Colin Powell to Give Obama a "Soft" Endorsement Tomorrow?
Here's the latest on what has to be the weekend's most anticipated story:
Sources close to the retired four-star general and American icon cautioned that Powell's support for Obama over John McCain might stop short of a formal endorsement when he's interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday.
Given Powell's cautious nature, he might decide to make his endorsement of Obama implied, rather than explicit. Even so, a well-informed source told the Daily News:
"After Sunday people aren't going to have any doubt who he's voting for."
Two other colleagues Powell has consulted in recent weeks told The News that while Powell admires McCain, he's roubled that the GOP candidate has surrounded himself with hardline national security advisers.
"McCain has too many neocons working for him," said one Republican source familiar with Powell's thinking.***
"He wishes McCain could give him a reason to vote for him, but he hasn't yet," a Powell associate told The News.
The entire post can be read at Jonathan Martin's blog at Politco.com
On the other hand Steve Clemons reports
October 18, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good catch! And then there's this from the same link:
October 18, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
So Powell is basically being a pussy. Typical.
October 18, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I take this back!
October 19, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's fun to watch the expectations game play out. In my opinion, it doesn't sound right that Powell is weighing in at this point just to say "you kids play nice." He's never been one to seek the spotlight. It seems that if there was one thing he would want to do, it would be to make up for that "spot" on his record, and help support the Obama effort to pull us out of this mess.
Of course, that's just wishful thinking on my part.
October 18, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe wishful thinking but this is the best I have seen. Powell is not high on my list for numerous long held reasons(pre-Bush) but this is an opportune time to redeem some of his prior reputation. Another will not come along anytime soon, and is could be argued he can have some role in the wider foreign policy debate in any future administration. A soft or hard announcement would achieve this end; nonetheless, am not a big fan but he does have relationships and credibility in many countries that many lack. Politically, this is not a bad approach for all sides.
October 18, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right: Powell isn't one to seek the spotlight. That's why he refused to appear, and knowingly lie, at the UN in order to grease the skids for the Bushit criminal enterprise's illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.
October 19, 2008 12:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
To which "spot" on his record do you refer? His lying to the electorate, the Congress, and the UN and world, even knowing he was throwing his troops away for a lie and a lost cause?
Or the fact that he was the first to investigate -- and cover up -- the My Lai massacre?
October 19, 2008 12:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'd like to see him endorse Obama tomorrow. As much to restore some credibility to his own name, as to help Obama.
October 18, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whether Powell endorses or not, it's been weird to see columnists on the right (Novak, Kristol) advancing the notion that Powell would endorse Obama. Strange too that this is a decision subject to this 60% criterion, interesting as that criterion is. When is/was this supposedly crucial 60% mark? This summer, when Novak reported it? Or now?
The 60% Doctrine, btw, is a nice post-facto justification for the UN appearance.
October 18, 2008 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink