# Colin Powell Endorses Obama for re-election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 25, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832 "2012-10-25T15:29:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/121 "2012-10-29T15:07:12Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Before you go away let me ask you a question. Why is it that if a black person gives a political endorsement to a black politician it is because they are the same race but if a white person does the same thing (endorsing a white person) the question never even gets asked? Thanks in advance for your answer. I am not aware that this is the case (& it does not appear to be so). > [@Kyomara](#): > > Though I’m sure it was unintentional, this would seem to be a tacit agreement that staying true to Republican principles somehow precludes not being racist. It does not appear that you understood what I wrote. Either that or you’re making some sort of logical error. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/122 "2012-10-29T15:09:12Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I am not aware that this is the case (& it does not appear to be so). Do you know of any white person who was accused of endorsing a candidate because they were white? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/123 "2012-10-29T15:13:35Z")
Can’t recall any offhand. But it’s not something I’m very up on. More significant is that any number of Black politicians have supported other black politicans w/o being accused of supporting them due to racial considerations. CP is unusual in this regard. (And what makes his endorsement open question is his history, as described above.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/124 "2012-10-29T15:22:46Z")
I read the stuff about his history, and found it less than convincing. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/125 "2012-10-29T15:25:34Z")
That’s your prerogative. To each his own. Or, as Chairman Mao said “let a thousand flowers bloom …” But I was responding to a question from KoT, which was based on an apparently false premise. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/126 "2012-10-29T15:31:09Z")
Hardly. Powell _is_ facing accusations, and as you say he wouldn’t if he were white. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/127 "2012-10-29T15:32:41Z")
But that doesn’t mean there’s a general rule about it, which was KoT’s premise. ---
**Author:** ![Honesty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/128 "2012-10-29T16:46:42Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Do you guys deny that Black public figures are under pressure to support Obama (see e.g. Stacey Dash), or do you just have some intuition that this does not impact Colin Powell? No, just ask Condi Rice after she endorsed Mitt Romney. There weren’t any blacks surrounding Condi’s California home with torches to immolate her and her white girlfriend (for shame!). Now, I don’t agree with her politics, but I respect her immensely because she is a hard worker and knows what it is to struggle. I specifically respect the fact that she has a stereotypical black name (See _Freakonomics_ to understand how whites are racist against blacks names) and still clawed her way to being the Provost of Stanford and the Secretary of State. She’s undeniably talented. Blacks don’t support Republicans because, much to the chagrin of whites, we’re not stupid to vote for a party whom, at every roadbend, has attempted to dismantle the gains of the Civil Rights movement. Now, true, democrats don’t shit for blacks. However, the current status quo is much better than the Republican alternative of change to circa 1953. - Honesty ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/129 "2012-10-29T17:22:09Z")
As I alluded in an earlier post, I recall some backlash against Black elected officials and politicians in the NY area who had backed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries. I remember in particular an article in the NY Times about NYC politics in which this was an issue, but I couldn’t find that article. [Here’s something similar](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23182117/ns/politics-decision_08/t/black-lawmakers-rethink-clinton-support/): > [@](#): > > In a fresh sign of trouble for Hillary Rodham Clinton, one of the former first lady’s congressional black supporters intends to vote for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, and a second, more prominent lawmaker is openly discussing a possible switch. > > Rep. David Scott’s defection and Rep. John Lewis’ remarks highlight one of the challenges confronting Clinton in a campaign that pits a black man against a woman for a nomination that historically has been the exclusive property of white men. > [@](#): > > The comments by Scott and Lewis reflect pressure on Clinton’s black supporters, particularly elected officials, not to stand in the way of what is plainly the best chance in history to have an African-American president. > [@](#): > > Jackson, an Obama supporter, confirmed the conversation, and said the dilemma may pose a career risk for some black politicians. “Many of these guys have offered their support to Mrs. Clinton, but Obama has won their districts. So you wake up without the carpet under your feet. You might find some young primary challenger placing you in a difficult position” in the future, he added. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/130 "2012-10-29T17:24:51Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > As I alluded in an earlier post, I recall some backlash against Black elected officials and politicians in the NY area who had backed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries. And that was despicable. Nobody, I think, is disputing that here. What’s disputed is whether it’s despicable to malign through baseless suspicion the motives of a black person who endorses another black person–especially when you only do so when the endorser is black, and never when the endorser is white. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/131 "2012-10-29T17:36:42Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > And that was despicable. You keep missing the point (your ideological blinders are on too tight). Whether it’s despicable or not is irrelevant. What’s relevant is whether it’s real. If it’s real - which you say nobody disputes - then that’s a rationale for any Black person to feel pressure to support Obama. This thread is not about anything other than CP’s endorsement of BO. The existence of pressure of this sort within the black community is reason to believe that he may have reasons for his endorsement other than his stated ones. This pressure is a potential reason. This is a factual discussion. You’re just trying to shut down a discussion of facts that you are uncomfortable with by imputing racism to anyone who raises it. But that doesn’t change the underlying issue. Want to rail about racism, rail away … ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/132 "2012-10-29T17:43:07Z")
Has Powell endorsed any other black Democratic nominees for federal office? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/133 "2012-10-29T18:49:10Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > You keep missing the point (your ideological blinders are on too tight). Whether it’s despicable or not is irrelevant. What’s relevant is whether it’s real. If it’s real - which you say nobody disputes - then that’s a rationale for any Black person to feel pressure to support Obama. And you keep missing the point, which is that you’re perfectly happy to speculate about race-based motives for endorsements when it comes to black people, but you don’t do so when it comes to white people. You’ve offered no rational explanation for this double standard, nor have you offered any refutation of the cited study from earlier showing that racism maintains a presence among the electorate. That double standard is what I’m calling racist. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/134 "2012-10-29T19:04:10Z")
No, that’s not the point. The title of this thread, you may have noticed, is “Colin Powell Endorses Obama for re-election”. That’s all. I can’t imagine why I would want to get bogged down in a broader discussion of whether or why I do or don’t speculate about race based motives when it comes to white people, and I’m happy to leave that role to you. And as this role seems to suit you just fine too, we should be cool on that score. But what I do want to keep clear is that whether or not I’m the world’s most reprehensible racist alive, and whether my motives in this thread are part of a grand conspiracy to bring back slavery, have zero bearing on the subject of this discussion, i.e. whether CP’s endorsement of BO was based on racial considerations or was for the reasons he gave. The only facts introduced in this thread that have a bearing on the actual issue, as far as I recall, are 1. CP’s history of supporting Republicans other than when they are running against BO, and 2. the demonstrated existence of pressure of black public figures to support BO. You can take it or leave it. But that’s what’s relevant to the subject of this thread. Everything else is a distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/135 "2012-10-29T19:21:51Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I can’t imagine why I would want to get bogged down in a broader discussion of whether or why I do or don’t speculate about race based motives when it comes to white people I can’t imagine why you would, but some people don’t want to spout racist nonsense, so that would be a motive for them for examining their own motives in maintaining a double-standard. You, of course, will keep on spouting racist nonsense, so I’ll keep on pointing that out. > [@](#): > > The only facts introduced in this thread that have a bearing on the actual issue, as far as I recall, are 1. CP’s history of supporting Republicans other than when they are running against BO, and 2. the demonstrated existence of pressure of black public figures to support BO. The problem is that those facts have no proven bearing on the actual issue. What does have a bearing on the actual issue is his stated reasons for the endorsement. Since you persist in bringing up unsubstantiated allegations propped up with the thinnest of speculation based on circumstantial evidence, your double-standard becomes interesting. Bring up any evidence that these points have any bearing on the specific incident at hand, and maybe the charge of racist double-standard won’t stick. Until then, well, enjoy that bed you’ve made. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/136 "2012-10-29T19:35:00Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The problem is that those facts have no proven bearing on the actual issue. Your insertion of the word “proven” seems like a bit of weaseling to me. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/137 "2012-10-29T20:00:30Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Your insertion of the word “proven” seems like a bit of weaseling to me. “Proven” here isn’t a mathematical standard: it just means you need to establish some connection beyond speculation or telepathy. You’ve utterly failed to show any connection here to privilege your explanation over the explanation that Powell himself offered. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/138 "2012-10-29T20:05:36Z")
No need for anything beyond rational, fact-based speculation. CP’s history raises the issue, and the existence of pressure provides a rationale. After that it’s a judgment call. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/139 "2012-10-29T20:21:28Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > CP’s history raises the issue No: you do, but you don’t raise similar issues when it’s white endorsers. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832/140 "2012-11-01T22:06:24Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I would put it: there are many many blacks who have benefited from affirmative action and observers often are unable to distinguish the ones who have from the ones who have not. This is unfortunate, especially in the cases of those who have not but are having their achievements tainted nonetheless. The fact that you consider blacks owing their prestige to affirmative action tainted and are incapable of distinguishing them from blacks _sans_ affirmative action indicates you hold a stereotype that all blacks are potentially tainted. That’s the impression you get when you see a successful black person. That impression alone probably negates much of the effect of affirmative action. Do you think a white president is inevitably tainted by the racist opinions of the electorate? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama-for-re-election/638832.md?page=8)