The hits keep coming:
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will endorse Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Weekly Standard Publisher Bill Kristol told FOX News exclusively on Thursday.
“He may well give a speech at the Democratic convention explaining his endorsement of Obama,” Kristol said, citing inside sources. “For whatever reason I think he has decided he’s going to endorse Obama. I think [Powell] has a high respect for Senator McCain, they go back a long way.”
Kristol continued, “This is not an absolute done deal, but these people are very confident that Powell will endorse Obama.”
Granted, this is Kristol, who is not known for his accuracy.
Warren Terra
I can’t figure out whether this is bad news for Obama, or it’s Excellent news! For McCain!
Surely it can’t be both?
Ted
Even worse. This can’t be true, because it would violate the Kristol Factor of the Standard Model.
Tom65
All news is excellent news for McCain. Did you not get the memo?
Keith
I foresee McCain insisting that because he’s known Powell for a while, there is no way that by endorsing Obama that he is endorsing Obama.
calipygian
Given Kristol’s track record, this means that Powell is actually going to endorse McCain.
And why does Kristol have an inside track on Powell’s thinking? Powell isn’t one of them.
MAX HATS
“These people”
That’s it. RACE CARD, I CHOOSE YOU.
gypsy howell
No way. This can NOT be true.
(Gah! I sure hope not. That lying sack of shit is a war criminal.)
NonyNony
Given Kristol’s track record, this means that Powell is actually going to endorse McCain.
I think given Kristol’s track record, this actually means that Powell is going to endorse Dennis Kucinich. Or maybe Bob Barr.
The Moar You Know
God, ther news just keeps getting worse for Obama.
Punchy
Oh fuckity-fuck. Now we’ll have TWO Scary Negros on one stage. Grand Dragons all across Tennessee will be changing their diapers. Georgia’s govenor may issue a Code Brown, literally. Powell’s well-established and unblemished track record of Far-Leftist Activism and Democratic Party support will be discussion for Fox Newz…
Brother Flaming Taser of Warm Reason
Powell is not a war criminal, somehow I think he believed the shit fed to him for that UN presentation by Rumsfeld, Cheney, and the rest of the jack-offs. Further he was being undermined at state.
I lost a great deal of respect for Powell given the UN presentation. I also felt bad seeing him used the way he was (ie as the credible face).
Zifnab
Or that Cowell Powell is six weeks dead, has left the country, or never actually existed. Kristol’s wrongness is a quantum thing and he can potentially be wrong about one event in two or more ways, at least until someone calls him on it.
That said, Obama is apparently seriously mulling over Evan Bayh for his VP nomination, and that IS a Bad Thing For Obama ™ as best exemplified here.
Obama has a great thing going with his anti-war platform. I would hate to see him spoil it – and leave us with a very unpleasant option in 2016 – just because the Russian/Georgian conflict happened to fire off now. Take him for your Sec. of Defense if you like. But that’s about as far as I’d go.
El Cruzado
In my completely unqualified opinion, Powell got all the way up playing the good soldier, and didn’t realize that at some point he should have stopped it. I’m guessing in an administration with a passing knowledge of the concepts of decency and shame he would have been a pretty good Secretary of State. Where he ended up, he got used and abused, and the real sin on his part is that he was probably aware of most of it and, as I said, kept playing the good soldier, not realizing there were no more promotions on the way and that loyalty was a one way street.
Ash Can
Powell’s spokeswoman insists that Kristol is full of it.
The Moar You Know
His actions with regard to the My Lai massacre alone would argue otherwise.
Brother Flaming Taser of Warm Reason
I was speaking with regard to the past 8 years.
Rob
I can’t see how Powell’s endorsement would help, but then, I think he lost all credibility with his B.S. UN presentation.
HyperIon
i tend to agree. for the last several months, there have been full page ads in the seattle times for a motivational meeting that you can go to for only $5! it features colin powell, terry bradshaw, and rudy giuliani plus other cobags i have never heard of. (OK i watch PBS so i have heard of Suze Orman.)
very sad that a smart guy like powell ends up doing this BS. it a revival meeting for business. what could powell say about leadership, goal achievement, and communication skills that would be worth $5? i’ve been thinking about attending just to heckle.
Incertus
He was in the room at the White House when the “enhanced interrogation techniques” were acted out for the principals. He’s a war criminal because he didn’t take steps to stop it or dissociate himself then and there. Fuck him.
KRK
Given Kristol’s track record, doesn’t this mean that he’s actually inadvertently leaked that McCain will be naming Powell as his running mate?
Alex
Kristol now says that statements from Powell’s spokesman that he is not going to endorse Obama is just a lot of pop sociology.
priscianus jr
Forget Bill Kristol. (That’s always good advice.) Zbigniew Brzezinski says he expects Powell to endorse Obama.
huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/13/brzezinksi-i-expect-powel_n_118775.html
I wish the Times had hired Billy Crystal, he’s a lot more intelligent (and funnier)than Bill Kristol.
harlana pepper
Those must have been painful words for our psychotic little neocon mascot to utter.
harlana pepper
If Powell is not ‘one of them’ then he was still the wet-war-dreams neocon tool of all time when they needed him.
Tom
If Powell were to endorse Obama that would be great. I am not a Powell apologist but I do recognize that the public holds him in high esteem. I think that over time things like the Powell Doctrine seem like sage advice now that we are mired in Iraq. This would help realists move to Obama (much like Jim Leach’s endorsement).
maxbaer (not the original)
Particularly since due to our financial condition, the reluctance of most people to actually serve as cannon fodder and the condition Bush is leaving the military in, we will never again have the overwhelming force to confront anyone larger than Grenada.
gypsy howell
Powell IS a war criminal, and he can go fuck himself.
He knew he was lying.
Ugh. With the Bayh veep rumors, and now this, I’m so disgusted with democrats right now.
Oh, and is it possible that Nancy Pelosi says maybe the off-shore drilling is a good idea after all? Of course she does. She can go fuck herself too.
jake
Colin Powell does not speak for Colin Powell.
Frankly, I haven’t cared for the man since his speech in support of DADT. He looked troubled as he spoke. Like he realized the words coming out of his mouth were almost identical to the words used to justify racially segregated units.
But did he SHUT UP?
Wuss.
Anyway, the fReichtards will claim they knew he was a lefty liberal SBM all along, McCainac will run an ad informing us that hot chicks dig Colin and it will all be great news for Hillary.
tim
Isn’t Colin Powell the lying motherfucker who sold ten tons of bullshit to the U.N. and gave cover to the Bush regime to proceed with the Glorious Iraqi War of Liberation and Oil Confiscation?
Yeah, that’s really someone the Dems should be proud to have speak at their convention and to endorse their candidate?
WTF? God, this country is going down the tubes…
Tim Trollenstein
Delia
KO thinks Biden is going to be the VP pick. He would leave a Dem governor to appoint his successor to the Senate. Indiana has a repug gov. and would appoint a gooper. Also Biden apparently oozes foreign policy expertise.
The Other Steve
Kristol is playing expectation politics.
When Powell doesn’t endorse Obama that’s bad news for Obama.
Never mind the fact that Powell didn’t endorse McCain either.
That’s how you think like a Republican, folks.
Splitting Image
I’d sooner have Chuck Hagel’s endorsement, although apparently a spokesman for him has said he’s not going to endorse anyone. Too bad.
I’ll take Colin Powell’s if it does come, but he’d better write one hell of a speech.
Zifnab
When a senior Republican Senator announces that he’s not going to endorse the Republican nominee for President… that’s really as much as you can ask for. You have to understand, the US Senate is like the most elitist of good ole boy clubs in the country. Everyone scratches everyone else’s back. You always look out for your kind. It’s just a different kind of system.
McCain, Obama, and Hagel are all Senators. The longest, sharpest knives they’ve got will have little kid gloves tacked on the ends. That’s just how Senators roll.
ThymeZone
I thought Billy Crystal was great as Fernando on SNL.
How he got to be a pundit, I haven’t any idea.
Richardson
I don’t know, this is Kristol we’re talking about. The guy has a near absolute zero track record of being right on just about anything.
If Obama wants a man with hardcore military “get tough” credentials to endorse him at the convention he show get Putin a prime speaking slot. Putin could then strike McCain from the ballot in the general election.
We may have to give Georgia over to the Russians (along with Alabama and Mississippi), but we should demand Cuba and Moldova in exchange. Between Cuba’s hot beaches and Moldova’s super-hot women, this is a big win/win for the USA.
Bedlam UK
Speaking to reporters about the situation in Georgia, Sen. John McCain denounced the aggressive posture of Russia by claiming that:”in the 21st century nations don’t invade other nations.”
More bad news for Obama. McCain is a Soldier, a Commander, a Political Wizard, a Foriegn Affairs genius.
What chance does Obama have at all ?!
Richardson
Speaking to reporters about the situation in Georgia, Sen. John McCain denounced the aggressive posture of Russia by claiming that:”in the 21st century nations don’t invade other nations.”
Thank God! Now war with Iran is off the table and, well, I guess Iraq never happened!?!
gypsy howell
You were half right.