# Colin Powell endorses Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 19, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636 "2008-10-19T13:25:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/1 "2008-10-19T13:25:12Z")
On Meet the Press right now Colin Powell just endorsed Obama in a terrific speech outlining the failures of the McCain campaign and the successes of the Obama campaign. To those supporting McCain, does this change your opinion? To those who think Obama is inexperienced do you re-evaluate your stance in the light of his endorsement? No link yet, as the interview is still on. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/2 "2008-10-19T13:30:36Z")
I wonder if McCain will smear Powell…or Obama for some association with him. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/3 "2008-10-19T13:38:06Z")
From the CNN article [Colin Powell endorses Obama - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/19/colin.powell/index.html) "Another source close to Powell said he has known the Republican nominee for more than three decades “and likes him and is looking for a reason to vote for him. He hasn’t found it yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/4 "2008-10-19T13:49:12Z")
Powell’s endorsement was inevitable and expected, IMO. I don’t believe, however, endorsements mean as much as people would like them to. Powell’s endorsement will be no different, other than providing additional fodder to those who gleefully stir the soup of racism with cries of “Powell’s black, of course he endorsed Obama.” I predict conservatives will now crawl out of the woodwork to say Powell is not, nor has he ever been, a REAL Republican, and castigate him ad-nauseam for everything he’s ever done in his life. FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/5 "2008-10-19T13:52:01Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I kind of am okay with this, since it’ll actually correct the general impression of Powell closer to the truth (IMHO.) Again, IMHO, Powell is not the hero he’s made out to be; I think he’s a sycophantic careerist. I hope this wins Obama a vote or two all the same, and suspect it will. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/6 "2008-10-19T13:55:30Z")
Given his earlier water carrying for this administration, there is part of me that is happy that Powell will be subjected to the politics of personal destruction from the right. ---
**Author:** ![IClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c37758/32.png) [@IClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IClaudius)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/7 "2008-10-19T13:56:58Z")
A powerful and moving endorsement. Powell, your stature may have been diminished in my eyes since you knowingly presented false and dubious intelligence to the U.N. Security Council and worked in the Bush Administration. But I’ve always felt you were more trying to be the bona fide good soldier, serving at the will of the president out of a sense of duty, which transcended many private disagreements. It is also hard to fault you too much for thinking you could do more on the inside than the outside, and trying, but losing, in all those pivotal fights against Cheney. You may not have been able to be too vocal in these fights, but you worked in other ways I am prepared to credit, including letting Wilkerson take the gloves off and catalogue some of these things. It has been a difficult time no doubt. But you’ve made the right decision here, and your wise words will hopefully carry momentum for Obama into the White House as the next president. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/8 "2008-10-19T14:06:14Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. I can tell you that right now Fox News isn’t talking about it at all. They’re talking about ACORN at present. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/9 "2008-10-19T14:07:42Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Powell’s endorsement was inevitable and expected, IMO. I don’t believe, however, endorsements mean as much as people would like them to. Powell’s endorsement will be no different, other than providing additional fodder to those who gleefully stir the soup of racism with cries of “Powell’s black, of course he endorsed Obama.” I predict conservatives will now crawl out of the woodwork to say Powell is not, nor has he ever been, a REAL Republican, and castigate him ad-nauseam for everything he’s ever done in his life. > > FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. Perhaps. And if so what will be the effect on the election? Time run down on the clock at the least. No votes gathered for McCain, and maybe a few lost for more negativity from his team. Powell, if he wants a role in appointed political life will be seeing it from an Obama administration, not from Team Limbaugh and Hannity ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/10 "2008-10-19T14:09:03Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > I can tell you that right now Fox News isn’t talking about it at all. They’re talking about ACORN at present. And CNN has already moved on as well. This isn’t getting that much coverage at present. ---
**Author:** ![Soggy\_Biscuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Soggy\_Biscuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soggy_Biscuit)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/11 "2008-10-19T14:15:29Z")
Colin Powell knows how to win wars!!! ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/12 "2008-10-19T14:16:29Z")
MSNBC has a video of Powell’s endorsement up now [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27265490#27265490](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27265490#27265490) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/13 "2008-10-19T14:21:33Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. Want to bet about that? Not Limbaugh, but FoxNews. This isn’t getting a whole lot of traction right now, but I think we can say that McCain is now forked. Powell represents the moderate wing of the GOP, and if McCain can’t keep that block, then he can’t win. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/14 "2008-10-19T14:22:31Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Perhaps. And if so what will be the effect on the election? Time run down on the clock at the least. No votes gathered for McCain, and maybe a few lost for more negativity from his team. Although it may, perhaps, possibly help garner a few additional votes for Obama, it will definitely serve to further galvanize the Republican base. In the end, I don’t think Powell’s endorsement will make an appreciable difference on the election. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/15 "2008-10-19T14:26:14Z")
This is big. With all the \*guilt by association \*charges leveled by McCain’s team against Obama, the Obama/Powell connection is great news. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/16 "2008-10-19T14:34:08Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > I can tell you that right now Fox News isn’t talking about it at all. They’re talking about ACORN at present. Top headline on Fox News’s website: “Powell Endorses Obama.” 10:33 EDT, October 19. It’s also leading on, as near as I can tell, every other major news site. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/17 "2008-10-19T14:36:01Z")
News outlets in the main may not be all over this yet, but Wingnutia definitely is. The comments on FOX News are appalling, although not unexpected. Anyone check out the FReepers yet? I would, but I just took a shower. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/18 "2008-10-19T14:39:49Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Time run down on the clock at the least. This is it. McCain has nothing left at this point but time, and if Obama can dominate news cycles, he doesn’t even have that. This will be the big political story Monday morning, and possibly further into the week if McCain doesn’t pull another stunt (which could backfire). It’s not a knock-out blow (there’s no such thing), but Powell will carry Obama a few inches closer to the finish line. ---
**Author:** ![IClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c37758/32.png) [@IClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IClaudius)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/19 "2008-10-19T14:40:16Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Although it may, perhaps, possibly help garner a few additional votes for Obama, it will definitely serve to further galvanize the Republican base. In the end, I don’t think Powell’s endorsement will make an appreciable difference on the election. Oh, I don’t know. There are probably are a fair few moderate Republicans and military-centric voters, and westerners, who may have lingering uncertainties about Obama. Powell is still a very respected figure in those circles, especially the older voters, and his endorsement will carry at least some weight. At the very least it will suck oxygen from the McCain campaign going into the general and make it harder to turn the narrative around. Also, let me just say how wonderful and timely Powell’s comment was about so-what about a Muslim American President. [http://img129.hotlinkimage.com/thumb/12138046.jpeg](http://img129.hotlinkimage.com/img.php?id=12138046&q=) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636/20 "2008-10-19T14:42:08Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > FOXNews and Limbaugh are going to have a field day…er week with this. By this time next week, Powell will be a terrorist sympathizer. Perhaps they’ll attack him for lying about Iraq. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-endorses-obama/468636.md?page=2)