The biggest weekend shake-up of the US Presidential race is surely Gen. Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama. In addition to slamming McCain’s performance on economic issues, and his choice of Sarah Palin, Powell attacked Republicans’ Islamophobic attitudes in the campaign:
Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing he or she could be President?
Powell said his outrage on this issue was stirred by a magazine photo-essay that showed an American mother grieving her muslim son, who died fighting for the USA in Iraq. While he was eager to emphasise Obama was a Christian, the former Secretary of State suggested some Republicans should be ashamed for implying Muslims could not legitimately serve their country.
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3 Comments
This endorsement speaks volumes and I believe it will be a needle mover for two relevant voter segments this election: (1) moderate Republicans who are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the extreme rightward direction of the McCain-Palin campaign and (2) people who are holding back on Obama-Biden primarily because of foreign policy and national security concerns.
Aside from the blemish on his record in relation to the Iraq war, General Powell still garners tremendous respect from the vast majority of Republicans, and every Republican President in the last three decades has sought his advice on National Security and Foreign Policy issues. I hope that General Powell’s endorsement will sway the votes of some members of the two above-mentioned segments away from John McCain and Sarah Palin and towards Senators Obama and Biden.
This election is still too close for my comfort, and the news about General Powell aside, it will be important for those of who support Senator Obama to get to the polls on election day (or sooner if you can!) and vote not only to ensure his victory, but also to demonstrate the greater sense of unity and solidarity our country desperately needs right now.
Comments welcome: http://whenelephantsfly.blogspot.com
Endorsements in high information elections don’t make many voters switch. What it does do is dominate the news cycle with only a few days left.
That is the most sensible thing that I’ve ever heard Powell say.
In fact, that is the only sensible thing that I’ve ever heard Powell say.
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