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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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 Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:08 am Post subject: |
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| Manner of Speaking wrote: |
Don't you think it's a bit chickenshit for Powell to 'endorse' Obama when the guy has a 14-point margin in the polls and the election is only days away...? Why not 'endorse' him - or McCain, for that matter - six months ago, when his voice would have made a difference either way?
Powell is the political equivalent of those guys you can see on the weekend up on Hooker Hill in Itaewon, hanging around the entrances to the bars...he wants in on the action, but he's too chickenshit to walk through the door or pay the going price. |
I think you should get off your high horse when judging a man who risked his life in combat in Vietnam. We are talking about a Vietnam veteran, and McCain is also a Vietnam vet. McCain is good friends with Colin Powell, and Colin Powell is a Republican. Powell decided to endorse Obama when he got incensed with the negativity of the McCain campaign when it started using Karl Rove type tactics.
I do believe Colin Powell is tired of some extremists on the right and certain people who use an extreme amount of negativity, and he finds the GOP has been associated with way too much negativity in his mind. That's the impression I got from watching his latest press conference. He believes Obama's election would represent some kind of change of course.
Powell also believes that many of the cities need investments in infrastructure, America has many problems, and he doesn't think the GOP will address those problems. If you think Powell is wrong, then that's your right, but I happen to respect the man, and I always will. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Adventurer wrote:
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| I think you should get off your high horse when judging a man who risked his life in combat in Vietnam. |
Respectfully, Adventuerer, I don't think that Powell's service in Vietnam should make him automatically exempt from criticism when he chooses to get involved in politics. I think he can be critiqued like any other player in the game.
Now, having said that, over to MoS' post...
| Quote: |
Don't you think it's a bit chickenshit for Powell to 'endorse' Obama when the guy has a 14-point margin in the polls and the election is only days away...? Why not 'endorse' him - or McCain, for that matter - six months ago, when his voice would have made a difference either way?
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Actually, from the point-of-view of doing the most benefit for the candidate, an endorsement at this stage might be more effective. Some of the polls are starting to show a narrowing race in the last days of campaigning, and an endorsement at this time could be just the shot-in-the-arm that Obama needs.
Of course, I don't know if these are the considerations that Powell had in mind when he decided to endorse now. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Manner of Speaking wrote: |
Don't you think it's a bit chickenshit for Powell to 'endorse' Obama when the guy has a 14-point margin in the polls and the election is only days away...? Why not 'endorse' him - or McCain, for that matter - six months ago, when his voice would have made a difference either way?
Powell . . . wants in on the action, but he's too chickenshit to walk through the door or pay the going price. |
QFT. I don't well understand the liberal adulation for Powell. He's just another politico who couldn't hack it as SecState. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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| On the other hand wrote: |
Adventurer wrote:
| Quote: |
| I think you should get off your high horse when judging a man who risked his life in combat in Vietnam. |
Respectfully, Adventuerer, I don't think that Powell's service in Vietnam should make him automatically exempt from criticism when he chooses to get involved in politics. I think he can be critiqued like any other player in the game.
Now, having said that, over to MoS' post...
| Quote: |
Don't you think it's a bit chickenshit for Powell to 'endorse' Obama when the guy has a 14-point margin in the polls and the election is only days away...? Why not 'endorse' him - or McCain, for that matter - six months ago, when his voice would have made a difference either way?
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Actually, from the point-of-view of doing the most benefit for the candidate, an endorsement at this stage might be more effective. Some of the polls are starting to show a narrowing race in the last days of campaigning, and an endorsement at this time could be just the shot-in-the-arm that Obama needs.
Of course, I don't know if these are the considerations that Powell had in mind when he decided to endorse now. |
On the other hand, sure, Powell can be criticized, because he is involved in politics. However, I don't think he should be called a coward, really. I don't think he is a coward. He has too much of a focus on trying to be the loyal soldier and comrade in arms type. However, one must consider that McCain is a friend of Powell's. Powell is the type who has been so focused on military type loyalty, the "We will all go down together mentality" has been a big part of his life it seems.
As far as him having been a bad Secretary of State, I disagree with that statement. He did quite well under the first George Bush where he was appreciated. He was not appreciated in his son's administration. He was treated as capable in the first administration. How did he all of a sudden become incapable? If you have a horrible working environment, then you will not perform as well. That's true for anyone. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
| ...He's just another politico who couldn't hack it as SecState. |
That is not what B. Obama says...
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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..." |
CNN Reports |
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Jandar
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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I'm pushing for chief of staff.
I wouldn't mind seeing him at State or Defense.
I really can't see him accepting anything else.
But, it does sound like Obama has something in mind for him. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I never thought he would reenter govt service after W. Bush. But I imagine that a B. Obama Administration would enable him to redeem himself as well as redeem the American govt's faults and shortcomings these last eight years. |
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Jandar
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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That's why I thought Chief of Staff would be the place for him. His understanding for how Washington works, his experience at NSA and State, his ties in the Military, how could yuou leave him out.
The Chief of Staff position gives him all the access the ability to help and guide without any real public visibility.
Think about who is(was) Bush's Chief of Staff, Clinton's?
(Without doing a wiki on it) |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher is being sarcastic Jandar. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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