Many people were shocked to find out that Colin Powell has now endorsed Senator Barack Obama. According to multiple sources including The Wall Street Journal article "Powell Endorses Obama, Reflecting Fractures in GOP", this shows that there is a "fracture" in the GOP. Colin Powell being a secretary of state under president Bush, stated his criticism of Palin stating that he does not believe she is ready to be president. This being said is probably one of many reason why he is now endorsing Obama.
Powell's endorsement of Obama was said by McCain not to surprising. Although Obama has now received Powell's endorsement along with many others, McCain made sure to mention that he has many other endorsements from "four former secretaries of state, well over 200 retired generals and admirals." However, McCain still does admire and respect Powell even after the endorsement of Obama.
Over the past week many conservatives have begun to endorse Obama. Some of these include Michael Smerconish (radio talk-show host), Christopher Buckley (conservative columnist), and William F. Buckley (son of the National Review founder). Also for the first time ever, the Chicago Tribune has now endorsed Democrat Senator Obama, the first democrat to be endorsed in 161 year history of the Chicago Tribune.These many endorsements just come to show that many important people, including Republicans are now supporting Obama and his campaign.
This is an extremely important election that is getting not only the elderly and middle aged peoples attention but also the attention of young adults who, as we have seen in the past have not been very active in presidential elections or getting out there to vote. The many endorsements and the articles that have been all over the different news papers, Internet, and TV have now gotten peoples attention.
I have already made up my mind as to who I would be voting for and after watching the debates and hearing the endorsements, I am very proud to say that I am supporting Barack Obama! I was also very happy to read that Obama has declared that if he is elected to office that Powell will be offered to be one his advisers as stated in the article "Obama: Powell Will have role in administration" (MyFox Washington DC). This is not only a great idea but will be very helpful to Obama in office since Powell has such a long and large amount of experience.
Questions:
Does having a specific person such as Colin Powell endorse a campaign, does that then change your opinion of the other person running?
Do you think that Powell endorsing Obama has in fact created a "fracture" in the GOP?
Do the people who endorse the candidates make or break who you would vote for?
What is your opinion of Palin's readiness to becoming president?
What is your opinion of the President having bi-partisan advisers?
8 comments:
Honestly, I couldn’t care less about endorsements, especially Washington insiders like Colin Powell. I know he said it wasn’t about race, but this begs the question how many white, liberal, Democrats exactly has Powell supported? He hasn’t supported any. Instead, he does it now after suggesting for nine months that he might support Obama, only seeking to do maximum damage to McCain’s campaign.
Most people respect Powell and I include myself in that category, but I don’t see this endorsement as being important at all. For a man that sat on information that Richard Armitage was the source for Robert Novak and let I. Lewis Libby burn, I don’t see why I could see this as important. He fought Cheney many times and leaked information from the Bush administration to the media through Armitage and others. So, I’m not a fan of Powell as you might expect, so this endorsement means little to me. Powell also endorsed going to war in Iraq. I expect that Democrats will keep this fully in mind when they talk about how great his endorsement for Obama is.
He said Gov. Palin has little ability to lead as president if something were to happen. Though he had full access if he wished for it, he never met her once before making his decision. Probably the only thing he went by were the cut up interviews done by the left wing hacks that are out there.
Bottom line, either way, if an endorsement by anyone swings your vote one way or another, you need to have your head examined.
I think having the support of a well respected and experienced political figure such as Colin Powell will definitely help Obama's campaign. I don't think it would really change my opinion of the other candidate; it just means that Powell is pulled towards one candidate over another, just as everyone else is. It really doesnt make a difference in the way that I vote, but it very well may have an effect on how other people vote. Something like endorsers may be the last straw in making a decision that is so hard as picking our next President.
I fully agree with Powell that Sarah Palin is not ready to become president. Not that she is up for that spot, but if she was put into that position, I just cant see her being ready. This is partially why I am so against the Republican party this election. It really scares me that someone like that is even considered to take the place of Vice President of our country. This probably had a lot to do with why Powell would side with Obama, along with his policies.
The people who endorse candidates dont have too much of an affect on who I pick to vote for. I am already decided on Obama for president, but I would base that decision on his policies rather than what political figures endorse him. Dont get me wrong, it says a lot about his campaign, having people stand behind him.
First off I would like to respond to what Robin had to say. I don’t think race has much to do with Powell’s endorsement of Obama. Simply because Powell hasn’t supported any other white Democrats means that he is supporting Obama because of his race? I am sure there were plenty of other factors that helped him make his decision. What if is just tired of the Republican Party and how the last 4 years have turned out? Powell is a well educated and highly respected man and I think for him to endorse Obama simply because of race would be foolish.
As for Palin, I am sure that Powell’s impression of Palin’s ability to lead as president was not shaped simply from the media. Once again Powell is a well educated man and to make an assumption like this off of the media alone is unlikely. I know personally after watching the VP debate my views on Palin’s intelligence changed in a positive direction; however this still does not mean I think she is capable of running the country. Powell could have looked at her record in Alaska and other materials to form his assessment of her abilities. Had Powell met Palin I don’t think he would have gained any substantial evidence to change his assessment. I feel he would only get a feel of her personality and not her readiness to lead the country. Overall I think the assumption that Powell thinks Palin is not ready for the VP slot based on how the media portrays her is an unfair assumption.
As for Ally’s questions, I do not think Powell’s endorsement would have changed my opinion even if I was in the middle. Who I vote for is a personal decision that I have made on my own. It is not a decision that anyone else has helped me form (not even family and friends). I do think that people who know less about the candidate and are less educated might be swayed by a celebrity endorser though so maybe Powell’s endorsement will help someone else make a choice. “Fracture”? I don’t think so. I think that everyone in Washington is so stubborn I think that Powell’s choice will hardly affect much. And for the bi-partisan advisers, I think this is a good idea.
Knowing that Colin Powell endorses Obama is more of just an interesting fact, but does not have any affect in the way I will vote. I can understand how in some cases it may help for some people who are not as educated on politics or still undecided. These people use celebrities or important political figures to help their decision because they feel that the figure is who they may associate themselves with knows what is better for this country. Even for the undecided it may be that extra push towards one candidate. If the person is well educated on the stands of the candidates then having any celebrity endorsement should not help out in any way. To be honest no one should be affected in any way by other people’s choices, since the celebrity may not be in the same conditions they are or may have different views then they do.
As far as Palin’s readiness to become president it is irrelevant right now since she is not even ready to be VP in my opinion. She is one of the reasons why I am proud to be democratic and would probably move to another country if she would be elected as president.
It is nice to know what icons or important figures back up certain parties, but all I see it as is another interesting fact. It doesn’t change my opinion at all since most of them are living a better life then I am and not going threw the same problems I am going threw like how I’m broke and hardly able to afford college. I feel that I am the only one who can make the decisions I make and I make them according to how the candidates stand on certain issues that will affect my life in a dramatic way.
I think having the endorsement of Colin Powell will do great for Obama when election day comes. This gives those voters who are still undecided another reason to vote for him. Having the full support of a republican secretary of state, whom has been respected for years would help any democratic candidate. Besides individual votes don't matter much those who have the ability to sway large populations do, Powell will do this.
Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama doesn't really change my opinion of McCain, though it does reassure my thoughts of Palin as someone who is not ready for the position of vice president. I don't mean that she is not capable but she is certainly not ready now. It is hard to except that some one is ready for a position in which they don't know their duty. Though endorsements don't shape my decision in which way I will vote, I believe a bi-partisan adviser will give great strength to Obama's case for president.
I agree with Elaine; I don’t think Powell’s endorsement of Obama was based on race. He said it couple of times on the interview “if that [race] was the reason for my endorsement I would have done it months ago.” He admitted that it is a historic moment – Obama, the first African American, to be the president of the U.S. But shouldn’t all Americans be proud of this event? I think we should, this is what change is all about. We need more people like Powell who utilize their knowledge, experience and judgments in making good decisions. People have the right to change their mind and disagree on ideas that they don’t believe in; actually they should, otherwise they worsen the situation.
I think he gave a very strong statement about the whole situation in this campaign and touched core issues that most voters would have needed more information about in order to make their mind. One example is McCain’s decision of picking Sara Palin as a VP. I don’t think Palin is ready for the job. I think the main reason for McCain to pick Palin was to gain more women voters (possibly Hilary’s supporters.)
For Obama to have an endorsement from a well respected man like Colin Powell is great and if I were to vote for McCain I would have had a second thought.
And finally I think having advisors from both parties will be a great advantage for the president as well as the country.
Former Bush press secretary (Scott McClellan) backs Obama.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/24/AR2008102400704.html
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