Today’s manufactured media moment is the endorsement of Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy by Colin Powell, a once highly respected military officer who was until very recently detested by liberals for his vigorous support for the use of force in Iraq prior to the war and then later shunned by conservatives for his tepid support for the effort afterward.
This endorsement is ever so much more newsworthy than the fact that John McCain has the endorsement of four previous secretaries of state: Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Larry Eagleburger and Alexander Haig.
Of course, Powell’s endorsement is much more important because
Update: Ah.
Lex nailed this one. Soi Disant, indeed.
The faux conservatives of the DC-NY corridor are able to manipulate things and come out at least even if not ahead. We out here in flyover country aren’t able to pull that nonsense, or earn our way out of the mess the faux bunch gives us.
Powell, alas, did not hit the nail on the head. He’s simply doesn’t have the moral fiber to stand up to being called Uncle Tom anymore. Most everything he’s said equally applies to the fascists that bear an old and honorable name, but long ago ceased to bear the philosophy Jefferson gave them way back when. The philosophy of Benito far is closer. The behavior is certainly quite similar.
Skippy, I am by inclination and training a Pedantic- Peckerwood , a/k/a… a pain in the ass…had no choice but to call you on it…like the Scorpion said to the Frog…” I can’t help it…its my nature”…suggest you eat some Oysters and get some rest. Best
It may be a minor distinction Taxi1 (com #44) but I view GOP “ideologist” (definition: an adherent of an ideology, esp. one who is uncompromising and dogmatic) as different from somebody who is attracted to the GOP because of its underlying philosophy, but is still able to sift the pluses and minuses in any given issue. On second thought, it is a major distinction, as Quatermaster (com #51) so aptly proves…
When Collin Powell endorsed Obama, he clearly voiced some reservations in his choice, but he carefully explained why he was not going to vote for the GOP standard barer. The escalating number of prominent Republicans who are endorsing Obama have undergone the same mental weighing of the issues, for example Douglas Kimeic, of whom I have commented in the past. Those who dip in to the link I gave will note that Prof. Kimeic holds stead fast to his conservative beliefs that attracted him to the GOP, but he feels that the current direction of the party is unacceptable.
A low bow from the waist, and a “at a baby!!!” to badbob (com #47) for his comment and link, to wit: ” OP just loves to pull some tail:> Unlike Captain Kirk, who went where no man has gone before, I will not remove the two superfluous words that would make his statement correct. Let’s go have a beer on that one, badbob…
Scott (com #46) Dives in late into this thread, and breathlessly gives us the one piece of information we have all been waiting for… Yup, he has a friend who worked side by side with Powell from 2001 to 2004 — daily”. The inside scoop, the final word, the truth shall be known:
The man who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he who was chosen as Secretary of the State Department, is a closet racist. I have been fond of saying: “Who knows, only the Shadow knows, thus giving away my age. I can now join the 21st Century, and end my comments by: “Who knows, only Scott’s friends know…”
And just when I thought the lashing might be over, Snake Eater (com: #48), the “gift than never stops giving”, comes in with an ad hominem attack:
My comments to badbob above should suffice, even though AmoSerpentes may have difficulty in finding the two words that should be removed in B2’s post. In the interest of elevating this thread to a higher level, participants such as Snake Eater should at least run their posts through a spell checker…
For those who wish to continue the discussion, Collin Powell’s carefully worded position on the current political campaign can be found here. One of the issues that tipped Collin Powell to Obama was income inequality. As Lex well knows, I have flogged this horse before. The question remains on the table: Can Democracy survive if the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, an the only ones that thrive are tightly coupled to the Military-Industrial complex?..
Bah, humbug… If you want the easy path to being a hero, do not cultivate any critics. On the other hand, thinking consumes calories, and as such may contribute to our weight reduction program…
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/023173.php#more
So will Colin Powell return the Jaguar to Prince Bandar?
OP,
I kant spell nor do any anglish comp! I just set here and cling to my guns and religion. Ayyup
b2
I find that ignoring any contributions from OP and Flit as if they aren’t there in the comment thread keeps things cogent. The more I read their stuff it became like listening to the Teacher speak in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
Well, the monkey is back, pulling the dog’s tail — without the inconvenience of any facts, such as:
Nope, not a word in there on that subject. Round Two:
Only ones? I know cardiologists locally who make $700K and take ten weeks vacation. The Lehman Bros. CEO, Fuld, has made $484M since 2000. So educate me, O Great Oracle, who deigns to caste his pearls of wisdom among Lex’s swine. How are those guys, who seem to have thrived quite well, “tightly coupled to the Military-Industrial complex”?
I apologize in advance to all of you for provoking the gibberish that will pass for a response to this. I know I was the one that said, DNFTT. I just can’t help myself sometimes…….
Maybe income equality was an issue that influenced the middle-of-the-road Powell, but if it was, I can find no evidence of it.
We shall see how Obama will govern by the composition of his cabinet. If he is wise we will see him move to build a center-left coalition, reaching out to moderates like Powell and Volker, not just for their endorsement, but for policy definition. He will stiff the left-wing of his own party for the greater good in that scenario.
On the other hand, if he uses the power to continue the far left tendencies in his voting record, and emphasize economically backward concepts like “income equality” , then his tenure will be as polarizing as the campaign.
To a large extent, the question is how great Obama’s capacity to learn and to “unlearn”. Powell is more optimistic than I am in that regard. Talk about the audacity of hope!
I think this election is a lot closer than people say it is. McCain can still win it and even if Obama wins it will not be by much. Whole host of reasons for it-but winner will have no more than 280 electoral votes and the loser will have at least 260-IMHO.
Obama should keep a picture of the “Dewey defeats Truman” etched in his mind.
Scott,
“who deigns to caste his pearls of wisdom among Lex’s swine. ” Nice prose.
oink-oink!
b2
You might be right Skippy, but I’ll bet you a Kirin it’s going to be closer to 340-200. Sadly.