Colin Powell Endorses Obama, Will ‘Stick With Him in 2012’

[Hissyspit]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Colin Powell Endorses Obama, Will ‘Stick With Him In 2012’

PEMA LEVY 7:44 AM EDT, THURSDAY OCTOBER 25, 2012

Colin Powell, former secretary of state under President George W. Bush, endorsed President Obama for re-election in 2012, saying that he supported him in 2008 and will "stick with" Obama in 2012. Powell made the announcement in an appearance on "CBS This Morning" Thursday.

"I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012," Powell said.

Powell cited several reasons for the endorsement, namely the economy and foreign policy. On the economy, Powell said Obama has turned things around from the crisis in 2008, saying "I think generally we've come out of the dive and starting to gain altitude." Powell said Romney's solution to the economy is "essentially let's cut taxes and compensate for that with other things," adding that the compensation doesn't cover all the cuts.

On foreign policy, Powell called Romney a "moving target," saying things in Monday night's foreign policy debate that contradicted his previous positions on issues like when to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Conversely, Powell said he approved of Obama's move to get us out of those countries and said his counter-terrorism efforts have been "very, very solid."


Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/colin-powell-endorses-obama-will-stick-with-him

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[graham4anything]

1. Powell endorsing Obama is the Single biggest endorsement there is. Major. Major. Major.

Bravo General Powell.

I knew a good general would never cut and run.

Nothing is bigger than this endorsement.

85% of the other side respects him, and most(80% IMHO) of our side respects him.

(there are always debbie downers/ sad sams on each side and whiners who never look at the big picture and the prize)

[Hissyspit]

3. Give me a break. He ain't a fucking " good general."

He's a war criminal enabler, at the least. Helped whitewash My Lai.

From a practical standpoint, I'm glad he made this endorsement. You are correct that it is helpful in keeping Romney out of the White House. My parents knew him when I was a teenager and I had passing acquaintance with him. Despite that, his pre-Iraq war UN performance was a disgusting event and I have no respect for him.

[graham4anything]

9. who cares about that crap now? talk like that hurts Obama.

it is the same as stupid democrats tossing LBJ into the river when he would have beaten Nixon in a down and dirty fight both before RFK died and after.

when LBJ was the single most progressive President outside of FDR ever.

so there are bad points in history.

colin is a major endorsement, and all I care about is the reelection of Obama.
the rest is bull at this time.

it just don't matter.
(and any public comment read by the rightwing, who does read these sites, gives them comfort and all that helps is to bring this endorsement down, instead of helping Obama, hurting him.

Loose lips sink ships.
even if you are correct and even if i were to agree with you, never let the opposition know it at this time

[Hissyspit]

10. Disgusting.

[stlsaxman]

36. I CARE ABOUT "THAT CRAP"! Always have- always will.

it matters an awful lot. it's called credibility.

[Sherman A1]

39. Indeed

Powell's endorsement is not so important from the progressive side as it is from the conservative and undecided point of view. He like everyone else in this world has flaws. I suspect he would be the first to acknowledge that point and he has publicly stated that the testimony before the UN was one of the worst things that he ever did. Yet, his words carry weight in the Republican Party and therefore while there are those who do not care for the General, his endorsement is important.

[xtraxritical]

40. Colin Powell was being faithful to his Commander in Cheif at the UN, he did his "duty".

Now that he is not beholden he speaks his mind. He's a good man and his endorsement means a lot.

[nichomachus]

42. "Duty" does not include lying and helping start a war

You do not have to obey orders you consider immoral

[dflprincess]

56. He was the Secretary of State

Bush was not his "commander in chief".

Powell could have resigned rather than lie - and he could have made the reasons for his resignation very public.

[Hissyspit]

46. "At this time..."

always seems to end up for some people "all the time."

Anyway, as I pointed out in a separate post, it is the poster you are responding to who initially raised the issue, not so much by failing to address Powell's character and credibility, but by blatantly misrepresenting it. Then, how handy that no one else gets to call the poster out on it.

[Hissyspit]

15. "More Reasonable People"

Jesus Christ...

I said the endorsement is helpful. I was responding to the other ill-informed jingoistic nonsense the poster posted. That poster said what I posted was the most-worst-thing-ever. You say it won't make a bit of difference. Which is it?

It ain't what I think. It's the truth.

"More Reasonable People"

How dare you.

[randome]

19. You have to call it like you see it.

[longship]

26. My point is...

-- I confess somewhat indelicately put -- I apologize for that, will delete my first post.

My point was it really doesn't matter how you, or any other individual, sees Colin Powell's endorsement. What matters is how the folks around the country see it.

In spite of his record during the Bush II administration, people still like him. So this endorsement may be important to Barack Obama's reelection.

I am sure neither you or anybody else here on DU would dare suggest that President Obama reject the endorsement, or to respond by arresting him for alleged war crimes.

Sometimes politics is messy, and this is apparently one of those times.

I apologize again.

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

37. And I apologize to you, too, for.....

suggesting a few days ago that you "Eat Me".

[Hissyspit]

38. Fair enough.

After posting the news of the endorsement in LBN for as many eyes as possible to see, I wouldn't have brought it up (I could have in the OP) if not for the unnecessary empty sloganeering, glorification and whitewashing of a flawed individual and his actions, and insults and name-calling in the first response to the OP. That this endorsement is desirable and useful is simple enough to acknowledge (something I did, it has nothing at all to do with thinking the endorsement should be rejected) without posting revisionism and insults. Is that useful in fomenting solidarity and GOTV? Why would someone do that while lecturing about getting as many votes as possible?

[rainlillie]

7. I agree.

[onehandle]

23. It is a good thing. Powell will be paying penance for the rest of his life.

For his association with the Bush Cabal.

More of this please, General.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. Still a war criminal, but...

I still think he's complicit in Bush/Cheney war crimes against humanity, but for some reason, there is a great number of people in this country--particularly Independents--who respect and revere this man.

Good for him for trying to make amends for his crimes by not endorsing a man who has Bush foreign policy advisors on his team.

[John2]

4. Colin Powell

I think that is a Strong endorsement. I'd rather Powell be Secretary of Defense or State if Hillary wants to run for President. He is the only Republican I wish was in this Administration. I think his talent is being wasted.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. No - too many skeletons in his closet from the Bush days; Sen. Kerry would be better

There may be other good Democratic candidates that I don't know about, but John Kerry is well qualified. Powell is too associated with Iraq, and misrepresentation of evidence at the UN, to bring back.

[Kolesar]

13. President Clinton offered Powell a cabinet position and declined.

He's just a pol. His influence is declining and that must irk the old egotist.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

5. good to hear

Powell's a big name who carries a lot of weight for some, so it's a boost I'm happy we get.

And it takes the wind out of the rightwing's argument that they could more competently handle Libya if their own guy says, in essence, "No, you couldn't."

[rainlillie]

6. I welcome the endorsement, if he 'd endorsed Romney that would have hurt Obama...

Since he voted for Obama in 08. Every little little bit helps IMO.

[skeewee08]

8. I agree rainlillie....

I too welcome the endorsement. Gen. Powell still caries a lot of clout with the Independence voters especially those who may still be on the fence about President O.

[cilla4progress]

14. Have been waiting for this!

Good on ya, General!!

[jsr]

16. The enemy of my enemy is my friend

I guess.

Nobody should ever forget Powell for his role in Vietnam and Iraq.

[Robb]

17. Fuck that guy.

Seriously. Thanks for the vote, but fuck you, Colin Powell.

See this?



That's your ticket to hell, Powell, and you can't buy your way out of it.

[Carolina]

52. Touche

I'll never forget that image. He sold his soul by willingly supporting the Bushco cabal

[Major Hogwash]

55. Perhaps, but . . .

. . . Colin Powell carries a lot of political weight with rightwing Republican voters, and especially with rightwing Republican veterans.

[mountain grammy]

57. Agreed, I'll never forget this appearance

Hell, I knew these were all lies, why didn't Powell know? Now his fellow republicons are, well, being themselves. Sununu says Powell endorses Obama because he is a black man. Well sununu endorses RMoney because he is a greedy douchbag, same as you, right John?

[AleksS]

18. Cue Rush to say something racist again...

So, any bets as to how long it takes Rush to say something racist about the endorsement again?

[Suji to Seoul]

58. John Sununu did it for him. "Colin only endorsed Obama because both are black."

Right response, wrong asshole.

[DCBob]

20. This will have positive impact and might be the final nail in the Romney coffin.

and of course the GOPers will freak out again and slam him with all sorts of insults and dumb racist comments.

[yellowcanine]

21. This is pretty big - not huge but it matters.

It may help some with military families in Virginia and North Carolina, for example. And it will really piss off the nutters, possibly triggering intemperate attacks on Powell and Obama so that may be a good thing.

[bemildred]

22. Thanks Colin. nt

[LP2K12]

24. This veteran...

endorses this endorsement.

[onehandle]

25. The differences between Powell and Rice in post Bush Cabal years are vast and sickening. nt

[graham4anything]

28. YUP!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

27. I'm reminded of that song Neil Young wrote in Bush's second term

around 2005 or so...very prophetic now

Looking for a Leader

Lookin' for somebody
Young enough to take it on
Clean up the corruption
And make the country strong

(...)

Someone walks among us
And I hope he hears the call
And maybe it's a woman
Or a black man after all

Yeah maybe it's Obama
But he thinks that he's too young
Maybe it's Colin Powell
To right what he's done wrong

America has a leader
But he's not in the house
He's walking here among us
And we've got to seek him out

[amuse bouche]

29. This is good news

but as others have said, nothing erases his war criminal past.

And nothing he says will bring back the many dead he had a hand in killing

[TwilightGardener]

30. I am happy to hear this. Thank you, Mr. Powell.

[66 dmhlt]

31. Video - Plus Transcript for Us Whose World Is Silent

&feature=player_embedded

Highlight Comments from Gen. Colin Powell:

"And so I think we ought to keep on the track that we are on," the Republican, who also backed Obama in 2008, told "CBS This Morning."

"I'm not quite sure which Governor Romney we'd be getting with respect to foreign policy," Powell said, calling Romney's foreign policy "a moving target."

As for the U.S. budget, he added: "It's essentially let's cut taxes and compensate for that with other things, but that compensation does not cover all the cuts intended or the expenses associated with defense."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/25/us-usa-campaign-powell-idUSBRE89O0RY20121025

[Hissyspit]

48. Thanks!

Added it to the OP.

[davidpdx]

32. I was beginning to wonder if he might not endorse Obama again

It looks like he was really just waiting for the last debate on foreign policy to be over before endorsing him. I wonder if Romney's people lobbied him to switch sides. It would be interesting to find out.

[Solly Mack]

33. Snicker

[2Design]

34. at least it is one more vote for obama not matter what his past failings which he can not fix - we

we have his vote and that is good

[stlsaxman]

35. hope it helps the Obama campain, but personally- i couldn't give a...

damn.

[AnnieK401]

41. RW heads are exploding all over the internet over this.

Love it.

[craigmatic]

43. He always seems to do this shit at the last minute. I think he waits to see who's going to win then

makes an endorsement. It's either that or political cowardice.

[sebastianj333]

44. So my friends, tell me, does Obama have a chance?

Many of my conservative friends say he is done and that Romney will win....of course I don't believe this, but it does start to wear on you day in and day out.

Colin Powell's endorsement just confirms my support of President Obama, even though, I do have my share of dissapointments, I still early voted for the man.

I cannot even imagine Romney as President, so I sure hope some of you, my peers can encourage me that Obama does have a very good chance of winning, more so than losing.

[Hissyspit]

47. I early-voted for Obama, of course.

But I'm not sure why Colin Powell's endorsement should confirm my support for the President. At any rate, the Electoral College looks good for Obama, which makes me happy and for which Powell's endorsement certainly is helpful.

[Scurrilous]

45. K & R

[JackBoik]

49. Freakrepublic's head explodes over Powell's endorsement

and just for that alone, his words are worth it .


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2950005/posts

With that said, I wish Powell would come out with an explicit (vs. beating around the bush) commendation of the Bush Administration and its fervor for going to war against a country that, at that time, was minding its own business.

[tjwash]

50. cue the repugs playing the race card in 3...2...1...

And fuck yellow-cake-uranium guy. He helped lie the US into a war, and destroyed millions of lives in the process. Obama would probably bring some of the progressive he lost during the last 4 years by denying his endorsement.

[Politicub]

51. Good! Not a Powell fan but he's well regarded by many people.

[hrmjustin]

53. I say get what you can from him.

[Major Hogwash]

54. Romney doesn't have any military street cred, that's why!

There are lance corporals in the Marine Corps that know more about when military actions should be taken concerning foreign policy than Romney!!