Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

General Colin Powell, Bush's former Secretary of State and a moderate Republican, officially endorsed Barack Obama on Meet the Press Sunday morning. Here is part of what he said:

"So, when I look at all of this and I think back to my Army career, we've got two individuals, either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities--and we have to take that into account--as well as his substance--he has both style and substance--he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the world--onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."

Read the entire transcript here.

This news has started a tidal wave of discussion from both sides. Most Obama supporters (myself included) are excited about this endorsement, while many McCain supporters view it as a loss. This endorsement has brought about some controversy, however.

One article states that Powell's support of Obama actually hurts the Democrats because Powell's views are too conservative to help Obama out. I actually think that being endorsed by a Republican, and a former member of the Bush administration, is a huge testimony to Obama's ability to reach across party lines and attract a wide variety of support.

At the other end of the spectrum, there is Rush Limbaugh. I don't usually pay attention to Rush because I know it will only piss me off, but here is what he said:

"Okay. Transformational figure, that term is being thrown around as though messianic, all kinds of great new things, this change and so forth. Transformational can be bad as well. Why is Palin not transformational? Why is it only Obama? That proves, for the rest of you in the media, if you didn't hear it the first time, Powell, nomination of Obama is about race, R-A-C-E, it is about race, and you can quote me."

I'm not even going to go into that. Rush Limbaugh is just a jackass.

All in all, I do not believe that Powell's support of Obama is a "game-changer," as they say, but I don't think it hurts Obama. Colin Powell is a true war hero and patriot. I think he, like many others, acted on false information in initially going along with invading Iraq, but he has, in my eyes, redeemed himself. He was seemingly the lone opponent of the war in the first place, and tried to talk Bush out of going to war, but he was simply outnumbered. He has been called "The Reluctant Warrior" because of his preference of diplomacy over military action. In fact, his "test" for military involvement, known by some as the "Powell Doctrine," includes questions as to whether all other non-violent measures have been considered, whether there is a valid exit strategy, and whether military action is supported by the American people and the international community.

While some are saying that Powell's conservative views are more of a liability for Obama, my opinion is that he is just barely a Republican. My understanding is that Powell, a career military man, was a reluctant politician. He had to choose a party, and he chose the GOP. However, unlike most of his fellow Republicans, he is pro-choice, in favor of gun control, and supports rights for detainees. During his time as a member of the Bush administration, he often tangled with Cheney and Rumsfeld. Finally, in a move that makes me want to high five the old soldier, Powell repotedly called the neoconservatives in the Bush administration a bunch of "fucking crazies." He expressed concern in yesterday's interview that the Republican party was moving too far to the right, and that McCain's pick of Sarah Palin as his vice president was evidence of that.

For those of you who are tired of this election being about race and religion (think of all the "Obama's a Muslim" concerns) here is what General Powell had to say:

"I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America. I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that, within the party, we have these kinds of expressions."

So with all the buzz about the buzz surrounding the Powell endorsement, some are wondering if there is a spot in an Obama administration for the general. Obama said this morning that he would have a role in the administration. I think that serving under Obama would be the ultimate redemption for Colin Powell and the chance to make things right in Iraq.