[Rhodes22-list] POLITICAL- Is the Powell Endorsement Important for Us?

[Brad Haslett]

Ben,

Hitler had the Pope's blessing.

Tell me, in your own words, why "spread the wealth" is a good idea.

Brad

On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 2:35 PM, Ben Cittadino <bcittadino at dcs-law.com> wrote:
>
> The latest from CNN confirms both my reaction to the endorsement and some of
> what Herb and Brad have said about Powells advisory capacity to Obama even
> before the endorsement.  But isn't that reassuring.  Apparently Obama is
> looking to Powell for advice, and Ayers?, not so much.
> CNN-
> "Colin Powell's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama was as much a rejection of
> the Republican Party and Sen. John McCain's campaign as an embrace of the
> Democratic presidential nominee, political analysts said Monday.
> Colin Powell may have given voice to moderates unhappy with the GOP ticket,
> an analyst says.
>  Syndicated columnist David Sirota said Monday that the Powell endorsement
> was a troubling sign for McCain as his campaign enters its final weeks.
> "The repudiation of John McCain by such a high-profile Republican certainly
> hurts John McCain," he said.
> David Gergen, a CNN senior political analyst who has advised the last four
> presidents, said the Powell endorsement may give voice to "disillusioned"
> moderate Republicans disappointed by the negativity of the McCain campaign.
> "They've been muttering about [it], but they were afraid to give voice to,
> and he came out and said it, in a way," Gergen said.
> Powell's endorsement may also sway some voters who were hesitant to vote for
> Obama because they felt he was not ready to be the nation's commander in
> chief, said Bill Schneider, a CNN senior political analyst.  Watch panel
> debate impact of Powell's endorsement »
> "It was extremely reassuring for this experienced military leader, a
> general, someone who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was
> secretary of state, to endorse Barack Obama and say, 'His world experience,
> his commitment and knowledge of national security are fine. You can vote for
> him without those kinds of reservations,' " Schneider said
>  And CNN contributor Alex Castellanos, a Republican strategist, said "Colin
> Powell ... is a warm glass of milk and a cookie for those voters who have a
> hard time going to sleep at night."
> On Monday, Obama said Powell would advise him if he becomes president.
> "He's already served in that function, even before he endorsed me," Obama
> told NBC. "Whether he wants to take a formal role, whether there's something
> that's a good fit for him, I think is something that he and I would have to
> discuss."
> Powell, a former secretary of state for President Bush as well as a former
> chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said Sunday he decided, in part, to
> back Obama because he was troubled by the rightward direction the Republican
> party had taken in recent years.
> Powell told NBC's Tom Brokaw that he was troubled by the McCain campaign's
> attempts to associate Obama with former '60s radical William Ayers and some
> within the Republican Party -- but not McCain -- were making the assertion
> that Obama is "closet" Muslim.
> "On the Republican side, over the last seven weeks, the approach of the
> Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower," said
> Powell.
> In contrast, Obama's "inclusive" approach that crosses "ethnic lines, racial
> lines, generational lines" is what the nation needs right now, he said.
> Powell said he made his choice to back Obama after watching both
> presidential candidates' reactions to the financial crisis that has gripped
> credit markets in recent weeks.
> Calling the crisis a "final exam," Powell said he found McCain "a little
> unsure as how to deal with the economic problems that we were having, and
> almost every day, there was a different approach to the problem."
> "That concerned me," Powell added.
> After Powell's announcement, McCain told FOX News he considered Powell and
> himself "longtime friends" and that he respected him, but that the
> endorsement of his rival did not come as a surprise.
> "I'm also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of
> state: Secretaries [Henry] Kissinger, [James] Baker, [Lawrence] Eagleburger
> and [Alexander] Haig," he said. "And I'm proud to have the endorsement of
> well over 200 retired Army generals and admirals."
> Tara Wall, the deputy editorial editor of the Washington Times, said that
> moderate and conservative Republicans have been skirmishing throughout this
> election year, and that the Powell endorsement had brought that fight into
> the open.
> While it energized conservatives, McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
> as a running mate may have alienated moderate Republicans like Powell, Wall
> said.
> Powell said he did not feel Palin was ready to be president and that
> factored into his decision to endorse Obama.
> "[McCain] took the calculated risk of putting Palin on the ticket to pacify
> the conservatives, and it did re-energize the base. And for that reason,
> you're going to have some of those moderates within the party feel a little
> disenfranchised, and I think that was the case for Colin Powell," Wall said.
> "So it is significant. I think it does send a message to Republicans."
>
> Best, Ben C.
>
>
> hparsons wrote:
>>
>> Ben,
>>
>> While you may assign your choice to that of Colin Powell, I hope you
>> understand that many have views vastly different than yours, and even
>> Powell's, and thus are not willing to do the same.
>>
>> I respect Powell's courage and leadership abilities; that does not mean
>> I agree with him on every issue regarding politics or society. Were it
>> so, I would be in quite a quandry, as there are other military leaders
>> that I also respect that have vastly differing views than he.
>>
>> He may be impressed with Obama's "style and substance", but I am not.
>> I'm not impressed with his style, and am disappointed in his LACK of
>> substance. He announced his candidacy years ago in the home of Ayers,
>> and has had many associations with him since, and now denies any
>> relationship with him. He sat and listened to Dr Wright for 20 years,
>> and quoted him liberally in his book, stated that he could no more
>> disavow him than he could his grandmother while stating that he did know
>> know of the Dr's views, then did indeed disavow him as the public looked
>> closer at his the association. I could go on, but you've heard the list,
>> it has not changed. The little political slip with "Joe the Plumber"
>> about "sharing the wealth" is a further example of my issues with the man.
>>
>> So I disagree with Powell.
>>
>> I too was "troubled" by the false accusations about Obama being a
>> Muslim, and I too asked myself "so what?" By the same token, I'm
>> troubled by the false accusations against Palin about her religious
>> beliefs, including the idiotic statements made by asses on this forum
>> that should know better about her being a "religious kook". However,
>> statements from morons from others supporting either side is not a
>> reason to vote for (or against) a candidate.
>>
>> So, I disagree with Powell on that issue. As a matter of fact, I find
>> his reasoning on it faulty.
>>
>> I agree that the Republican's campaigning has become "narrower", and I
>> wish they could have done better. However, to talk about that and ignore
>> the campaigning done by Obama, including the slanderous remarks made by
>> groups closely affiliated with his campaign, seems to belie his stance,
>> and make it look like he's looking for an "excuse". Truth be told, Barak
>> Obama falsely accused the McCain campaign of "100% negative
>> advertising". How can Powell trust a man that will openly lie, or use
>> false information that is so easily vetted, whichever the case may be?
>>
>> So, I disagree with Powell that McCain's campaigning style is reason to
>> vote for Obama. It looks to me more like an excuse.
>>
>> While I may respect Powell's opinion about Palin, I disagree with it.
>> Obama has talked about "change", and then picked a candidate that
>> represents everything "business as usual" in Washington politics. Obama
>> chose as his running mate, a man that had repeatedly stated that Obama
>> was not qualified to serve as President of the United States. A man that
>> has since, made multiple gaffes indicating he views an Obama
>> administration as HIS administration.
>>
>> McCain, on the other hand, chose someone who has views that largely
>> mirror his. Who is willing to go against her party when she sees the
>> need, just as McCain has done in the past. McCain knows that he is left
>> of the most Republicans, so he wisely chose someone to his right. In
>> spite of the "pooh poohing" of Palin's experience, she has EXECUTIVE
>> branch experience which none of the other three candidates have, and
>> she's the governer of a state with a constituency that roughly matches
>> that of Senator Biden's.
>>
>> I think he made a wise choice.
>>
>> So, again, I disagree with Powell.
>>
>> As to your own observations.
>>
>> Yes, the talk of whether or not Joe the Plumber is really a plumber is
>> off the subject. However, the Obama campaign's TREATMENT of the man for
>> daring to ask a question, and especially Obama's response says volumes
>> about the man and his campaign, AND his plans for the future. I do not
>> want any more "sharing the wealth", which means taking the money from
>> one at the end of a gun, and giving it to another.
>>
>> Yes, we are at war with two countries, one of which Obama has publicly
>> endorsed surrender; and even now that the tide has turned, will not
>> state his commitment to victory.
>>
>> Your view of Republicans saying that Joe the Plumber should not have to
>> "pay his share" is either ignorantly simplistic, or an outright lie,
>> either way it's a misrepresentation. We believe that EVERYONE should pay
>> there share, and no more. We do not believe that Joe the Plumber, either
>> now or if and when he achieves his goals, should have to pay the share
>> of those that have no goals or aspirations, or haven't yet found the
>> means to meet them.
>>
>> I disagree with your view about what should be, and I know that your
>> view of the Republican stance is wrong.
>>
>> There are those of us that believe that the killing of an innocent
>> human, born or unborn, for the convenience of the people that created
>> that human is as important as whether or not we allow murder. We
>> established over 140 years ago that one human owning another is wrong,
>> and we're still working out problems associated with that practice
>> today. Allowing one human to decide to kill another is another form of
>> "ownership", and the practice today is as abhorrent to some as the
>> slavery issue, possibly moreso.
>>
>> There are those of us that realize that statements such as "Health care
>> is not available to 40 million" is hyperbole, and either again
>> represents ignorance is misdirection. It's been reported that as many as
>> 1/3 of those that don't have health insurance, do not have it because
>> they choose not to. The vast majority of those remaining have other
>> options that they choose to take.
>>
>> I for one, and I can't speak for all others, do not want the government
>> running a health care program. I've not seen the government improve many
>> programs, and have no reason to believe they will this one.
>>
>> Finally I disagree with your statement that "most American's don't give
>> a rat's ass about Mr Ayers". I think more of them do than you think. I
>> believe that they haven't heard the story yet, and the fact that Obama
>> doesn't want the story told tells volumes.
>>
>> As to the thrust of your post, I would pick Powell to make just about
>> any military decision, but I believe I'm going to reserve my decision
>> for the best candidate for the country to myself.
>>
>>
>> Ben Cittadino wrote:
>>> Colleagues;
>>>
>>> As those of you who follow the political posts on this list undoubtedly
>>> know, Gen. Colin Powell (ret.)endorsed the candidacy of Sen. Obama
>>> yesterday
>>> on the NBC Sunday news show "Meet the Press".
>>> Is this an important development worthy of sober reflection and
>>> reconsideration by those who have heretofor supported Sen. McCain, or is
>>> it
>>> simply a matter of expected racial politics, or something else?
>>>
>>> My view is that this endorsement represents a very important development.
>>> Here's why:
>>>
>>> Colin Powell is an indisputably loyal American.  He served as Chairman of
>>> the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking uniformed military
>>> position
>>> in our Country during the first Gulf War. He was President Reagan's
>>> National
>>> Security Advisor, on of the most sensitive intelligence posts in our
>>> Country. He was Secretary of State under President GW Bush, the first
>>> Jamaican/American to serve in a Presidential Cabinet. His personal
>>> courage
>>> is beyond question having been personally decorated for bravery during
>>> service in Vietnam.  In 2007 he donated the maximum amount allowed by law
>>> to
>>> the McCain campaign.
>>>
>>> While there are those among us who discount endorsements, and say that
>>> they
>>> make up their own minds, I am not so sure of my own opinions on these
>>> subjects that I am unwilling to consider the opinions of others,
>>> especially
>>> when the others are in a position to make better judgements than mine,
>>> and
>>> where the others are people who I have good reason to respect.
>>>
>>> And so, what about Powell? He said about Sen. Obama on "Meet the Press":
>>>
>>>  "his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his
>>> campaign,
>>> because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and
>>> his
>>> rhetorical abilities", in addition to his "style and substance." Powell
>>> additionally called Obama a "transformational figure."[45][46] He was
>>> also
>>> "troubled" by the "false intimations that Obama was Muslim." Powell
>>> stated
>>> that "[Obama] is a Christian - He's always been a Christian...," and
>>> continued, "But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there
>>> something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no,
>>> that's
>>> not America." Powell later stated, "I look at these kind of approaches to
>>> the campaign, and they trouble me [...] Over the last seven weeks, the
>>> approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower."
>>>
>>> This observation of the Republican Party's narrower approach is
>>> completely
>>> consistant with the remarks I have previously posted by the NYTImes
>>> columnist David Brooks. Powell also opined that the choice of Sarah Palin
>>> as
>>> a running mate showed poor judgement by Sen McCain.
>>>
>>> I frankly, see all the talk of "Joe the Plumber" and whether he is
>>> actually
>>> a plumber as a bit off the subject.
>>> We are at war in two countries.  The economy is in terrible shape by any
>>> measure.  Health care insurance is not available to what, 40 million?,
>>> Americans. We have no energy policy other than developing more fossil
>>> fuels.
>>> Lots more people in the world hate us, than used to hate us. To borrow
>>> the
>>> joke, my 401k is now a 201k.  The Republicans will not tell me who is
>>> going
>>> to pay for the wars, bailouts, the health care, etc, except that
>>> apparently
>>> they don't think "Joe the Plumber" should have to kick in his share.
>>>
>>> And so we argue about whether gays and lesbians should be able to marry,
>>> whether women in crisis prgnancys should be able to abort them, whether
>>> it
>>> is OK to be a muslim-American, whether science or creation-science should
>>> inform our students, and Rome continues to burn.
>>>
>>> So getting back to Colin Powell, if Obama is OK with him he's OK with me.
>>> Apparently, Powell (like most Americans) doesn't give a rat's ass about
>>> Mr.
>>> Ayres.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Ben C.  "s/v Susan Kay"  Highlands, NJ
>>>
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