Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
It's possible. It all really depends on how bad this economic debacle gets and how effective, assuming Obama is elected, he is at managing this issue, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Powell endorses Obama
- Thread starter Onceler
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Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Well actually he is as is McCain. You weren't listening to what he said. The Republican party has taken things to far to the right. To the point that what they call "conservatives" are in fact reactionaries. McCain and Powel are by no means moderates.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
No, but they do listen to informed persons, such as Powel, and weigh their reasoning with their own. It probably goes a long ways towards reasuring people that they have made the right decision as opposed to convincing them to go one way or the other.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Not true. You're being obtuse and don't understand the differance between radicals, liberals, moderates, conservatives and reactionaries. To call a conservative in the most reactionary administration in modern history "liberal" is one by comparison only. Hell Richard Nixon would be liberal compared to Bushco.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
I don't think Powel was intending to reach anyone or persuade anyone. He was simply explaining his reasons for voting for Obama and was very clear about that.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Well said. This is less a ringing endorsement of Obama than a rejection of the extremist right wing orthodoxy of the modern Republican party.
Socrtease
Verified User
As would Goldwater.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
I agree and I'm excited about it. The USA got off to a bad start in the 21st century by electing a Reactionary administration. Not only is Obama being a transformational figure important to me but the fact that he's of my generation (were the same age) and represents so well my generation excites me too.
In a way I feel bad for the Vietnam generation. As during the war, they still get political short shrift and it feels like their generation was passed by from the WWII/Korean generation to my generation.
Socrtease
Verified User
True. There have only been two boomer presidents. Compare that to the WWII generation presidents. I guess they are what Brokaw called Greatest Generation.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
LOL Now that would be pushing the Envelope! LOL Goldwater is the modern father of the Republican party. It's decent into extremism can pretty much be traced back to him.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
and neither boomer President served in Vietnam.
wasn't that so great? i don't have any admiration for powell, but large swaths of the population do. and i have so enjoyed watching the R's squirm today. i laugh every time i remember how many r's told me over the years that they would love it if powell ran for president.
i agree, and a lot of editorial pages have mentioned her when making their endorsements.
don't divert. this was not an endorsement to sway liberals. this hits you right in your guts. R's, especially military R's and centrist R's hold Powell in high esteem.
you're both wrong. chuck todd had mentioned right after the r convention that if you talked to the mondale people they would tell you that the week after the ferraro pick, was the only week they thought they could win. two weeks later, ferraro had become a liability.
the intial blush of palin, gave him a bump in the polls. first, don't forget obama was leading going into the convetions. second, once americans saw palin on the national stage, and in interviews, she became a huge liability. why are you ignoring her current and prior poll number?
why are you all ignoring her prior and current poll numbers?
there is only one possible reason: you want to let mccain off the hook. you want to pretend that this was out of his control. you are wrong.
in fact, it has been bush who has been let off the hook by the palin pick, and also by how mccain has run his campaign.
and also, in your rush to defend johnny, don't forget this - barack obama has run a nearly flawless and incredible campaign.
i know we'd love to leave that out.
he's a staunch republican.
he's not a democrat. he's not a liberal
he's a life-long, staunch republican.
period.
Annie
Not So Junior Member
I think that maybe unfair. I remember reading something by Powell when I was in college, a long time ago. He wasn't a general yet, obviously. He was really writing about what he thought kids in the lower socioeconomic level needed and needed to believe. What was implied was discipline, of mind and body, not unusual from a military person. I think for a long time, he saw more of that being espoused by the GOP and went with it. Not so true for quite awhile and this was his way of reacting.
I think Obama's race may play a part, I think moreso where he stands right now in the polls and what Powell thinks the impact on his presidency may have on the youth.
I disagree that an Obama presidency will be good for the youth or any of us, but I wouldn't put nefarious motives upon Powell.
I don't think it was the fact of Powell "backing Bush's decision to go to war" that the Democrats were pissed about although I cannot speak for all of them.
For me, it was the fact that he gave a 45 minute presentation at the UN that was 100% false. He lied to the country and the world and provided the window-dressing for the war. He was not a passive backer of the war. He was one of the people responsible for actively spreading the lies that served as the basis for the war.
If he gets attacked by the right, I'm fine with it as long as it's not the "so a black guy is voting for the black guy" stuff.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
It certainly makes up for Zel Miller and Joe Leiberman's betrayals of the Democratic party.