Colin Powell endorses Obama.
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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.
Nothing worth doing is easy.
I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.
Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.
I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.
People are complicated. Love is not.
Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.
I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.
You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.
Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.
It’s the corruption, stupid.
Black Jesus loves a paper trail.
We still have time to mess this up!
The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.
Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.
In my day, never was longer.
Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Let’s not be the monsters we hate.
A Senator Walker would also be an insult to reason, rationality, and decency.
Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?
Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.
fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)
You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.
Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?
Conservatively Liberal
I just saw the Powell Q&A on MSNBC and boy did he ever smack McCain down on Ayers and now the new line of attack, that Obama is a socialist. You could tell that he does not like the direction that the right is taking and he wants no part of it.
Good for him. I saw a McCain toady come out on MSNBC and say that this doesn’t matter and that McCain rules! McCain may want to get another communications director, this one has a tin ear and I hear a whining noise when he talks.
fuddmain
Why does Colin Powell hate America?
Conservatively Liberal
The BJ Mod Gawd has struck again! Hep me, hep me! ;)
Conservatively Liberal
Thanks for the fast service! Where’s my cheeseburger?
Rosali
The Miami Herald endorsed Obama and early voting begins tomorrow.
Sootytern
I hate to say this but I think the "true America, the heartland" will just say this is just another N—-r endorsing one of his own kind.
Personally, Colin Powell lost me in February 2003 with his BS at the UN. I do think he has tried in a limited way to make up for that blunder. This statement helps a bit on the road to his recovery.
liberal
In absolute terms, Powell’s statement was too tepid—there’s no way one can actually think McNuts woiuld be a "good president."
But overall I found it very moving, especially the bit at the end of the clip I saw about the tombstone.
Bill H
Colin Powell is a coward and a poltroon. He lost any respect I had for him when he delivered what he knew to be bullshit in front of the UN because his superior told him to, showing loyalty to his political leaders and none to his nation. His testimony for Ted Stevens finished the job. Powell should crawl off into a hole and lick his ass like the dog that he is.
dewberry
I thought the bit about the Muslim American soldier who died for his country was just what needed to be said.
Really a strong, reasoned performance. Hubby and I were just discussing if that would make a difference for his wingnutty father who adored Powell. We decided no.
forked tongue
No, this is good. I think it may be a rare example of an endorsement that actually does some good. If you, like me, have zero regard for Powell since before even his UN speech, you were probably voting for Obama anyway. And if you’re a Repuke, you probably were happy to take whatever votes he brought in for the party but never actually gave much of a shit what he had to say. (I think of that Onion piece about Rumsfeld making jerkoff motions while Powell speaks during a cabinet meeting.) But independents, I think, do still love them some Colin Powell, and it is going to be damn hard to paint him as a friend of terrorists.
Comrade Napoleon
You know, I think most people would interpret it for what it is, a common courtesy of praising a person to let them down easy even though you are doing something that profoundly hurts them.
ThymeZoneThePlumber
I have a hard time liking Powell. But wih this endorsement, he has done something good.
And that’s a good thing. I thank the General for doing it.
Perry Como
And the wingnuts do what the wingnuts will do.
I especially like the race before country comments.
EddieInCA
1. Colin Powell endorsing Obama – $10
2. Sarah Palin being too stupid to realize she was being mocked on SNL last night – $25
3. Obama raising $150M last month – $50
Colin Powell chucking the McCain campaign under the bus, running over them, backing up and running over them again – PRICELESS!!!!!
liberatemeiexinfernis
the right wingers will say Powell has no credibility because he presented false information about Iraq’s WMD’s to the UN
Brian J
Anticipated Shorter response from the wingnuts:
No word yet on when Powell will hold a huge rally/gay orgy in Chelsea with William Ayers, Rev. Wright, and Tony Rezko, burning American flags, with Barbra Streisand and Rosie O’Donnell providing the kerosene.
ThymeZoneThePlumber
Well, the voters can decide that.
For some reason, "stature" doesn’t come to mind when I think of Joe Lie-berman. But maybe that’s just me.
Far Left American Hater Incertus
I think Atrios got it right. He said "I think what little credibility Colin Powell had is in a little vial of white powder somewhere, and have no desire to help rehabilitate his image. Still such things are not aimed at me, but at that segment of the population for whom the recommendation of their first black friend might encourage them to get a second one."
For me, Powell lost what little of his cred he had left when it came out that he’d been in the principals meeting where torture techniques were demonstrated for them, and he didn’t walk out the door and resign right then and there, but again, this isn’t directed at me. It’s for those people who are still, somehow, terrifyingly undecided.
Apsaras
This endorsement in and of itself probably won’t do much. Hell, the best thing we’ll get out of it are probably a few posts from the right-wing nutroots about how it’s just so racist that all those blacks are sticking together.
Really I’m just glad that after a few days of Drudge-fueled speculation that Powell would endorse Obama, that ol’ Colin delivered the goods. If Powell had endorsed McCain, we’d have seen him elevated to living saint status by the NRO crowd as "one of the good ones" who is "looking beyond race" this election.
Shit, being a Right Wing Blogger sounds easy. You just set the ol’ Id into overdrive. Wonder if I could get in on that wingnut welfare, I got bills to pay.
Brian J
It’s probably easy. Look at how much money Giuliani earned by yelling 9/11 over and over for five or six years.
TR
Powell’s appearance on MTP was impressive as hell. Totally blew the Ayers b.s. and the anti-Muslim smears out of the water.
Conservatively Liberal
I am on the same page as others here about Powell having lost any credibility but his endorsement of Obama was not aimed at me or probably anyone on the left. This was a hit to the right, and while I know that Powell is supporting Obama as a new face, a new direction in politics, it has to please him a bit to give his party the one-finger salute (so to say).
I think Powell refused to believe that his party would use him as they did but he found out the hard way that his value to the party was for what they could get out of him.Once they used him it was over, his credibility was gone. You just know that had to piss Powell off royally.
It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Powell later changes his voting registration to independent. I have a feeling that the love fest between him and the right is over and I don’t think that Powell is too sad about it.
BC
I don’t think Powell was a true Republican, he felt he had a profound obligation to George H. W. Bush. He was put in State to guide the boy king and keep him from doing anything foolish, but he was co-opted by neocons and really was an ineffective inside fighter. I agree with those of you who lost respect for him after his UN appearance. But he was never a true Republican or a true conservative – all the noise the GOP made about him being nominated for pres is same as Palin – trying to trump Dems on identity politics. It never occurs to GOP that it isn’t identity politics in that just any black or female would appeal – it’s that there is a black or female qualified and Dems would nominate.
Comrade Nixon Hailfire Palin
Nah, she can’t be that thick. Probably hoped to pick up some "good sport" points. The whole thing was lame, IMO.
Comrade Jake
I don’t care what you think about Powell, none of us have walked in his shoes. But it’s impossible to watch his speech on MTP this morning and not be moved by it. He hit all the important points and then some. The comment about the tombstone and Muslim Americans was devastating.
chrome agnomen
did you know powell wasn’t a p.o.w.?
Conservatively Liberal
From Freeperville (link in post #13above):
Schwartznegger (Actually, it’s Schwarzenegger)?! Ol’ Stormin’ Norman Schwarzenegger? Fuck those freepers are stupid. The typos just add to the overall effect.
Either way, Powell is an ‘affirmative action General’, a racist and a total incompetent according to the posts there. Now we all know what those posts would say if Powell had endorsed McCain, right? ;)
Today is just not a good day to be a wingnut. Let’s hope that November 4th brings worse news for them.
WarrenTarragon
Just made my first visit to that site this year.
Just amazing, what a sad a pathetic place that is. There is not a single idea with merit anywhere to be seen. It’s all racism, smears, hate, and resentment.
If this is our opposition, all I can say is, what’s next? By that I mean, they’re done. What is our next objective? Beating the right turned out to be easy, they cooperate and beat themselves so willingly.
Liberalism has been the main engine of American domestic policy for 75 years. Social Security, Civil Rights … what is the next thing?
Healthcare.
jcricket
Yep – Powell’s not aiming at rehabilitating his image (which I’m sure he doesn’t think needs it anyway). But it gives all sorts of "moderates" and "independents" the mental "cover" they need to vote for some Demcrats these years.
Again – the fact that Powell dissed McCain, but still called him an honorable man provides even further mental cover for people who are feeling the same thing. They don’t want their vote for Obama to be seen as a vote against a "war hero" – but Powell breaks that link for you. Sneaky. Smart.
Plus breaks the power of the whole fake voter fraud smears the McCain campaign is pushing. That meme is dead in the water already, with the AP carrying less water for it than I expected and Obama pushing back hard.
Comrade Napoleon
I recall a story I read when he first became COJCOS (or whatever they use as initials) that in 1964 (I think it was 64 and not 68) he was stationed in the south and was pulled over by some redneck cop while having a Johnson sticker (or was it Humphry) or having had campaign material on his front seat and getting hassled about it. Even if he is a "true" Republican, he certainly is moderate (I understand he is pro-choice) and in any event at least at some point in his life was willing to support liberals.
gbear
@liberal:
I agree with Comrade Napoleon that it’s a basic common courtesy, but I also think that it’s a good thing to say to get the tepid McCain supporters to fall over to the Obama camp. Powell is reassuring them that McCain isn’t a bad guy, but then he lays out all the reasons that Obama is SO much better. It’s a really gracious and smart move on Powell’s part.
If Powell comes out and says that McCain is a thoroughly dangerous man, the tepid supporters get defensive and rally around their guy.
jcricket
@WarrenTarragon: Healthcare is up there. More progressive taxation (what Obama is doing is a good start). Massive infrastructure spending. Nationwide and regional train investments. Sane (renewable) energy policy. De-raping of the environment.
Electoral reform that encourages voting.
Sane foreign policy that doesn’t embolden our enemies and alienate our allies.
Um… drug war? that’s the third-rail right now, but eventually someone’s gonna have to tackle it.
gbear
@chrome agnomen:
First out-loud laugh I’ve had this morning (although almost all the news has been happy-dance worthy so far today).
SamFromUtah
In absolute terms, Powell’s statement was too tepid…
Yeah, it could have used some crayon drawings of mobile weapons labs to really sell it.
I’m thankful for Powell’s endorsement, but I can’t say I like the guy much.
gbear
Umm, didn’t George Bush senior have some major say in that too? Hasn’t even Cheney supported that withdrawl?
George Orr must have had an effective dream last night. All the wingnuts went to bed thinking that Powell was OK with them, and this morning he’s been the bad guy since the dawn of time.
cyntax
Powell is a good example of a military man who shouldn’t have crossed into politics; he placed too much emphasis on loyalty to the chain of command. But that was his decision, and it would be rediculously patronizing to suggest he was simply used and bears no responsibility or had no choice.
His aide-de-camp, Colonel Wilkerson, has some interesting things to say about the Bush administration (worst president ever in his estimation) and it does say something positive about Powell that while he disagreed with Colonel Wilkerson he kept him around.
jcricket
Useful Tools. Good Republican. Yes. You can have a cookie. Now go sit in the corner until I need you again.
Brachiator
@Bill H:
Every endorsement from a conservative, every endorsement from a military officer, every endorsement from a Republican, helps. Every endorsement pushes the most vile wingnuts into a corner, minimizes them, takes away any cover they have that they are the only ones who are "real" Americans. Every endorsement anticipates and negates the spin that an Obama victory might somehow be illegitimate.
Colin Powell may not have rehabilitated himself in your eyes, but he just gave John "Country First" McCain a stinging rebuke by reaching across the aisle to do the right and honorable thing in endorsing Obama. Dubya and his cronies must not be too happy right now, either.
Ed Marshall
The Bushie right hated Colin Powell from minute one. That’s how I remember it anyway. As a matter of fact, for awhile there they were pretty damn hostile to the idea of the office of SecState existing.
cyntax
That’s true. The rest of the Bush admin tried to make end-runs around him and keep him out of the loop. Although he wasn’t successful and ultimately fell in line, he did a lot to try and keep the neocons from getting their way.
gbear
Jesus. I just went over to Crooks and Liars to watch the video. The commenters there are ripping Powell to shreds in a way that makes the Red State stuff posted above look like a love fest. There may be reasons to not like Powell for what he’s done in the past, but the circular firing squad over there is taking it to a new level. Libtards indeed.
Hyperion
exactly.
and another thing, Atrios really wears well with time. his posts are always fairly short but, when he DOES opine, i appreciate his common sense analysis. i note that he is still absent from the blog roll here. IIRC our blog owner was previously not a fan (some history i have forgotten). still true?
(Note: his commenters, which are legion, are incredibly LAME!)
ThymeZoneThePlumber
These remarks by Powell after MTP today are going to leave a scar.
My estimation of Powell is trending upward today.
tavella
I share the general dis-estimation of Powell post UN speech, but I have to say it was a very well done endorsement. It was nice to see someone slamming the "he’s a muslim!" sliming for not just accuracy but on the entire basis, and the soldier’s story made me tear up a bit.
dslak
When it comes to a lot of the liberal blogs’ reactions to the Powell endorsement, it seems that the commentators are quite happy to make the perfect the enemy of the good. Not trying to coordinate with established bloggers was definitely a good decision on the part of the Obama campaign.
The Moar You Know
@Bill H: Won’t be a popular thing to say here, but I couldn’t agree more. From his role in trying to cover up My Lai to his spritied defense of Ted Stevens only last week, Powell has been a faithful carrier of the water for decades of GOP atrocities. This is one endorsement that we could live without.
tavella
I’m glad someone else remembers this! I saw a lot of pro-war liberals trying to excuse themselves later by saying "well, Colin Powell *said*, and I trusted him!" and it really made me roll my eyes. A guy who got his start on the national stage covering up a massacre shows you some fucking *drawings* and you therefore ignore all logic and evidence and go all in for a stupid war?
dslak
Look, the point is not "How will Powell’s endorsement affect the vote of reasonable, informed, and moral people," because those people are already voting for Obama!
Powell’s endorsement gives another news cycle to Obama, depriving McCain of the air it desperately needs. It also has the potential to sway a few voters who are undecided, in places where it counts (which are many). The fact that Powell is scum in no way detracts from the value of his endorsement to inlfuence the votes of stupid people, and we need their votes, too.
Brachiator
@The Moar You Know:
Of course, the thing is that "we" are not running for the presidency, Obama is.
Powell’s endorsement has stirred up the wingnut hornet’s nest, exposing them for the vile little insects they are, and hopefully pushing more moderates and independents away from McCain.
Powell’s endorsement deftly counters the impact of McCain’s appearance on Letterman and Palin’s appearance on SNL, and guarantees that Obama will be talked about on pundit shows and popular media such as The View (I wonder how conservative go go girl Elisabeth Hasselbeck will deal with Powell’s decision).
And to be cold blooded about it, My Lai is sadly as ancient and irrelevant as the Punic Wars to many voters, and Ted Stevens is small cheese (the far bigger under-reported story is Palin’s abuse of power and they general way that she has behaved as a petty dictator as mayor and governor).
But even here, if people want to talk about My Lai and William Ayers in the context of a fuller discussion of the insanity of the Viet Nam War, I say bring it on.
NonyNony
@Conservatively Liberal:
Actually, I’m assuming that they’re talking about Gen. "Stormin’ Norman" Schwarzkopf and I hope to Grod they don’t mean Arnold Schwarzenegger because who the fuck would have cared what Schwarzenegger thought?
And as it turns out, Powell, HW Bush and everyone else who said "if we occupy Iraq it will be an expensive boondoggle and probably a disaster" was 110% correct. That the idiots are still upset that we didn’t make a big mess of the first Iraq War just shows how divorced from reality they are.
Zuzu's Petals
@dewberry:
Here’s more on that soldier.
Arlington
oh really
Colin Powell makes me sick.
He actually pretended:
1) This was difficult decision.
2) John McCain is temperamentally or intellectually qualified to be president.
3) John McCain still has a shred of honor or decency left.
Powell’s entire career shows him to be a coward. From My Lai to Iraq to the 2008 presidential campaign he has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of character, courage, and leadership.
Soylent Green
Until today. For which I thank him heartily.
jcricket
On a personal level, I agree.
On a "how does this help us right now" level, I disagree. All the silly things he said (that you mentioned) actually make him look more "reasonable" in the eyes of anyone on the fence between Obama/McCain.
Politics. Strange Bedfellows, and all that.
jcricket
If only his statement on taxes would be the kind of thinking that the press would use when reporting the idiotic attitudes of Republicans.
Republicans always accuse us of socialism if we raise taxes, or increase spending, or shift taxes from the poor to the rich – and there’s nothing we can do to stop them.
But we can stop running from our own shadow. Man up. Stuff costs money, trickle-down is crap, and Republicans have been selling everyone on false hope for 30 years. Obama is doing this brilliantly. I don’t actually think a tax cut in any bracket is sustainable long-term, but you kill the Republicans by starting with a tax cut for everyone in the bottom 95% and a tax increase above that.
Kind of shakes people up. Later we can fidget with the tax code some more and do this again (or do it to the top 90%). It’s what we’re going to need to pay for all the grand misadventures of Bush the Lesser.
Comrade Jake
@oh really:
I hear what you’re saying, but you have to appreciate that (as Nate at 538 pointed out today): Powell nonetheless has very high approval ratings. For whatever reason, people still like the guy.
So in that context, his measured statement comes across as, well, measured. If people who really like Powell watched that and walked away thinking that he thought long and hard about this, and came to endorse Obama, that’s a pretty good outcome for our side.
jibeaux
Good grief, guys. Everyone is welcome to vote for Obama. Powell being wrong about Iraq does not mean he is wrong about Obama, it does not mean Obama was wrong about Iraq, it does not mean his opinion on Obama is worthless or not welcomed. It means he was wrong about Iraq, and he’s right about Obama. It’s fine if he has no credibility with the liberal set, I’m sure he wasn’t particularly seeking it, but he has plenty of credibility with plenty of people. It may not do any good, who knows, but it certainly isn’t going to do any harm.
By the way, I expected something a little bit tepid, or at least brief. I thought it was fantastic. It was eloquent and forceful, and chockablock with just inarguable common sense.
I welcome anyone and everyone aboard the Pony. If McCain wants to throw in the towel after one of his nasty rallies and endorse him too, I’d be happy to have him, too.
oh really
I don’t disagree with your sentiments. At this point, what matters (almost to the exclusion of all else) is that McCain loses and Obama wins.
And that is a lot more important than how I personally feel about Powell.
If his endorsement costs McCain anything or gains anything for Obama then I am grateful. But given his history, I don’t think Powell deserves credit for being courageous or for "speaking truth to power." What he is doing is the minimum anyone should expect from him.
Let’s not forget, John McCain is shockingly unqualified to be president. He’s a danger to himself and others. His behavior has been erratic and calls into question his mental capacity and his psychological fitness.
I do think it’s important that Powell and the recent big newspaper endorsements have all made it clear that among the most important reasons for rejecting McCain are 1) his grotesquely stupid choice of Sarah Palin and 2) the deplorable nature of his campaign.
If we are to have a permanent change in direction, this campaign needs to end with 1) a clear Obama victory and 2) clear repudiation of Palin and McCain’s (scumbag) campaign. If McCain comes out of this with his reputation intact as an honorable man, then we’ll be right back here again in four years.
I just heard an NPR report that stressed that Powell still has great respect for McCain and considers him a friend. Why? What possible basis could exist for Powell to respect McCain?
nicethugbert
Powell’s a general, he’s thinking of unit cohesion. We’re at war, remember?
Phoebe
People out there – the squares – a lot of them are confused, because the old white guy is acting like Jack from Lord of the Flies, and the young black guy is acting like a president. They are veering toward the black guy but this goes against the grain of all their preconceptions and it’s weird for them. Powell just came out and legitimized and articulated their own gut feelings, by speaking like a grownup, and speaking to values that the squares hold. He forced them to take sides by laying it out as clearly as he did, particularly with the Muslim soldier story.
He did a fantastic job, whatever you or I may think of what he’s done before.
Sloegin
Understand that Powell may have loads of personal integrity, but he’s a company man at heart. Every day, swallowing a little pride and honor for the company. Gradually becoming a smaller man. Inch by inch. Maybe he’s had a moment, taking stock in what he’s lost.
Who knows if the endorsement will bring more votes than his. But at least there’s one more vote for Obama.
Grendel72
Powell’s comments about the smears on Muslim Americans were important, and needed to be said. Frankly, it’s far more important and necessary than his endorsement of Obama.
HRA
There is still a huge populace who will be affected by Colin Powell’s remarks and his endorsement. They will count on Nov. 4. We need to keep that in mind.
We also need to keep in mind the ultimate decision for the Gulf War was the job of the Commander-in-Chief. If I remember correctly, it involved the UN, too.
My Lai is not as clear to me except for the name Lt. Kelly and a massacre?
RML
Colin Powell finally did something right and made sense for a change. If Country is first…then the first thing you must do is stop supporting a Party that continues to drag the Country down. Be a patriot and vote the best interest of the Country. I am a 25 year military service member and the tone of the Republican Party and the nastiness of their followers have made me afraid to travel to certain parts of the country…I know I would not be welcome, eventhough I have served honorably in the US military. I have never seen so much hatefulness in my lifetime…the folks at the Republican Rallies are a mirror image of the hate directed at America from the middle east.
Brian J
I read that at work and started to laugh really, really loudly. It’s probably the funniest thing I read all day. Thanks for that.
jcricket
I give him Powell credit for being mavericky or going out on any kind of limb for his last-minute endorsement. I’s jus’ sayin’ that it blunts any mo’ for McCain and Palin (dominating the news cycle for a couple of days) and is another notch in the mighty O’s bed post.
Plus Powells "plain spoken" takedowns of the socialist and "real America" nonsense are actually helpful (in more than just a "sucking up the news cycle" kind of way).
I’m going to start practicing my "blackspeak", because I read at FreePerville that it’s gonna be mandatory in an Obama administration. And since we’ll all be working for the government after Obama socializing the country by redistributing the tax brackets, I’s best gets to practicin.
SamFromUtah
@Grendel72: Powell’s comments about the smears on Muslim Americans were important, and needed to be said. Frankly, it’s far more important and necessary than his endorsement of Obama.
Agreed. It should run as a PSA, like, hourly. Powell’s remarks about Muslims, followed by a fade to a screen that says "America. Get a Grip. Stop Being Such Fucking Bigots."
Brian J
I think you’re looking at this issue in the wrong way.
Powell’s endorsement was meant to help Obama by way of defeating McCain. As others have said, by saying Obama’s legitimate, it’ll provide cover for a lot of people who were still on the fence and those who needed a push in the right direction. To do that effectively, he needed to come off as a levelheaded statesman, not a fire-breathing partisan.
Perhaps this might help rehabilitate McCain’s reputation once the election is over, but perhaps it will do the opposite. As McCain himself has acknowledged, the media was his base. Powell probably still has a lot of sway with the Beltway insiders, so if he says that he’s not choosing a friend and a respected senator for president, it might force those that would give McCain a pass to reexamine their relationship with him.
No matter, whether McCain comes out of this with a relatively clean image isn’t particularly important. I don’t think it necessarily has a lot to do with the sort of campaign Republicans are going to run in the future. And even if he stays in the Senate for a couple of more terms, he won’t be in the White House. That’s what’s most important.
Will Hunting
Brian J – I forgot to respond about Virgil Goode. I went to school in Charlottesville and that guy is a complete tool. Impossible to unseat, however, kind of like Culberson where I am currently. My bar and restaurant owning degenerate friends can’t stand him.
Bummer when your rep is reprehensible…
Brian J
You know, I have to wonder about that. One of the reasons I wish I had studied political science in college was that I think I could have studied stuff like this, but I didn’t study this stuff, so I am not, right now, familiar with what the research says.
But part of me wants to suggest that simply running candidate in every district will help the party down the line. Again, there might be evidence to contradict this, but my gut tells me that running a candidate in every district would serve as a rallying point for those in the district to identify one way or another and increase the returns each election, thereby increasing the odds that, because you never know what will happen, a random candidate might be elected. If by some chance that a Democrat was elected in Goode’s district, perhaps the idea of voting for them in any sort of position wouldn’t be so foreign. But it’s not going to happen if we don’t try.
I realize, of course, that resources are finite and that candidates would be tailored to better fit the demographics of each district.
Sherrell
@Grendel72:
This is the headline thats playing in the blogs, but I doubt the mainstream media will focus on this aspect of his comments…which I think are actually more important than the endorsement itself
Will Hunting
Given demographics right now, some districts are out of reach. I do agree that running competent candidates each and every time out is the way to go. I think for the tough districts it helps to cultivate a good farm system of state level people and strike when the time is right. This is exactly how the Dems picked up so many seats in 2006 and will pick up more this year. The gains were incredible given the gerrymandering odds against them. Really shows how the tide has turned against Republican (mis)rule.
My impression of Goode is that he is a reliable R vote in the House and nothing more than that.
I wrote an email to Culberson asking him to oppose the initial Paulson plan due to lack of oversight among other things. Once a better deal was reached I wanted him to vote Yes. I got some cock and bull letter in the mail about how he was opposing any yes vote on fiscal responsibility grounds. What a jerk. Where was that attitude the past 6 years…?
Brian J
I don’t care that the districts are out of reach. Spending and other resources can be adjusted according to developments on the ground. Why? For the reasons you gave.
In other words, well said.
jcricket
2010 Census Bitches.
That’s the prize beyond this election right now.
2 back-to-back blowouts (2006 and 2008) is almost unheard of in modern politics. And 3 (2010) plus census/re-drawing of borders would set Republicans back 50 years.
Chuck Butcher
It is always a dangerous action to practice mind-reading. What Colin Powell actually knew or didn’t is not clear. I am not appologizing for him nor excusing because I do not know what was exactly what and nobody has more than guesses.
It is clear that Powell has been a team player. He also manages to put the best face on his fellow team member’s actions. Getting from that to some of the comments involves rank speculation. I have known people of good intelligence and strong character to make incredibly stupid decisions for reasons that later became obviously unreasonable. Later. At the time they were sure they had it figured out but reason was manipulated by emotion in ways they missed. It happens, and the higher the position the more drastic the consequences. I’ve known a lot of smart responsible people and only a handful were of the type able to divorce emotion from reason in decision making.
How many of you fit that catagory?
oh really
Precisely because Powell is not a fire-breathing partisan — and never has been one — he could have made a much more profound impression if he had based his comments on a factual examination of McCain, Palin, and the Modern Republican Party and presented a fair reading, instead of pretending that McCain’s campaign or the man responsible for it is worthy of any respect.
Some of the newspaper endorsements have done a good job of reflecting the reality of what McCain has become by contrasting his current behavior and principles with those upon which he built a reputation as a straight-talker. (Now, I don’t believe that reputation was valid, but it’s not an important point in this context.)
rikyrah
This was the most accurate description of what Powell did today on MTP. I found it in the comments of one of the blogs I read.
It was the most eloquent non-cursing cursing out I have ever witnessed.
Amen.
Jamie
It should be pointed out that the corollary to the claim that Powell is voting for Obama because both men are black is that all white people should therefore vote for Obama.
Ah, Freepers.