Neocon Martin Peretz Says To Hell With Colin Powell
Martin Peretz, former New Republic proprietor, writes today that Obama doesn't need Colin Powell's endorsement.
According to Peretz, all Powell represents is "the race card." and "if truth be told, [Powell is] not really a military hero, at least not in comparison to McCain."
I'm not going to argue with Peretz's "analysis" which is flatout moronic on its face. Powell brings alot to Obama and anyone remotely familiar with politics knows it (see any newspaper).
But, being an expert on the neocon mentality, I will explain why Peretz is dismissive of Powell. Peretz hates Powell because, as Secretary of State, Powell promoted negotiations between Israelis and Arabs.
Peretz despises anyone who favors Arab-Israeli diplomacy. He is always eager to fight to the last Israeli, hates the very idea of Arab-Israeli negotiations, and considers anyone who favors peace a "self-hating Jew" or "an anti-Semite," whichever fits.
Anyway, Peretz is worried that if Obama is elected, he will solicit Powell's views on the Middle East. He ridicules the Powell endorsement in the hope that he can keep Colin Powell far away from Middle East policymaking. None of this is surprising.
But it is interesting that Peretz believes that "there isn't anybody out there who cares what Powell thinks...."
Well, nobody Peretz knows anyway. That is the thing about neocons: they are clueless about the country they live in.
It reminds me of that story about Norman Podhoretz saying that, for him, "the American civil war is as remote to me as the War of the Roses."
Obviously, that is true for Peretz too or he might understand why the Powell endorsement is a big deal. It's an American thing, Marty, you wouldn't understand.
"It's an American thing, Marty, you wouldn't understand."
Ooooo, nasty blow. But true nevertheless.
October 20, 2008 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Edelman came out for Obama. I think the neo-conmen are cleaving into the "dead-enders" and the "please invite me to your cocktail party" factions.
October 20, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Edelman should now debate Lieberman on the Presidential candidates.
October 21, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
No time. Someone needs to lobby for the Electric Boat Company 24/7.
October 21, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well that should settle it. A neocon wonk deciding who is a hero and who is not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Peretz
October 20, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
"That is the thing about neocons: they are clueless about the country they live in."
Like Lieberman thinking he could campaign for President without visiting Iowa.
October 20, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Colon Powell sold his soul a long time ago; his attempt at statesman and spokesperson for the neocon-rife Bush admin, along with his failure to condemn same, defines him as a coward. His Obama endorsement carries no weight with me.
OTOH, Henry "hi, I'm a war criminal" Kissinger's support for McCain is a joke of a different color.
October 20, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just what the world needs:: a neocon calling a patriot out!!!Shameless
October 20, 2008 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
And here I thought it was just a case of Peretz's racism extending beyond Arabs. Maybe it is a little bit of both.
October 20, 2008 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
does this make it okay to go after (dumped five jets) McCain on matters military? just in comparison with the guy who ran a tactical win?
October 20, 2008 7:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
.
Howdy Otherguy...
Your point is well taken and I agree that something like this would allow open season on Skipper McNasty's background in military affairs. But it is a little late in the game to get into that.
One thing that should be cleared up is that although McCain did screw-up by screwing-in more than a few times in military hardware, just for the record, the last "aircraft" that busted his chops as it met the earth was a private ultra-light, while partying with some fellow jet jockeys and sailors, while he was let's say inebriated. Broke his ankle, so he had to report that incident to his command. And there went his further advancement up the food chain. Poof!
I served U.S. Navy Aviation 1965-1972 VS-41 and VAL-4
~OGD~
** Infrequent Cafe contributor since June 2005 **
October 21, 2008 1:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to have Powell's endorsement, but in essence it doesn't mean what it would have two elections ago.
The man's word just doesn't mean much since he stood at the UN Gen Assembly and lied for Bush and Cheney. He tossed away his honor for those two pieces of...
Okay! How about something REALLY important.
What would YOU name a Palin kid???
http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/could-her-emails-be-hiding-secret-palin-baby-names/
October 20, 2008 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
.
Hello PJ....
To many of my era, Powell tossed away his honor four decades earlier when as a 31-year-old Army Major he "whitewashed" an investigation into a report about the atrocities committed at the My Lai massacre ...
To many of us who served during that period Powell's actions were and will forever be considered part of an attempt to "cover-up" and "brown nosing" for his further advancement up the Army food chain...
There ARE various meanings to, "He's a good soldier just doing his duty."
Do you get my drift?
~OGD~
** Infrequent Cafe contributor since June 2005 **
October 21, 2008 2:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Powell's endorsement means nothing to me, either. On the other hand, I was going to vote for Obama (and I did, yesterday) regardless of what Powell (or anyone else,for that matter) had to say on the subject.
I suspect that Sec. Powell's endorsement will matter a great deal to many middle-of-the-road folks who do not pay that much attention to national politics and look to respected leaders for guidance. Can't hurt, right?
October 20, 2008 7:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
.
WOW . . .
Martin Peretz? Awwww... Too bad.
Someone tell the מסית nobody really cares other than the rest of the thumb-suckers he hangs with.
I must be just one of them "self-hating" dumbasses ...
~OGD~
** Infrequent Cafe contributor since June 2005 **
October 21, 2008 2:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Powell is trying to salvage his tarnished name and maybe even angle for a pardon one day.
http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/wheres-powell-been-oh-thats-right-in-hiding/
October 21, 2008 2:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Powell is picking the wrong person. Hey, he's picked the wrong person before, endorsing Dole and Bush. But I don't think this really helps or hurts either candidate too much
October 21, 2008 8:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
We have two weeks to like Powell for helping ensure Obama's election. After that, we can go back to our original feelings.
At this moment in time, I love Colin Powell like my own father. He's the best.
If he had endorsed the geezer, I'd feel differently.
October 21, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly right M.J., the season for Colin hunting should be temporarily closed. Colin gave a very effective endorsement. His reasons for supporting Obama and not supporting Palin/McCain were cogent. Should be a few more votes in the D column. Maybe it will inspire a few more R's to do the honorable thing -- Adelman just caved.
I didn't know that the pain from the ultralight crash was lessened by the foresighted administration of one of the oldest analgesics known to man. Just another example of McCain quick thinking.
Wasn't there something about the first crash where McCain quick-wittedly bailed from a plane with an engine failure so subtle that the crash investigators couldn't find it?
October 21, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Powell could have chosen to not endorse anyone, staying completely neutral, and no one would have given that stance a second thought.
That Powell chose to appear on a nationally televised Sunday morning news show to offer a strong, lengthy, endorsement of Obama, tells me that he was supporting Obama while at the same time doing penance. I think his UN testimony precluded him from backing McCain.
As much of an Obama backer that I am, watching Powell on Sunday caused me nothing but negative feelings toward the General.
Powell will never get his reputation back.
October 21, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
via O'Neal Comton via a TPM link by Opus Hussein X
is a link to video of Zbig Brzezinski riffing on Powell's endorsement and mopping the floor with Scarborough. By the way, there are good reasons for disliking some actions by Zbig -- like setting bin Ladin in motion 30 or so years ago.
http://www.onealcompton.com/index.php?modulo=noticias&acao=exibir_aberto&subacao=semComentarios&idBiblioteca=1499
October 21, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
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October 21, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's amusing that MJ is ok with terms like "geezer" when describing McCain but he calls me a racist if I use the term "Barry"
October 21, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
MiddleClassBill,
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October 21, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please explain to MiddleClassBill the concept of a distinction with a difference.
October 21, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're not racist, just differently enabled.
October 21, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
C'mon - if you're going to call him a geezer then I will keep calling him Barry.
October 21, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I'm going to call him "the failed Republican nominee for President who lost in a landslide despite running the most racially ugly campaign since George Wallace." Deal!
October 22, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink