Powell endorses Obama
Shocker. To no one. Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama this morning. The man who coined the phrase “compassionate conservative” (hinting that the rest of us are not compassionate), the man who made the biggest military blunder in recent history by arguing against taking Baghdad in 1991, the man who made the second biggest military blunder in recent history by advising withdrawal from Mogadishu in 1993 is endorsing Barack Obama.
In 1991, Hussein couldn’t have defended Baghdad against the US, and one of the reasons it would have been a cake walk is because the world hadn’t seen us leave Somalia with our tails between our legs yet – the act that bon Laden admits encouraged him to attack us.
Powell said he remains a Republican…but I’d like to know how he (and the rest of the recent turncoats) can justify that. Powell went on to defend Obama from the charges that his policies are socialist…Powell just proved he’s not a Republican. It brought to mind a post I read last week on Baldilocks about being on the “right side of history” – another socialist concept.
Michelle Malkin agrees that it’s all a big yawn and calls it a “Triumph of Hope Over Reality”.
All of these northeast Republicans (who are mostly a popcorn fart away from being Limousine liberals anyway) jumping ship is not news. They’ve been uncomfortable with the concept of being associated with grassroots Conservatives since Reagan, and they’ve been looking for an excuse to jump ship that makes them look good in the media anyway. What could make them look better than voting for the affirmative action candidate?
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Politics
The General and I have one thing in common. we both retired from Active Service on the same day. 30 September 1993. Of course my career in Naval Aviation Maintenance was not as long and illustrious as the good General’s. But I do have 5 Navy Good Conduct Medals. And the my squadronmates and I kept those Attack Aircraft flying over the years. We just showed up and did our jobs.
BTW, Colin Powell got a flyover and a gun salute and all that gushy crap from Billy Jeff. I got a handshake and a good luck. Well there was the Legal Officers in VAQ-129 and VA-128 who, 1. Tried to keep me on active service for another two years as a Restriction Barracks Petty Officer(I was good at fixing broken sailors). 2. A hug and a kiss goodbye. But other than that, it was an immediate transition to the private sector and changing oil and exhaust repair. I guess it was a different world for both of us at the time. He got to hob-nob with the elite and powerful and I went to work fixing cars. But my values and whom I choose to support in the upcoming election are no less important than those of a Retired Four Star General. If he chooses to endorse a known communist rabble-rouser, it is his choice. But I am sure that alot of those grunts he led in Vietnam are rethinking their views about the man. And it’s theose grunts that were part of his rise to Chairman of The Joint Chiefs and ultimately Secretary of State. As of this announcement, THIS OLD RETIRED PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS has lost any and all respect for the man. Should I meet him, only Military Courtesy will apply.
You know Jonn, I’m beginning to think this is a good thing. Expose the “elite” republicans to the light of day and clear them from our roster – Noonan, Brooks, Powell, Parker and the like. We need more room for more Joe the Plumbers and Sarah Palins in our party…
‘Tis not a shock to me. It’s been rumered about the Net. In fact, I thought it was to be later today, on “60 Minutes”. So when I saw the Yahoo News blurb today, that he did it this morning, I had to make an UPDATE to my blog.
And thanks Robin, for your comment. I like that way of looking at it.
Gentle hugs,
Miss Mari-Nanci
In The Mind Of A Grandmother
And I salute you, GM Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET! Damn straight, I salute you!
And I don’t think this endorsement will go far to convince today’s military men and women. >,-)
Gentle hugs,
Miss Mari-Nanci
In The Mind Of A Grandmother
Hey, where did my next comment go???
I saluted GM Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET.
And said that I didn’t think that this endorsement would go far to convince today’s military, either. >,-)
Miss Mari-Nanci
In The Mind Of A Grandmother
Jonn,
I believe you missed some other significant Colon Powell blunders. IIRC he also backed the original plan to invade Kuwait only on a narrow front, directly toward Kuwait City, push the Iraqi to the northern border and then stop. Hey diddle diddle, straight up the middle! Such an expected and unsophisticated advance into prepared Iraqi positions, probably would have produced the much anticipated thousands of body bags. The wide flanking maneuver originated when “Idiot Cheney” demanded that DOD go back and come up with something better – and they did. In Viet Nam, on his second tour, he was not given a command, but was used as a staff officer for Americal; in that position, he served on the My Lai investigation panel. That panel had two palusible alternatives, either to successfully cover up the incident, or to pursue an effective investigation, identifying and punishing any and all guilty parties thus preempting the media attempts to turn it into a scandal. Powell and his commission screwed the pooch getting the worst aspects of both options and the best of neither. Powell’s main virtues were, to borrow from Biden, that he was “clean and articulate”. So of course we find one affirmative action “success” endorsing another.
All those “conservatives” and “republicans” that say they’ll vote for O’Bama aren’t Conservatives OR Republicans.
They never were.
“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek neither your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you.
May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” – Samuel Adams
@Robin–No I think what we really need is to purge our ranks of the Sarah Palin’s, Michelle Malkins, Rush Limbaughs and the rest of the far right gang who have completely disgraced our beloved party and use people like Brooks, Will, and Buckley to show people our party are not a group of racists, homophobes, and bigots which is the impression they now have. Its the fringe who have turned off most Americans.
PS–General Powell did the smart thing not going to Baghdad in 91′. Look what going to Baghdad actually accomplished. Nothing. It has set the country back at least 20 or more years. This is why liberalism is going to pounce in this election.
Jonn wrote: Yeah, sorry but what happened in Baghdad the last few years wouldn’t have happened in 1991. That’s kind of the whole point, if you’d paid attention. We need to purge the party of the RINOs…the Liberal Country Club Republicans.
Samuel Adams is one of my heroes. Amen and the beer named after him is great.
Really so what would have happened in Iraq the last few years if it wasnt for RINO’s? You really believe victory would have been achieved? Bush 41 was a big time country club Republican and his son is not. The reason there has been no victory in Iraq and wont be is because the occupation of an Arab country is insane. How long has Israel been in Palestine? Over thirty years and still nothing except the radicalizing of the occupied which is what has happened in Iraq since 2003. Reagen knew that too and thats why he got out of Lebanon. The military solution is not working. Not now and it would not have worked in 91. The coalition would have crumbled very much the same way if they went to Baghdad. Bush 41 and Powell did the smart thing. Bush 43 did not.
Jonn wrote: And this is your professional military assessment based on your years of military service? This springs from your on-the-ground assessment of Iraq in 1991? Funny, I didn’t see you while I was standing on the banks of the Euphrates in 1991.
What were you a private?
Jonn wrote: What were you a grade schooler? If you don’t start filling out your information correctly when you make a comment, I’m going to leave your email in public view. I’m not going to protect your information if you can’t read hard words lie “name”, “email” and “URL” and put the information in the proper place…and then insult me, too.
Why would you assume I never served as well? Because I dont see the military option as practical or sustainable especially when dealing with international terrorism?
Yet another reason why most Republicans have defected to the left. The party has truly become too narrow and now stocks its ranks with a fringe element. Im voting Obama.
And @Robin–More Palins and Plumbers? Palin is a disgrace. She lost this campaign for us.
Jonn wrote: “Us”? Who do you think you’re fooling with that?
By the way, I left your email public this time, anyone can roll the cursor over your “Anonymous” and see your email address in the bar at the bottom of the browser. Enjoy your hate mail.
“Reagen knew that too and thats why he got out of Lebanon.”
It’s R-E-A-G-A-N!
I always use that address because its not real. So I guess if you and the rest of the morons here want to piss into the wind be my guest. Doesnt mean I wont be thinking of a lawsuit for making confidentional info public. Youre really not supposed to do that but its to be expected from people with your kind of mentality. If someone doenst agree with you, you turn into four year olds in the sandbox. Reason 6,000, 485, 000 why you are going to lose this election.
Its nice to know that my misspelling of a word takes away from the substance of my argument but then again your wacked fringe conservatives. You have no substance.
Jonn wrote: No, goofball, you’re the moron for not putting the right information in the right box. Your argument has no substance because you lied from the git. You’re no veteran, you’re no Republican. You’re just another bozo astroturfer. Have fun with that…elsewhere.
Well, I USED to like powell…UNTIL TODAY!!!!!
I heard this TRAITOROUS news while driving home today FROM MY ARMY RESERVE DRILL WEEKEND!!!!!
How dare he DISHONOR and INSULT those of us who are REAL Veterans and SOLDIERS!!!!!
So what’s next for powell, honorary membership in the vfp and the ivaw?????
Unless powell REPENTS of this immoral decision, I hope he rots in hell!!!!!
Why would you send me hate mail? Because I dont like Palin? I dont. I feel like she brought down the ticket and is too far to the right for her own good. Second of all she was found to have abused her power and is guilty of ethics violations. All the BS about the trooper threatening her and her family was also found to be BS by the bi partisan (10 Republicans and four Democrats) committee. I dont want this woman being in a position to run the country. McCain had far better choices than Palin. Im sorry it bothers you that a registered Republican is turned off by the ticket this year.
TSO: Read it again numbskull. Or rather, just read it. It stated no such thing.
Anonymous: You’re as much of a Republican as I am a Democrat. Of course, you’re believing everything the Obama MSM is writing about Troopergate, which is as phony as Plamegate (another non-scandal). By the way. That was Colin Powell’s deputy, Richard Armitage, who was the leaker. Powell did nothing to help bring the truth to light. I remember a San Francisco talk show host back in 2000 saying Powell would stab Bush in the back the first chance he got. He did, as soon as he left office. Now the party that gave Powell so much gets the stab and the middle-finger.
One thing I notice about Powell and all these other phony Republicans like anonymous is Sarah Palin. Somehow, I don’t think it’s because she’s too far right, I think some fear a stong, self-made woman.
The Powell endorsement will mean almost nothing as far as generating new voters for Obama. Putting aside the fact that he insulted our intelligence by circumventing the real reason he’s endorsing him and he’s insulting men and women who are in the military and proudly have served by endorsing the anti-military candidate who blurbed a book for a guy that bombed the building where he once worked instead of endorsing the disabled vet military hero who stood tall for our soldiers when it was unpopular to do so. How many additional black voters will Obama get because of the Powell endorsement. Most are already voting for Obama. Conservatives won’t change their minds, and as far as I’m concerned there aren’t any real “undecided” voters. They’re just “I’m not telling you who I’m voting for” voters. The MSM will have us believe that his endorsement is significant but it really isn’t in the least bit.
trollin trollin trollin… Why do these Massingales always think they can pass themselves off as Republicans?
I lost my respect for Powell after hearing about the friction between him and Stormin Normin. This announcement came as about as big a shock as the announcement that Clay Akin is gay. (this was news?…well maybe to TSO).
Hey, Jonn, I was on the 5th grade Safety Patrol during Desert Storm, so I think I know a little something about whether or not it was a good idea to go all the way to Baghdad in ’91! Shut up, youse.
On a serious note, I am pretty disapointed in the Republicans for a variety of reasons, but I got an idea for a group blog after the election, I’ll send you and TSO an email SEPCOR.
I don’t think most Republicans/conservatives who’ve jumped ship are sacrificing their beliefs or trying to be on the “right side of history.” I think they’ve concerned about the state and tactics of both McCain’s campaign and the GOP. I view it as an indicitment against rather than support for (at least, that’s the position I’ve taken of late).
The only way to be able to tell who is still on our (yes, our) side is to see who effusively supports Obama if he starts screwing up, and who’s willing to call him on it despite having supported/endorsed/voted for him.
Powell’s endorsement does give me pause, but I guess loyalty to the party that promoted his career and advancement is not his strong suit. Obama lost his mantle of change once he added Biden to his ticket. Meet the new boss; same as the old boss. Liberal policies have never worked, and never will.
Lonsberry wrote a great commentary on Powell’s endorsement:
COLIN POWELL’S ENDORSEMENT
I’m in agreement with most of you here that this is no surprise. Powell is/was a RINO.
Methinks JoeSixSixSix/Anonymous is an Obama digital brown shirt…
Nobody that I know who’s a conservative (and doesn’t like McCain) would vote for Obama because he’s a radical socialist. Joe the Plumber got Obama to spill the beans. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
GM Cassel, thank you for your service — as well as all you fine folks who served. Gen. Powell’s endorsement means next to nothing. Imagine how an endorsement by Condi Rice 15 years from now for some random Marxist would play. It would be the same as this situation.
*yawn*
as a former marine and viet nam vet i honor gen powells service to america.but he dishonors his name because he is afraid of two words.//uncle tom//he thinks if he went with sen. mccain he would be trashed by black america till the day he died.the thing that obama and powell do thats not right is they take black americans for granted.do you ever see them in all black area.no.as a marine and retired auto worker i served and worked with good hard working black americans who think and judge others with there brains no matter what there color.powell and obama take for granted that black america will vote for them because they are black. thats a insult to good hard working black americans.
Powell’s endorsement of Obama doesn’t surprise me, nor will it make an iota of difference in the fact that 98% of the military–across the board– (officers, NCOs, enlisted) prefer Republicans over Democrats for one simple reason: We know damned well which party appreciates us. Carter, Clinton, Murtha, Durbin, and the rest of the Dem assclowns, have proven beyond all doubt, that they have absolutely no respect for the military. Except when they wag-the-dog.
I surfed over to “Knee deep in the Hooah” http://www.kneedeepinthehooah.com/2008/10/20/is-this-the-unity-that-powell-talked-about/ and saw a great list to put this in perspective.
Those who have endorsed or publicly supported Obama for President:
Illinois Communist Party
Communist Party USA
Muslim Americans for Obama
Muslim American Society
New Black Panther Party
Hamas
Qadhafi
Fidel Castro
Al Sharpton
Socialist Party USA
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
George Soros
Michael Moore
Bill Ayers
Jane Fonda
Al Gore
John Kerry
Daniel Ortega
Tony Resko
ACORN
CNN
NBC
MSNBC
Jodi Evans (fundraiser for terrorists)
Colin Powell
to quote Frank
Nuff Said.
Brent: thank you for your service and you put your finger on the pulse of why Powell’s endorsement has upset people more than usual. He could have voted for Obama, he could have given the Obama campaign donations, he could have done a lot of things. He chose to endorse Obama but he did it only after Obama was ahead in the polls and a couple weeks away from voting day. I, for one, couldn’t care less if Powell votes for Obama simply because he is black nor would I care if whites voted for McCain simply because he is white. Everybody has their own reasons and a right to vote. I do care that Powell’s endorsement, at this late hour, suggests and can logically be judged as an opportunistic endorsement of the “black candidate” simply because the other candidate, except for the color of his skin, mirrors Powell in military experience, political experience and ideology and party membership,and Obama, it could be argued, is more “anti-military” with associations with a guy that bombed the Pentagon. Speaking for myself, that’s why I was so upset about it. It gave the appearance that he didn’t have the guts to endorse him earlier “everybody else be damned” and he’s endorsing him because he is black and Powell, being black, can enhance or rehabilitate his political capital and speaking prices. That’s not the kind of bravery I would expect from a General, even a political savvy one. I would have had more respect, or better phrased kept the level I respect I had for him if he did what the rest of us will do and walk into the voting booth and vote for whomever he wishes.
“And Robin “More Palins and Plumbers? Palin is a disgrace. She lost
this campaign for us.
Jonn wrote: “Us”? Who do you think you’re fooling with that?”
“By the way, I left your email public this time,”
____________________
Ha! Good move Jonn! 🙂 Doing a google search on his AOL username
reveals he sure is no Republican! I just LOVE exposing these Democrats
masquerading as Republicans.
When exposed, he tries to lie: “I always use that address because its
not real.”
Ha! The google search reveals that this “not real” username/address has
been used to post on at least two AOL message boards, and also brings
up his amazon page.