Colin Powell: Endorsement of Obama Serves as Indictment of McCain

The endorsement of Obama by General Powell, a man consistently polled as one of the most respected public servants in the nation, is a major blow to the campaign of Senator John McCain. Since he entered the presidential race, McCain has used his military background, and experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, as validation of his fitness to serve as commander-in-chief. In touting his military service the McCain campaign also sought to lay claim to 'patriotism' as a central theme of his run for the White House; choosing 'country first' as the senator’s rallying cry. Colin Powell’s support of Senator Obama is the equivalent of a political checkmate. The generals sterling history of service to the nation, and his standing among both political parties, now serve to diminish the claim by the McCain campaign that only the Republican candidate has the ability to lead the nation militarily. Powell’s endorsement has now allowed Obama to effectively take McCain on in an area long considered to be the Arizonans stronghold. Long a moderate voice in his party and someone who has served in Republican and Democratic administrations, Powell found himself isolated during his tenure as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. His advocacy for a diplomatic solution to the impasse with Sadaam Hussein was in stark contrast to the militaristic minded hawks of the administration, including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and then National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice. His appearance before the U.N. Security Council, during which he unknowingly presented faulty intelligence in making the case for military intervention in Iraq, was a personal blow to Powell and provided the catalyst for his decision to leave the administration after Bushs' first term. Although he publicly supported the use of force in Iraq, it has been revealed that Secretary Powell took issue with the administration’s decision to go to war and was offended by his ill-advised presentation at the U.N. While one could have gathered leading up to Sunday’s Meet the Press broadcast that Powell would speak positively of Senator Obama, it was unknown whether the Powell would give a formal endorsement. I gather that no one could have predicted the strength of General Powell’s statement. In actuality, it was much more than an endorsement, it was a manifesto. Powell took great pains to take on his own party, citing his displeasure that the Republican Party has shifted so far to the right. He expressed his concern that a McCain presidency could result in the appointment of two more conservative judges to the United States Supreme Court. He specifically sighted the Illinois Senator's steady and attentive response to the nation’s economic crisis and the disjointed nature of the response of Senator McCain. The most damning aspect of General Powell’s comments was his criticism of the McCain campaign’s use of divisive tactics. He specifically expressed displeasure over the manner in which Senator McCain has used former Weather Underground member William Ayers as a proxy for terrorists and the attempts to make Senator Obama guilty by association. General Powell thoroughly discounted the Ayers connection and suggested that McCain had made a grievous error in focusing on a person the Republican candidate called 'a washed up terrorist', while the nation was beset with an economic crisis. To date it was the strongest renunciation of the McCain campaign’s tactics and served to further shine a negative light on his candidacy with just two weeks remaining until the election. The generals critique was so pointed it could easily serve as an Obama ad in the closing days of the campaign. Colin Powell did not stop at admonishing the McCain campaign for its tactics. He took issue with Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, suggesting that the Alaska governor was not ready to serve as should, she be required to if Senator McCain was elected and was subsequently incapacitated. Coming as it did the morning after Governor Palin’s appearance on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, the rebuke was a stark reminder that despite the comedic turns of a campaign, the responsibilities of the Oval Office warrant real consideration of an individuals fitness to serve. For the McCain campaign, General Powell delivered a double blow. Firstly in choosing Senator Obama over the military veteran and secondly in questioning Senator McCain’s judgment in selecting Governor Palin as his running mate. It was perhaps the most damning development that could have occurred for the McCain camp in the closing days of the campaign.