A lot of Democrats are trumpeting Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama, signaling the defection of someone who was once favored highly by the GOP.
However, one thing we forget, the GOP fell out of love with Colin Powell when it was discovered that his political beliefs, outside of national defense, really lines up with the Democratic Party platform much more than the Republican platform, anyway. That is the biggest reason why support for him as a Presidential candidate waned very quickly each time he has been mentioned as a potential candidate...Republicans don't like his policies on most issues that don't deal with the military and and national defense.
This will not really attract any GOP voters or conservative independents to Obama, as Powell's scope of influence has shank considerably, especially with Republicans. Most of us already knew that Powell was more of a Democrat anyway, so what's the big deal?
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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 excellent 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
Honestly, if an endorsement is already widely expected, it does not come as any surprise...therefore, it doesn't attract any new voters.
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