George Will: Colin Powell Endorsed Obama Because He’s Black

[babylonsister]

http://firedoglake.com/2008/10/19/george-will-colin-powell-endorsed-obama-because-hes-black/

Video at link~

George Will: Colin Powell Endorsed Obama Because He’s Black
By: Blue Texan Sunday October 19, 2008 10:31 am


This morning on "This Week" George Will was asked what he thought about Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama.

His response?

Black, black, blackety-black black black blackety-black.

SNUFFLEUPAGUS: We just found out that former Sec. of State General Colin Powell has said he's going to vote for Barack Obama. Big impact?

WILL: Some impact. And I think this adds to my calculation -- this is very hard to measure -- but it seems to me if we had the tools to measure we'd find that Barack Obama gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black because so much of this country is so eager, a, to feel good about itself by doing this, but more than that to put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jessee Jackson game of political rhetoric.

Huh?

Excuse me, but what the fuck do Al Sharpton and Jessee Jackson have to do with George W. Bush's Secretary of State, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a lifelong Republican endorsing Obama?

Oh, right -- they're all black.

Pretty incredible that no one on the panel challenged Will's blatant racism (America's voting for the black guy out of white guilt) but based on the batshit crazy wingnut comments on Faux News' website, Will is just articulating what the GOP base is telling itself: Powell's just going with the brother because he's a brother.

[mucifer]

1. Racist idiot!

so will george will vote for mcstupid only because he's white. ... Oh yes he probably will.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. Right, because Powell endorsed Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when they ran too, right?

No? Well I guess that means Will's argument must be a steaming pile of crap. :eyes:

[progressiveforever]

8. Then I guess we should be expecting the Condoleeza Rice endorsement.

You are so right. Repugs make no sense.

[Essene]

3. in defense of george will... that's not what he said... at all

he didnt say powell endorsed him because obama is black.

he was asked about THE SIGNIFICANCE of this, and he framed taht in terms of a break from the jackson/sharpton politics.

in fact, he's basically saying there are two black leaders (powell and obama) who are NOT merely playing the "im black" game.

that's how i see it.

i see how folks could misunderstand his point because he said it poorly

[Diamonique]

64. I agree with you. That's how I read it too.

And I think George Will is right.

[KathieG]

4. I knew someone was going to go there...so predictable.

:eyes:

[PCIntern]

5. PCIntern: George Will kisses McCain's ass because he's a snot-nosed, arrogant Republican!

there you go...one good turn deservs another.

Many possible variations on that theme...

[progressiveforever]

6. I was waiting for that one

[Danger Mouse]

7. He didn't really say it that way at all. Do you have trouble with reading comprehension?

He said that Powell's endorsement is a BREAK from Sharpton/Jackson style politics.

[Essene]

10. like some freepers... people just see what the want and then insist it is true.

sigh.

see my post above. i agree.

[Danger Mouse]

15. yup.

:hi:

[Zuiderelle]

24. But he also said he "gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black"

WILL: Some impact. And I think this adds to my calculation -- this is very hard to measure -- but it seems to me if we had the tools to measure we'd find that Barack Obama gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black because so much of this country is so eager, a, to feel good about itself by doing this, but more than that to put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jessee Jackson game of political rhetoric.

I agree that the author of the article that the OP quoted misrepresented the Sharpton/Jackson reference, but it remains that Will is saying that some people, many people, are voting for Obama because he's black. And though I agree that there must be SOME people voting for him because he's black, it's certainly NOT as large a ratio as TWO voting FOR him because he's black to ONE voting against him because he's black. I would argue that there are FAR more people voting against him because he's black... "if we had the tools to measure" such a thing.

Bottom line is that Will was inferring that Powell endorsed Obama because they are both black. And after hearing Powell on MTP this morning, I STRONGLY disagree with such a notion.

[Essene]

31. i watched it. i heard what he said. i entirely disagree.

yes, he suggested that obama's race HELPS him more than it HURTS him.

but his point was clear... the significance of this endorsement is that the old pro-black politics are gone.

im sure george will has an article on the way on this point, and we can see him expand on whatever point he was making.

i think he worded it HORRIBLY and thus i understand the knee-jerk reaction. but it's a knee-jerk reaction nonetheless

[Zuiderelle]

35. Ok, then explain to me how it relates to Powell endorsing him to say that there are two votes for

Obama, for every one vote against? If he's not trying to say that he thinks Powell endorsed him because he's black, in answer to a DIRECT question about Powell's endorsement of him, then he makes literally NO sense at all.

[Essene]

48. he was asked about the SIGNIFICANCE of the powell endorsement

he clearly wanted to make some point about the shift in black leadership in america.

his comments about how being black has HELPED obama more than it has HURT him should be seen in the context of what george will has been saying for a long time now: that the mccain and palin strategy is off-track.

will has been openly criticizing their hate mongering like so many others.

i think he phrased it poorly, as i said, but when he said being black gets him 2 votes for every one he loses... i dont think he was saying people are voting for obama ONLY because he is black.

quite the opposite.

he implied that the support of people like sharpton and jackson sr was about that.

clearly... some people on DU see my point. others will not.

if george will gets trashed in the blogs and media, it's because he said it so poorly and it's his own fault.

[Zuiderelle]

51. If your analysis is correct, then George Will is a bigger idiot than I previously thought.

But given that he's a journalist, and his JOB is to make sense with words, I'm going with my original analysis, that he is insinuating that Powell endorsed Obama because he is black.

I eagerly await his clarification, since it's not just me who heard it that way.

[Essene]

53. so... you're going to just ignore what he actually said. gotcha

:)

im sure he will write about the subject, esp given how badly he phrased it.

[Zuiderelle]

56. Right, I'm ignoring it, even though I've listened to it and read it numerous times.

Gotcha.

:eyes:

[babylonsister]

65. PelosiFan, it's not just

firedoglake or many others on DU who got the inference...

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/george-will-rush-limbaugh-powells-end

For George Will & Rush Limbaugh, Powell's Endorsement Is All About Teh Black
By Nicole Belle Sunday Oct 19, 2008 1:10pm

snip//

First, I'm not even sure what "put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson game of political rhetoric" means. And what do either of them have to do with Powell's endorsement?

Is Will trying to suggest that Powell has some variation of "white man's guilt" and is seeking to mollify it by endorsing Obama? Clearly, Will does think that the endorsement is more based on skin color than anything else, a projection that I find more illustrative of the simple-minded Republican groupthink support than anything else. It shows just how insulated and isolated the GOP is from the real world, where people look at more than just how much someone looks like you and considers larger issues.

[babylonsister]

33. No, I have no reading comprehension problems, but think

you might. He did say that, and I believe the point of the OP was to wonder why Jackson/Sharpton were brought up in the first place when they have absolutely nothing to do with Powell's endorsement. Here's the video in case you were too lazy to view it; the transcript is correct.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl_ivLT-Zm0&eurl=http://firedoglake.com/

[cynatnite]

9. If he had said that Donna Brazile would have let loose on him...

He didn't say that. He was asked about the significance of the endorsement.

[Essene]

12. yes, and frankly... im happy the sharpton and jesse sr days are gone

[cynatnite]

21. I really love Sharpton, though...

and they both have been very gracious about staying out of the limelight. They don't want to do anything that could potentially hurt Obama.

[Essene]

27. sharpton is distracting and self-destructive

i think he and his type of politics are more distracting & self-destructive than helpful.

i am glad he has zipped his mouth once obama won the nod.

[Fire1]

72. Don't under estimate Jesse and Al. Believe me , they have their

uses.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I'm waiting for Will to endorse Obama

since he already trashed McKKKlan! These are the repukes who have found themselves in a no-man's land. :rofl:

[Essene]

13. i honestly wouldnt be surprised. he has come VERY close at this point

[AspenRose]

14. Pardon my language, but F*ck George Will

and the horse he rode in on

Maybe if the GOP weren't so damn RACIST they'd have more minorities in their party right now.

[asdjrocky]

16. Are you trying to tell me Colin Powell and Barack Obama are black?

The hell you say.

[Ikonoklast]

55. I don't see it.

:shrug:

I see two men.

One far more honorable than the other, and will be the next president of this country.

One trying for a last chance at redemption.

[Fire1]

70. ROFLMAO!!!!!

[uppityperson]

17. George Will endorsed McCain because he's white. It is called racist projection. nt

[NHDEMFORLIFE]

69. Bingo! n/t

[ismnotwasm]

18. Can't those old white fucks

Just acknowledge that their really isn't a sane choice besides Obama? As well, acknowledge that Obama just happens to be a great choice and we're very lucky he is.

An Obama endorsement,(and I'm very excited to have our first African American president)is plain common sense at the very least.

[grantcart]

19. By logical extension George Will is also calling Powell a liar

[Mz Pip]

20. This is bizarre

George Will has been seriously critical of McCain and lthough he hasn't personally endorsed Obama his criticisms of McCain can almost be interpreted as such. He has come out and said outright that McCain doesn't have the temperment to be President while Obama has shown himself to be cool, calm and even.

Now why in the world can't Will imagine that Powell can come to those same conclusions and push it a tiny tiny step further with an outright endorsement?

[Essene]

22. it's bizarre because the OP is wrong. WIll did not say that... & i find this thread mind-numbing

[babylonsister]

34. Will DID say it despite your refusal to believe so. Here's the youtube.

And since you missed it, it seems the OP is wondering what role Sharpton/Jackson had in Powell's endorsement, which would be none.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl_ivLT-Zm0&eurl=http://firedoglake.com/

[cynatnite]

46. That's just not what I'm seeing...

He commented that some voters will vote for Obama because he's black just as there are some who won't vote for him because he's black. I don't think he's wrong about that. He also said that it puts away the style of politicking that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson uses.

That's what I'm seeing when I watch this and I've watched it three times already.

[Essene]

47. i saw it before i said it the first time. i guess you think 10 people here are all blind? hush

he was asked about THE SIGNIFICANCE of the endorsement.

stop and think about what we are saying...

[Mz Pip]

36. In re reading

and re watching the video I think you are right. It would have been a lot better if Will had just been more clear in his phrasing. Also I would have liked to have seen the rest of the interview. this could be one of those "out of context" statements that we complain so much about when it's used on one of our guys.

[Essene]

49. dont get me wrong... he phrased it horribly and deserves a punch in the face lol

but he was not saying folks were voting for obama JUST because he is black.

he was trying to make a point about how black leaders like obama and powell are more principled than those like sharpton and jackson sr, but it came out horribly.

[dana_b]

23. why are black people so easily dismissed?

as if they don't have independent minds and hearts and only see skin color. It really shows the deep ugliness of the person who is so dismissive.

[vaberella]

32. Because they're Black.

As a Black person, sometimes....this country...Jeez...

For the past two years of this campaign I have felt true racism and sexism that vastly over shadows anything I thought I had experienced. It's like a crash course of the civil rights movement, for those who were not there to experience it.

Minus the violence...well so far.

[dana_b]

40. you're right -

it is like a crash course on civil rights. We all know that racism is alive and well, but for it to be so easily accepted by the MSM is extraordinary. There is not enough questioning of things - like Will's statement - or the person making the statement acts very offended if they are questioned.

[vaberella]

67. Exactly...and you know what really turns my stomach and I have to write on it..

It's this weird sort of problem some of these Republican racists have. They claim not to be racist and yet the racism is so prevalent.

For example, there's this sort of weird battle going on with them or maybe it's their own denial of their racist mentality. Obama reaches the success he has reached and gets the education he does, and yet they black list his wife who makes a clear statement that wasn't anti-american as being Anti-American. Because the Obama family and many Blacks have reached success to them there is no longer a struggle. That slavery and the civil rights movement during the 60s is a dead past, or let's take it one step further, forgotten. Yet, alternatively they will utilize all aspects of racism. They will say he's anti-american, paint him as the evil Black man, his militant family, say Michelle is the angry Black woman. Utilizing all stereotypes and all forms of "the other" to get rid of him, but claim that racism is some how dead. Throughout the primaries and until these last 3 weeks we didn't hear a lick about race. Obama just can't get some of the "white vote"---why? Not because some of these people may be racist or a good majority of them, but because in some way he's flawed (but his skin colour wasn't the flaw). Now they've turned the Bradley Effect into a tool to take down Obama. Oh this could just be like the Bradley Effect, they say they will be in acuality his race is an issue and then they move the polls when they want...I saw this in CNN with John King and Chuck Todd is notorious for using this as way for McCain to move forward.

These people are just evil. They are racist without thinking their racist which makes them even more harmful. This is similar to Michele Bachmann. People are on her because of what she said about the non-conservative half of America, but this woman went on national television, spoke on the House floor and said Blacks and Clinton (started by Carter---attack on Dems already), but mainly Blacks and minorities are entirely at fault for the financial crisis. This is a racist woman. Then she named all these debunked quotes as to prove her point. And then in an interview before the Matthews scandal she said she would welcome Obama to District 6 in Minnesota and would go as far as to kiss him. Waht the fuck?!

At this point, this movement is so two-faced and twisted, the assault is more hardhitting now. It was one thing to fight back with physical presence, but now that's not enough. A lot of these idiots have power. Roy Blunt accused Jews of instigating the problem during the financial crisis because they had to observe their holiday. How do we fight this? The law doesn't side with us on this end unlike in the civil rights movement where as people we can figth the law that denies us the rights as others. Here, our rights are usurped but it's so underhanded...sometimes....ugh...

Here's Bachmann on the house floor by the way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DHuxHyafyM

[bushisanidiot]

25. Funny how repukes only notice Powell is black when they disagree with him.

they were so "color-blind" when he was following along with their talking points.

what bullshit.

[AspenRose]

37. *ding* *ding* *ding*

Here, have some pie.

[RepublicanElephant]

26. george, you ignorant slut! n/t

[Democat]

28. Obama needs to condmen any black person who commits any crime!

Or it proves he supports crime.

After all, any "black" speaks for all "blacks"! :rofl:

[livedemocarticordie]

29. Well That's not actually what he said

Here is the video for that segment of the conversation:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6065828

[Essene]

50. exactly. folks are missing his point... albeit he worded it poorly

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

30. Ever get the feeling..

that George Will got the shit beaten out of him on the playground EVERY DAY during middle school? And that turned him into such a nasty little shit.

Aside from the Log Cabin Republicans, I don't know who pays attention to him.

[thoughtcrime1984]

38. Typical Republican douchebag; that party is in decline, and he knows it.

Not enough uneducated racists to save the day for the wealthy c*cksuckers, despite the efforts of the Repugs to destroy education in the US.

[C_U_L8R]

39. What George Will is actually confessing ...

is that he supports McCain because he's white.

[shotten99]

41. Fuck him

Just more right wing blow hards realizing that there political landscape is changing and they're about to become a lot less relevant.

[ejbr]

42. I don't think George Will believes this...

he HOPES the people who listen to him believe it, but he knows that a Powell endorsement is a big deal or he would not have been asked about it!

[RagAss]

43. George Will is waiting in line right now to Kiss My ASS !!!!

[Left Is Write]

44. Okay, yeah. I DO want to feel good about myself with respect to who I vote for.

That's why I vote my heart and my conscience, and why I vote for the best person for the job. The best person for the job of President of the United States is Barack Obama, and that's got fuck-all to do with his race.

[Captain Hilts]

45. That's what people dumb enough to still be 'undecided' will say. nt

[Sewsojm]

52. The Racist Elite are coming out in droves,

Fuck Each and Every One Of You Bastards!!

[randr]

54. Did you ask for permission to speak Will?

[AnotherMother4Peace]

57. I heard him say it & thought that's all they have left - RACISM - they're not even hiding it anymore

Recommended - if they're being this blatant on MSM, it's going to get bad.

[windbreeze]

58. Nope...not the reason..as we all know...

but we should have expected that type of meme...IF I remember correctly, after the invasion of Iraq...when * came up for re-election a year later...Powell refused to serve with him again...

I don't like Powell and up to now, had little respect for him...I figured Iraq was his second MyLai, so I didn't expect much from him...but...let's give credit where it's due....Walking away from his job was the first step, this may be a second step in his own self redemption...so good on him...IF he keeps up...I may find a little respect for him, after all..their shared color....has nothing to do with his endorsement...wb

ps: and imho...the more top Republicans who endorse Obama...the harder it might make it for them to steal the election...

[kurt_cagle]

59. Republican Reality

As hard as it may be for many here, try to look at this from George Will's perspective. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have, between them, served to identify the black politics of a generation - the Baby Boomers, the same generation that George Will is in. Boomer black politics has long been confrontational, focused on injustices to the black community, frequently angry, and while Democratic to the core, steeped very much in the rhetoric of the 1970s. Barack Obama is at the very tail end of the Boomer generation (he's only a year older than I am) and his core values are much closer to those of the Gen-Xers than they are to Jackson and Sharpton. For most of that generation (my generation), race is not as big a factor in their lives, nowhere near as important as educational training, competence and an understanding of community.

As much as I generally disagree with Will's politics, I think that his point here is that there really is a generational difference between these black leaders. Colin Powell is of an age with Jackson and Sharpton, but he was also a black general who had to subsume his blackness to the needs of being a military commander, and as such, I suspect that philosophically he is probably a lot closer to Obama than either Jackson or Sharpton are. Keep in mind that neither of the latter two have been exactly overflowing with support for Obama, a fellow Democrat, while Powell on the other hand has essentially served up not only given solid praise to Obama, but has given a scathing indictment of the Republicans in the process. The reason seems obvious to me, and not all that surprising even to Will - the sceptre of who speaks for the black community has passed, probably irrevocably, from Jackson to Obama.

I think that this is huge, myself. There are a lot of people in many minority communities (not just blacks) that have become uncomfortable with the strident nature of the black freedom movement in its waning days, and felt increasingly out of touch with that message. Obama comes from a different generation, a different worldview, and I suspect it's one that resonates with a lot more people - he may be black, but he represents a sea change in the way that the black community sees itself, and many who have become disaffected with the political process are going to become far more engaged precisely because of that sea change.

[redstate_democrat]

61. Ummm

First question, are you black?

Second question, who speaks for the white community?

Third question, why is the "black freedom movement" "strident" to you?


Another thing, no one person speaks for the black community, not even Barack Obama.

[WA98070]

60. Will is calling Powell a liar because Powell said if it was "Race" his decision would have been ...

easier and made long ago. Obama's been black and McCain white since the beginning. What's changed? Mostly the tone of McCain's campaign. And, as Powell said, "The Republican Party" is narrowing its outreach.

[AnnieBW]

62. Brokejaw Asked CP this specifically

Powell answered that, if he was just endorsing Obama because he was black, he would have done it months ago.

[deadparrot]

63. So any white person who supports a white candidate is also racist.

Right?

Right?

:eyes:

[malik flavors]

66. Actually that's not at all what he was saying. If you actually watched the show...

Will was continuing a conversation that was alreadt taking place before the host asked him about the Powell endorsement. Will basically ignored the question about the Powell endorsement and continued the discussion on whether or not racism would hurt Obama's chances of winning.

Sorry, but your OP is incorrect, and you're distorting George Will and calling him a racist without actually knowing what you're talking about.

[babylonsister]

68. You know what they say about opinions...and the one in the OP

isn't the only one who picked up on this. Sorry, you just might be wrong. See post #65 from someone who listened and heard Will, too.

[Blasphemer]

71. I think it was less about Powell and more about this idea of American guilt being at play

It was a curious response. I think what he was saying is that Powell's endorsement underscores a phenomena which is based in American racial guilt. That is to say, the country will vote for the first truly viable African American presidential candidate, not just because of his abilities and the political and economic client, but because they are able to alleviate racial guilt by embracing a man who has not been a figure in the African American community in the way that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are. I was at work a few weeks ago and some African American temps expressed similar views. They had doubts about the country's ability to vote for an African American but also felt that if Obama pulled it out, it would be because he was a "safe" African American candidate and the antithesis of a Jesse Jackson or an Al Sharpton.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

73. Pat Buchanan just went there & Rush Limbaugh - it's the new RW talking point.

Both said that Colin Powell endorsed Barack because he's black.

Pat on Chris Matthews and Rush on Rush - I don't think there's a transcript yet.