[les3547]

A voice from the good old days before Republicans were taken over by extremists:

Colin Powell endorses Obama for second term

(Reuters) - Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday endorsed Barack Obama's bid for re-election, citing the Democratic president's efforts to wind down the war in Afghanistan and tackle terrorism.

"I think we ought to keep on the track that we are on," the Republican, who also backed Obama in 2008, told "CBS This Morning," adding, "I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012."

The move comes just days after Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney clashed over foreign policy in the third and last presidential debate ahead of the November 6 election.

Powell criticized Romney's foreign policy as inconsistent and questioned the former Massachusetts governor's ability to tackle the deficit and looming defense cuts.

"I'm not quite sure which Governor Romney we'd be getting with respect to foreign policy," Powell said, calling Romney's foreign policy "a moving target."

As for the U.S. budget, he added: "It's essentially, let's cut taxes and compensate for that with other things, but that compensation does not cover all the cuts intended or the expenses associated with defense."

Powell has been critical of Romney's foreign policy advisers and has taken issue with the former business executive's stance on countries such as Russia.

A moderate Republican, Powell served under President George W. Bush. Some of Romney's advisers are more conservative veterans of the Bush administration.

"There's some very, very strong neo-conservative views that are presented by the governor that I have some trouble with," Powell said on CBS.

He added that other issues such as the economy and education also loomed large in his continued support for a second term for Obama.

You Tube

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[Parallax]

He endorsed him 4 years ago as well.

[les3547]

He endorsed him 4 years ago as well.

True. One important difference is . . . the first endorsement was based on faith, this time he had Obama's record to help him decide.

[jeffkrol]

True. One important difference is . . . the first endorsement was based on faith, this time he had Obama's record to help him decide.

And McCain is not happy.. boo hoo.....

John McCain on Colin Powell endorsement: ?You disappoint? - POLITICO.com

Sen. John McCain said on Thursday Gen. Colin Powell has “harmed” his “legacy even further” by endorsing President Barack Obama and defending his foreign policy.

“All I can say is: Gen. Powell, you disappoint us,” McCain said Thursday on Fox News Radio’s “Kilmeade and Friends.” “And you have harmed your legacy even further by defending what is clearly been the most feckless foreign policy in my lifetime.”

[GeneV]

And McCain is not happy.. boo hoo.....

John McCain on Colin Powell endorsement: ?You disappoint? - POLITICO.com

McCain can't be Gen. Powell's biggest fan after the 2008 endorsement, anyway.

[boriscleto]

And here I thought Gen. Powell did all the damage to his reputation when he went before the UN and testified that Iraq had mobile biological weapons labs...

[les3547]

And McCain is not happy.. boo hoo.....

“All I can say is: Gen. Powell, you disappoint us,” McCain said Thursday on Fox News Radio’s “Kilmeade and Friends.” “And you have harmed your legacy even further by defending what is clearly been the most feckless foreign policy in my lifetime.”

Sadly, I've come to feel the same way about McCain . . . disappointed. There was a time I might have voted for him (if Hillary hadn't been running for President), but he has joined the stinky crowd. I think Palin might have infected him.

[loco]

A "feckless foreign policy" that Mitt Romney endorsed wholeheartedly in Monday night's debate.

[jeffkrol]

A "feckless foreign policy" that Mitt Romney endorsed wholeheartedly in Monday night's debate.

Yep.. that is funny.........................

[GeneV]

Of course, according to Gov. Romney's hatchet man, John "Obama needs to learn to be an American" Sununu, the Powell endorsement is just about race. Sununu: Powell endorsed President Obama because of race - The Hill's Ballot Box

[cardinal43]

Sununu is turning out to be a great spokesman for Obama. Every time Sununu opens his mouth,, he says something stupid and someone from the right has to 'backtrack" what Sununu said. They're getting good at that -- lot of practice.

[debmalya]

Anyone who was closely associated with Bush should be disregarded, whether to one's advantage or otherwise.

[JHD]

Anyone who was closely associated with Bush should be disregarded...

Anyone who voted for Bush TWICE should lose all voting privileges. Anyone who voted for Palin should be committed to an insane asylum. Anyone who votes for Romney may as well become a Mormon as he would give the keys to the White House to that cult.

[les3547]

Anyone who was closely associated with Bush should be disregarded, whether to one's advantage or otherwise.

I'd agree about most of that crowd, but I've always thought (even before he endorsed Obama) that Powell was duped by his associates and acted in good faith on the Iraq thing (as did Hillary when she supported the invasion). On the other hand, at the time I was against the invasion, and like much of the rest of the world thought the inspectors should be given more time; so IMO far too many were more war-prone than we should have been.

[jeffkrol]

Anyone who was closely associated with Bush should be disregarded, whether to one's advantage or otherwise.

Only if they didn't apologize............


Colin Powell on the Bush Administration's Iraq War Mistakes - Newsweek and The Daily Beast