm sure it was for Powell to turn his back on his party, as well as McCain, someone who he stated he has had respect for, his reasons for supporting Obama are a testament to a true American.
Powell has most decidedly put "America First". Some may even call him a "Maverick"? I've read the transcript of his "Meet The Press" interview and was impressed at the articulate way in which he described his decision.
I don't know of a more important and/or impressive endorsement than Powell's, and it confirms my belief that Obama is indeed an "exceptional leader" and the right man for these difficult times we face.
Posted by Hoot at 10/19/2008 @ 8:06pm
Hey, I just heard today that Obama is already naming members of his cabinet, just in time for Halloween. Let's see, who have we got:
For Secretary of Defense, The One is is looking to the Republican whose own bad judgment most closely duplicated Sen. Obama's own in fervently opposing the Surge and demanding that we surrender in Iraq on a strict timetable: Sen. Chuck Hagel. In January 2007, Sen. Hagel was quoted as saying that the surge would be "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it's carried out."
This is the Obama definition of "working with those across the aisle": Selecting the single most dim-witted GOP senator. Bozo Sen. Hagel is almost certainly too stupid to realize that he would enter any Obama Administration with the words "Fall Guy" prominently tattooed across his forehead.
And for the National Leader of the International Mother-May-I Team -- excuse me, Secretary of State -- Sen. Obama's leaking the name of Sen. John F. "Global Test" Kerry. Sen. Kerry, you'll recall, has splendid foreign policy credentials, having left behind in a Massachusetts closet his uniform as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1970 (and perhaps again in 1971) so that he could travel to Paris and meet secretly and in mufti with our Viet Cong and North Vietnamese enemies. John McCain and his fellows were still POWs when young Kerry returned to urge -- yes, you've got it -- an immediate American surrender and withdrawal without preconditions from South Vietnam, which by the oddest of coincidences was exactly the same "peace plan" being preached at that very moment by our enemies themselves.
All we need at this point is cabinet spots for Curly, Larry, Joe, and Ronald McDonald and Obama's cabinet will be complete.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 8:11pm
Posted by madlib at 10/19/2008 @ 8:15pm
"And you're the only person aside from John McCain who considers THE SURGE successful."
Hmmm....and I just read this the other day:
Barack Obama made his long-anticipated debut on Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor" Thursday night, where he talked about the Iraq war and national security.
"I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated," Obama told O'Reilly in an interview taped Thursday in York, PA. "It's succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 8:26pm
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 8:26pm
Dude-you need to stop embarrassing yourself. And please, ease up on the "Sure I'm an independent, it's only a coincidence I vote for Democrats 100 percent of the time" shtick.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 8:33pm
Scratch ponti...
scratch.
I am still waiting for you to describe to us how the relationship between Bill Ayers and Colin Powell is a threat to your freedom from slavery.
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:01pm
Hey Ponti, Chimpy told the terrorists that the US will leave Iraq in 2011. Now they know and can bide their time... what kind of 'merica Hater would set a timetable for withdrawal?
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:09pm
Americans lost a lot of wealth in the past three weeks. They'd like to get it back, and now that the shock is wearing off, they are coming to realize that not only will Obama's high tax/anti-trade policies stunt economic growth and prolong and deepen the recession, they also are noticing that even if growth returns to the economy and their own portfolios, Obama proposes to spread their new wealth around to his old friends. A vote for Obama is a vote against increasing your own well-being and the total wealth of your family, as well as a vote for the return of the death tax. This is one of the two core messages of the last two weeks, the other being Obama's judgment when it comes to personnel and the 3,000 senior appointments he or McCain will have to make as president.
The Ohio number tipped back to McCain today in the Mason-Dixon poll, and Reuters-Zogby closed to within 3 nationally. Rasmussen ticked a point in Obama's direction, but the trend overall towards a tightening race is unmistakable, as is the amount of time and volatility left in the race for the White House.
You can count on Joe Biden to give away the game every time. Here are some of his remarks from a fundraiser Saturday night:
"Undecided people are having a difficult time just culturally making the change, making the move for the first African American president in the history of the United States of America," the Democratic vice-presidential nominee said at a San Francisco fundraiser Saturday evening. "So we need to respond. We need to respond at the moment, immediately, not wait, not hang around, not assume any of this won't stick." (emphasis added.)
Joe's been getting briefed on the campaign's polling, no doubt, and he's never been able to keep the last thing he's heard from being the
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 9:12pm
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:09pm
"what kind of 'merica Hater would set a timetable for withdrawal?"
One that just won the war with a surge you and your candidate opposed?
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 9:26pm
If it is hypocritical for republican fiends to suddenly denounce their former hero Colin Powell, it is equally hypocritical for liberals to suddenly embrace this vile militarist who made an early name for himself covering up the My Lai massacre before going on to play starring roles in Desert Holocaust I & II.
I'm glad if the endorsement helps Obama, but Powell is about as great a hero as Mengele.
Posted by rykart at 10/19/2008 @ 9:26pm
One that just won the war with a surge you and your candidate opposed? Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 9:26pm |
ahh, the government of Iraq is stable, functioning and free from Iranian influence?
Mission Accomplished.
Giving the terrorists a timeline for withdrawal. Egads Man! That ranks up there with pregnant teens in the White House of Family Values.
Obama/Biden 364
McCain/Palin 174
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:39pm
"One that just won the war "-
So, he "won" the war, but cannot withdraw for another 3 years?
Another piece missed by the cons on the George Steph program today:
"The US Dept of Defense announced that 9 US servicemen were killed in Iraq last week"
in a war that has been "won".
; (
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:44pm
hmmm, nothing on Powell/Ayers Ponti?
you are slipping.
Posted by crabwalk at 10/19/2008 @ 9:57pm
colin powell?
hmmm?
my lai.....
iran contra......
grenada....
panama.....
highway of death....
targeting civilian infrastructure......
"We burned the thatched huts, starting the blaze with Ronson and Zippo lighters ... Why were we torching houses and destroying crops? Ho Chi Minh had said people were like the sea in which his guerillas swam. We tried to solve the problem by making the whole sea uninhabitable. In the hard logic of war, what difference does it make if you shot your enemy or starved him to death?"
-- colin powell.
≤≤≥≥
i understand the practicality of mr. powell's endorsement, nonetheless, ¿at what price?
Posted by frosty zoom at 10/19/2008 @ 10:02pm
ponti-If you get informed you'll discover that the war in Iraq is still going on and the country is still quite unstable.
Posted by i'm nobody at 10/19/2008 @ 10:05pm
I'm sure every republicans defense will be that he did it because he is black. Ignoring the other high profile Republicans who have come out for Obama.
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 10/19/2008 @ 11:06pm
Ccc-True to form, luvvy is on another board saying that Powell is a liberal.He is too predictable.
Posted by i'm nobody at 10/19/2008 @ 11:49pm
I think some stuff on the racism argument begs for clear thinking, because it seems to be lacking on both sides.
Pontificus' argument has 2 premises. The first is that if you vote for a black person because he (or she) is black, then you're utilizing a racist standard. The warrant is the claim that a white person who voted for a white candidate BECAUSE THAT CANDIDATE WAS WHITE would be considered racist. Though there is a difference in voting for someone v. voting against someone, one could argue that giving someone a benefit solely based on their race (with no independent meritorious criterion) is also racist (and no, this does not automatically entail that affirmative action is bad).
His second premise, I think, is where the real problem comes. He says that because 95% of African-Americans vote for Obama, that kind of huge statistical bias makes it incredibly likely that any given African-American who votes for Obama is doing so because of race. But why should this be so, especially if we have strong independent information about a particular person that clearly indicates otherwise (including past affiliations, demonstrably strong independent reasons, etc.)? And even if we don't have lots of information about a particular voter, this inference seems problematic. If you're going to impugn someone's motives for voting the way they do, to the extent of calling them racist, I think you need a far higher threshold than an inference from statistics.
Posted by Thrawn at 10/20/2008 @ 12:58am
Well, that's where the African roots reveal. They just don't value anything living.
-----------
Archbishop criticizes Obama, Catholic allies By ERIC GORSKI DENVER (AP) - Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput labeled Barack Obama the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate from a major party in 35 years while accusing a Catholic Obama ally and other Democratic-friendly Catholic groups of doing a "disservice to the church." Chaput, one of the nation's most politically outspoken Catholic prelates, delivered the remarks Friday night at a dinner of a Catholic women's group.
His comments were among the sharpest in a debate over abortion and Catholic political responsibility in a campaign in which Catholics represent a key swing vote.
Posted by HelenDAO at 10/20/2008 @ 03:59am
I think you need a far higher threshold than an inference from statistics.
Posted by Thrawn at 10/20/2008 @ 12:58am
thrawn, you're being far too patient with ponti's babbling.
try this for a response:
Gung jvyy grnpu Wbr gb xrrc dhvrg. Yrg'f ubcr gur pbhagel yrneaf n yrffba nf jryy – nobhg jung gur Qrzbpengvp Cnegl hfrq gb or naq jung vg unf orpbzr.
Posted by pontificus at 10/19/2008 @ 12:31pm
talk to ponti in a language he understands.
Posted by frosty zoom at 10/20/2008 @ 09:34am
Posted by Thrawn at 10/20/2008 @ 12:58am
"If you're going to impugn someone's motives for voting the way they do, to the extent of calling them racist, I think you need a far higher threshold than an inference from statistics."
You want a better reason than overwhelming statistics? How about the fact that Obama has opposed and inaccurately predicted failure for virtually every sensible policy when it comes to Iraq, including the Surge, which even Obama now admits is 'successful beyond our wildest dreams'. Even if you dismiss Powell's statements that he thinks it would be 'fantastic to have a black President' (apparently regardless of said President's policies, which thus makes the statement, by definition, racist), why else would Powell vote for a guy who is demonstrably wrong on one of the few foreign policy questions about which he has voiced an opinion?
Posted by pontificus at 10/20/2008 @ 09:51am
Posted by Thrawn at 10/20/2008 @ 12:58am
Fair assessment. I think there are SOME blacks voting for him because he is black just like I think there are SOME whites voting against him because he is black. Probably enough to balance each other out and make neither impact noticeable. Blacks in this country have a history of voting Democratic so why now is all the hooplah there?
Posted by Cccomfo1 at 10/20/2008 @ 09:54am
Posted by pontificus at 10/20/2008 @ 09:51am
yep,
them nigga's gotta stay togetha....
yessa!
Posted by frosty zoom at 10/20/2008 @ 09:59am
How about the fact that Obama has opposed and inaccurately predicted failure for virtually every sensible policy when it comes to Iraq, including the Surge, which even Obama now admits is 'successful beyond our wildest dreams'.
Posted by pontificus
That all depends upon who you are getting your information from an Administration that has lied so many times it would fill a entire book. Or a reliable source. And I don't call Bush's handpicked General a reliable source. The news US citizen's gets from Iraq is almost nonexistent these days. Bush has clamped down on it to keep it from become a issue in the election. There are still car bombs and innocent people being slaughtered. Our troops are still being killed. So I personally do not call that 'successful beyond our wildest dreams'! Thanks but I will wait until the end of the story to deem it an success. As far as I can see we aren't anywhere close to the end of the story.
Posted by ganddw42 at 10/20/2008 @ 10:28am
ponti-You mean demonstrably wrong on foreign policy like when McCain said that we could win the war in Iraq quickly and easily by fighting it on the cheap?Or how about Palin who said in an interview that she knew nothing about the surge?
Posted by i'm nobody at 10/20/2008 @ 10:41am
That Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama wasn't the news to me. One of the reasons that he gave for doing so was. He cited among his reasons for giving Obama the nod was his choice of vice presidential candidate. In other words, while she might make a good foil for Tina Fey, Sarah Palin isn't qualified to be VP. In fact, most of the conservatives that have endorsed Obama have given Palin's selection as one of their reasons for doing so. Maybe John McCain should have done the true "maverick" thing and put Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge on his ticket. If he had, he might not be losing folks at the rate he is. Or maybe he doesn't want to be president after all, didn't have the heart to tell anybody, and decided to select the world's worst running mate to make sure that he didn't get in. If that's the case, I think he's succeeding mightily.
Posted by edwriter at 10/20/2008 @ 11:56am
<i>Posted by frosty zoom at 10/20/2008 @ 09:34am </i>
Frosty, quite frankly, I think you often say smart thing and sometimes say things I agree with, but this kinda stuff is a big part of the reason why political discourse can become so polarized. I understand that you disagree with Pontificus, and maybe you're right to do so (on some things I think you are and some not), but at least give him some respect as a fellow contributor to the dicourse. Similarly, I would ask Liberty to do the same and not assume that every liberal just wants to bring down the country. How about we actually have a civil conversation? Maybe that way we can enter into dialogue about things that matter, like finding ways to end or at least tackle the poverty in our nation so that no one has to live in hunger and wonder when someone will actually start caring about them, or to bring about solutions to international problems that combine hope and realism.
<i>Posted by pontificus at 10/20/2008 @ 09:51am </i>
I think Powell actually addressed the foreign policy question in the interview. What he said was that a withdrawal from Iraq was likely from either candidate, so their foreign policy difference in that area wasn't particularly relevant. I would also add that legitimate questions have been raised about the surge's efficacy, and though I have a pretty high opinion of General Petraeus, I still think the verdict may have to wait a bit longer.
As for the statement that it would be "fantastic to have a black President"...I completely agree with it. I don't think that someone should win because they are black independently of their policies, but I think it's problematic to ignore the historic implications of electing a black man to our nation's highest office.
Posted by Thrawn at 10/21/2008 @ 12:49am
Lawrence Eagleberger, who apparently thinks that he is an equivalent to Coliin Powell, came onto MSNBC, this morning 10/21/2008, to support McCain, and got into a spitting match with Lawrence O'donnel, Huff Post. O'donnel won. eagleburger lost it. Old rusty brain thought that he was still in the early eighteenth century. This old guy is really scary.
Posted by lachatte at 10/21/2008 @ 09:24am