Sunday, October 19, 2008

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama



A well spoken, calm endorsement. What do you think? I think that instead of attacking Powell we as a party despite disagreeing with him should try to listen to what he is trying to say.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very Smart..Love how he laid out all the reasons why he did it...

Anonymous said...

On Friday night, my wife and I received our absentee ballots. We filled it out and immediately mailed it. For the past year and a half, I have been anxiously awaiting the day I would vote for the first time. For the past year and a half, it has been torture making up my mind. When I sent out the ballot, I thought I made a sound choice. And then I heard about General Powell's endorsement. Colin Powell is my idol. When I was younger, my father insisted I should read his book. I avoided it as much as possible until I looked at the pictures within the book. I noticed that he was born and raised right across the street from where I lived in the Bronx. He attended Morris High School and Bronx Community College in the Bronx. I found it amazing that a black man from the Bronx could achieve so much (this was all before he even became Secretary of State). Later, I joined the Marine Corps inspired by General Colin Powell. I was trying to emulate him. Beyond anything, Colin Powell was one of the reasons I joined the Marine Corps. Colin Powell was one of the reasons I became a Republican.

So this announcement on Sunday came as a shock to me. Although I had voted, I was even more confused than before. I wanted to know why. I wanted to know the reasons. After watching his endorsement, I see why. Colin Powell is right on just about everything he said about the Republican Party. We are moving in the wrong direction. We are divisive and exclusive. Above all, we are sending the wrong message across America and the world. We can't keep plundering our villages and expect to win. We need to find a way to attract everyone. Almost everyone I speak to, including my wife, is a Obama supporter. But many of them don't know why. Those same people are the ones who tend to make Republican choices without even knowing it. It's amazing.

So, hopefully we can learn from Colin Powell said. If we lose this election, it's going to be a hard 4 years. But 4 years we can learn from.

Count Busy said...

Well spoken, calm B.S. is what this is. We knew he was a more liberal State Department type, but this is ridiculous. He is endorsing Obama because of race, period. Too many stupid white folks are getting past race and voting for him, and it's just sad to see so many intelligent black folk unable to get past it and voting for him. The man is a serious threat to all of us, black, white, whatever.

Melvin Count

Anonymous said...

I grew up on 169th and the Concourse and have looked up to Powell for a long time, I believe the cure for the Republican Party will be 2 Long Years of Obama/ Palosi/Reed. We have midterm elections in 2010. I do not agree with Powell but I respect him. He should have been the VP for Bush and he should be running for President today on the GOP Ticket SBM

Anonymous said...

I respect Mr. Powell too but I am very confused by his endorsment of Obama. He also went on to scold McCain about things in his campaign that didn't even happen. McCain has never said that Obama was a terrorist like Powell said he did. Powell went on to misstate other things regarding McCain. McCain has stated many times that he wants to reform elements in our party and in Washington so Powell's statement about not liking the direction the GOP is going rings false to me. Frankly, Powell sounded like a man who hasn't been paying attention for quite some time.

Anonymous said...

@samboylr

wow...!

and I agree... Powell made a really powerful point about the GOP of 2008. Structurally it's a mess. The party has principles that I support... I'd describe myself as a strong moderate. But the ugliness that has reared in the past few months is horrific. I was horrified when I saw Michele Bachmann spewing hateful "Anti-American" McCarthyism on tv... I was saddened to see Palin speaking at an all white rally, ranting about country first while people screamed out "terrorist" and "kill him." And the whole socialism bit? Spare me, our current president just socialized corporate America... and that's all fine and dandy? But giving tax breaks to a chick like me, who works her butt off for 50k (and has already taken hit after hit after hit because of stupid trickle down greed) is socialism?!?

I saw 2 black faces at the RNC in August... TWO. That's embarrassing. And the McCain campaign's response was even worse... "we're only concerned with geographic diversity..." Oh gee thanks.

Every word Powell said in that video re: the GOP... I've struggled over. REALLY struggled over. Yes, I know two-party competition is good and yes I have my problems with liberals and with Democrats. But seriously, the GOP needs to take a good hard look at its flaws and regroup so it can revitalize and be more inclusive.

Sigh. Well here's to hoping that the GOP reassesses and does the right thing.

Anonymous said...

@ anon

um... have you seen McCain/Palin rallies lately? Check youtube, "terrorist," "he's a muslim," and "kill him" have all been screamed out by supporters. THAT'S what Powell was talking about.


And you can talk about reforming elements of the party, but what has actually been done to reform the character of their campaign? Do you seriously believe that John McCain has reformed the soul of the GOP? Even after you hear people like Michelle Bachmann calling for an "Anti-American" congressional witchhunt?

I'm really frustrated by the willful blindness of some members of some people in our party. If you don't address the issue and call it out internally, how can you evolve and transform for the future?

Bottom line: Powell is saying the Republican Party is NOT inclusive... and it isn't, just check the stats.

Count Busy said...

Come on, people! If Republicans start trying to attract votes based on skin color, gender, ethnicity and so on what will they then become?
Democrats.

No, no. What you do is you state your beliefs and principles and you hope they attract like-minded people. Children and fools want to be pandered to.

To conclude that Republicans aren't "inclusive" by intention and choice based on stats is illogical and unfair.

This is all real depressing.

Anonymous said...

Melvin….. No, no. What you do is you state your beliefs and principles and you hope they attract like-minded people....... This is the point that McCain is making..... state your beliefs and principles and you hope they attract like-minded people like Ayers like Reverend Wright...... The Democartic party has for two long bribed our community with handouts....

Anonymous said...

DEMOCRATS DENOUNCED GENERAL COLIN POWELL AS A "HOUSE NEGRO"
Democrats now love General Colin Powell, but spewed out the most vile, racist attacks on Powell before he endorsed Obama.
Al Sharpton: General Colin Powell is a "House Negro" - A video that was shot by WKRN Video Journalist Beau Fleenor at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee shows Al Sharpton denigrating General Colin Powell as a "House Negro." The Question: "Rev. Al Sharpton, do you believe that political leaders such as Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell are viewed as "house negroes" by other African Americans, by going along with the President against their beliefs?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdVjrBY5-F0
Harry Belafonte: General Colin Powell is a "House Negro" - An article that appeared in a Portland, Oregon paper was one of many exposing how hardly a ripple of protest was made by black Democrats when Harry Belafonte publicly denounced General Colin Powell as a "House Negro."
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2002/10/27103.shtml

Anonymous said...

Wonderful that Powell addresses the party’s problem with Islam. It is our duty to ask tough questions about faith in our personal lives. But doing so in the middle of a political campaign is not productive. Glad he gives McCain credit on this point.

On the other hand, this came off like a rebuke to the “base”.

Which is strange, because the nomination of McCain was a concession made to pacify moderate Republicans like Chris Buckley & Colin Powell. Both of these moderates have admired McCain’s lifetime of public service. Yet that admiration was cast aside because of quibbles they have had with the last 2 months of the McCain campaign.

As a staunch Republican, I can’t help but feel betrayed. Seems the moderates are waiting for a shallow excuse to abandon the Republican Party. I just don’t get it. Why even bother?

Anonymous said...

@melvin & anon

the republican party... as of right now... has virtually NO support from black voters. NONE. zip. zero. zilch. what little gains McCain made with the Latino community have disappeared.

Do you know how crazy it must feel to be a Muslim Republican right now? The video of supporters quashing the hate-mongers warmed my heart. Why? Because they're fighting for inclusivity. The party needs to do that MORE. When you turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering of others, the ish will come back to bite you in the butt.

Someone, please explain to me HOW the party is truly inclusive at this point in time RIGHT now?!

Good Lord, when Powell rebukes the party, you know stuff is bad. The man is angry and disappointed. Like the poster originally said... "LISTEN TO WHAT HE IS TRYING TO SAY."

This 11th commandment crap has got to stop. Ugh! And it's not like he changed his affiliation, he's still a Republican!

I believe in two party competition for people of color. I really do. But its an uphill battle that is not helped with campaigns like the one being run right now. How am I supposed to cheerfully support a party who continually questions my rights? Who show no interest in me... none. I respect the elder Bush because he fought for folks of color and to make the party an inclusive tent for all. Was he successful? I'd argue YES, because there were large shifts in minority-GOP support 1988-2006, especially on the state and local level.

Folks wake up and stop sitting on your asses and hoping that people of color will gradually come back to the party... without effort from BOTH sides of the aisle, it's not happening?

Don't believe me? Check Clarence Thomas' speech from 1987 at the Heritage Foundation... where he blasted the GOP of the early 1980s for failing to lay out the welcome mat to people of color. If the party were simply to make the effort, the rewards it could reap might be amazing.

Anonymous said...

WE REPUBLICANS WILL NOT TOLERATE QUOTAS,THIS SITE SUCKS! THE PARTY IS FINE WE DO NOT NEED ANY FUCKING "MINORITY OUTREACH". THIS PARTY AND NATION WAS BUILT BY WHITE PEOPLE IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT LEAVE. I AM SO SICK OF HEARING ABOUT BLACK REPUBLICANS OR JEWISH REPUBLICAN WHO CARES?? IF THE BLACKS AND JEWS CANT HANDLE THIS PARTY FUCKING LEAVE.

Anonymous said...

Um, I think the sentiments of the last anonymous poster at 6.16AM say a lot about why there are so few non-white/white-Jewish Republicans.

As for Colin Powell being called names by a few Democrats, that's hardly all Democrats. But, of course, that is the point. Powell finally stood up to the GOP and look at the response. People in these comments say its all about race.

Did you say the same thing about Joe Lieberman when he decided to support McCain?

How is Powell's support of Obama different from other prominent conservatives like Christopher Buckley, Kathleen Parker, Peggy Noonan, or others?

Hey, Powell is black. So, it's okay to distill the man down to his DNA and toss out his ability to think and make informed decisions.

Wow! That's ironic and kinda pathetic coming from other black Republicans. But isn't this how the Republican Party operates? There can be no deviation from accepted thought? Dare to have a different opinion and its off with one's head!

Joseph Stalin would be proud! He and Mao shared the same view. Support the Party unflinchingly or your dead, literally or figuratively.

This is why the GOP is in trouble. Whether you folks want to understand it or not. There is more diverse thought in the Democratic Party.

A few months ago, some Democrats were angry at Obama over his FISA vote. They stood up to him and demanded explanation. He gave them one. It wasn't what they wanted but there was a difference of opinion.

The liberal Republicans were forced out and now the moderate Republicans are being forced out.

Good luck with that. See where it gets you.

c'est moi said...

fascinating discussion!

I am neither democrat or republican-- I find the labels to be limiting and unrealistic representatives of my views. I find the two party system entirely unhealthy, out of touch and dismissive of the variety of political thought/position in America.

I am voting for obama. I agree with his ideas about having a system in place where all americans serve our country in some capacity. I also love the idea of giving higher taxes to the wealthy. I support regulations of big business and keeping jobs on american soil.

I’ve done my best to ignore the outrageous tactics and simply concentrate on parsing through mccain’s policies—but have found, I simply can not ignore mccain's ‘policies’ on paper without looking at his ‘policies’ in practice. with that said, I absolutely find the mccain campaign’s tactics vile, immoral and some of the most destructive, anti-american, home-grown terrorist behavior I’ve ever seen in my life.

i'm glad i found your site, because i've been wondering if there are some republicans out there that feel that their party has been hijacked by right-wing racist terrorists (because, let's face it, that's what's happening here). i'm glad to see there are sites like this -- although, you ARE black republicans, so it’s to be expected that you will speak about the absurd shenanigans of your party, right? You’ll agree, I assume, that clearly, many of their recent tactics are based on racism.

I imagine that there are none of you who disagree that there have been some very ugly sh*t being done in the name of mccain, right? -- and it's not enough to say, "it's people 'within' the party that are doing the heinous acts, not mccain himself." you know that's garbage-- mccain allows it. he and palin have had opportunity after opportunity to nip that racist-anti-muslim-obama-is-a-terrorist crap in the bud and they haven't. why? because they know it will benefit their campaign by appealing to the element of american society that hate black people, muslims, etc. whatever is deemed 'non-american' enough and 'different' will fuel that american element to come charging out with their rifles and nooses crying 'kill him!'

seriously, the first time a supporter cried out in the rally "kill him!" should have been the last time that kind of behavior was tolerated by their campaign. these cries should be unapologetically silenced immediately by both mccain and palin. and by the rest of america, actually!

their tactics of racial division, fear mongering and race bating appeals to this nation's basest elements in society - which ultimately takes the political discourse away from the important things: the candidates’ policies.

I can't abide the hypocrisy of the mccain/republican campaign. their disgusting claim of religious/moral righteousness disgusts me. cherry-picking their way through the christian bible to suit their political beliefs is appalling. I’m sure there are christians out there that feel their religion has been hijacked too.

I’m curious of non-white republicans if you feel afraid when you go to your party’s conventions—particularly in states where they don’t play the political correctness game. I wonder where you are in a line at a rally like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPg0VCg4AEQ&eurl

What actions (I wonder of any republican from any ethnicity, gender, sexuality) will you take to stop the antics in which republicans continue along this immoral road in your name?

finally, colin powell is brave. simply stated, the man is brave for daring to speak openly about his beliefs and for his endorsement of obama. he kept his republican party, yes-- and THAT, for the first time in my life, makes me wonder whether or not I could have some republican in me. i am interested now, like i've never been, in the republican party because of powell. it's the bravery of people like powell, who dare to live honestly -- regardless of what political affiliations he has that inspires me.

integrity, man.

it simply doesn't belong to 'one party'. intergrity is in the person. powell demonstrates that. obama demonstrates that. mccain & palin don't.

anyway, like I said. i'm not a republican. i'm not a democrat. i'm voting for obama. and I know some of you will vote for him too.

peace out & let’s keep discussing!
-c'est moi.