Powell Endorses Obama

Colin Powell formally endorsed Barak Obama today for President of the United States. In seven minutes on Meet the Press, unleashing a volley of clear, concise, and blunt language, Powell eloquently and methodically divorced himself from the wayward, ever increasingly xenophobic and racist GOP.

He was honest and direct and respectful of both candidates and spoke from the heart. He spoke well of Obama but it seemed that his statement was just as much a rebuke of the Republican Party than of an endorsement.

He mentioned the Ayers diversion: "I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

On the Palin Pick: "I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of vice president... that raised some question in mind mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made."

On the GOP in general: "It has moved more to the right than I would like to see it." "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower."

To me the most important and poignant portion of his statement was when broaching the issue of Islam in America: On some senior Republican Party members who "drop the suggestion that [Obama] is a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists": "What if he is [a Muslim]? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no, that's not America." And then he eloquently told the story of Kareem Rashad Sultan Kahn.

As a liberal Democrat, I would like to think that had Colin Powell ever made the run for the White House, I would have voted for him without hesitation. My respect for him is limitless...