Former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Colin Powel after a discussion with former secretaries of state at the taping of CNN's "The Next President: A World of Challenges" today at George Washington University. (AP Photo by Charles Dharapak)
by Bay Fang
It was a forum on foreign policy, but one of the five secretaries of state on stage chose to make political news. In answer to a student question about whether electing the first African American president would send a message to other countries, Colin Powell, President Bush's first Secretary of State - and the first African American to hold the position - said it would be "electrifying."
He added, "I haven't decided who I'm going to vote for yet," saying he wanted to study their platforms and hear the debates before making a decision.
Speaking at an event at the George Washington University alongside four other former Secretaries of State, Powell elaborated that Sen. McCain had been a close friend and colleague for 25 years, but that he did not want to vote for him solely on the basis of their friendship, just as he did not want to vote for Obama just because he was a fellow African American.
A four-star general who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before he became the 65th Secretary of State, Powell's endorsement is coveted by both parties. Although he remains a Republican, he has been critical of President Bush's handling of Iraq, and has said he would not have agreed with the decision to go to war had he known the evidence against Saddam Hussein was exaggerated. He has also voiced opposition to the Bush administration's treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
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Comments
Powell is watching the same boxing match as the rest of us. McCain swings haymakers and Obama is doing the rope-a-dope. ........
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/09/15/obamas-rope-a-dope-strategy/
Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | September 15, 2008 6:33 PM
It all depends on what Powell wants. McCain has stood on both sides of most issues so if Powell wants someone who has been for an issue at one time or another, he wants McCain. If Powell wants a coherent economic policy, Iraq policy and who has remained fairly consistant on most issues he wants Obama. If Powell wants to be in everybody's good graces, he will keep his opinion to himself. Now that sounds like Powell.
Posted by: Delmar | September 15, 2008 7:10 PM
I definitely would vote for Powell! Too bad his wife will not let him run.
http://www.boppoll.com
Posted by: mgultch | September 15, 2008 7:13 PM
My guess is this last few days is the start of an onslaught in support of Obama, running in terror from the Pit Bull with lipstick. Powell knows Obama is not trigger happy... can't be said of McPalin.
Posted by: Scott in SD | September 15, 2008 7:15 PM
Powell knows enough to stay out of the race. But McCain's smears could force him to take action. There will serious backlash this time...
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | September 15, 2008 7:15 PM
Remember when Mark Silva was planting "Powell will endorse Obama" lies in the Swamp earlier this year? Just another instance where the truth was no impediment to the swamp trying to help Obama.
Posted by: Jeff | September 15, 2008 7:54 PM
Well, he doesn't sound commited one way or the other, but if you're looking for a public figure who is black to tell you who you should vote for then try Oprah.
I hear Oprah is now being Boycotted (according to Fox News) for not having Palin on her show. They are not buying her magazine, watching her tv show, etc.....until she offers Palin a balanced chance for an interview. It's been reported by Drudge that about half her staff wants Palin on. Oprah denies this ha.
Oprah says she doesn't do candidates, but that's isn't quite what the American people are seeing.....we've all seen her going out on the stump for him, having some movie star fundraisers for him, and of course crying her eyelashes out at his convention.....the Fox video of that one was a bit beyond silliness, good lordy!
The numbers keep going up for McCain in key states and I think this will continue. We have two candidates offering change and after you do some investigating you realize that there is such a thing as GOOD CHANGE AND BAD CHANGE.
I think Oprah will be crying her eyes out all alone in the end.
Posted by: OPRAH brace yourself | September 15, 2008 7:56 PM
Powell is waiting until the winner is obvious or he will never announce his preference
Posted by: Ron M | September 15, 2008 8:05 PM
Gen Powell has so many friends on both side- His best bet is to keep to himself, like a lot of voters do-
Posted by: George | September 15, 2008 8:21 PM
Colin Powell has known McCain for nearly 30 years and still has not been able to bring himself to endorse McCain. What does THAT tell you?
Posted by: CarolO | September 15, 2008 8:31 PM
Powell is likely to stay silent; he is always very careful with his words. None the less, what is not said is almost as important as what is said. Powell is an extremely well respected national figure in both parties and a Republican. Any thing but an endorsement of McCain would be a huge loss for McCain/Palin. An endorsement of Obama would be devastating for McCain/Palin.
Posted by: Mike Z | September 15, 2008 8:58 PM
Carol, it tells me exactly what the story says, that he's not sure yet. He's known Obama for a long time, and voting for the first African-American president has to be a very powerful motivation. At the same time, Powell has gone on the record saying he agrees with McCain's plan to win the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, his policy forte.
Either way no ridiculous assertion like yours, that somehow the length of time Powell has known each should make a difference in his decision, should laughably suggested as a factor in Powell's decision. Anyone who knows him would realize that ALL factors play into Powell's decisionmaking, not just a strict accounting of seniority.
Posted by: Jeff | September 15, 2008 10:47 PM
Powell was used as a doormat and errand boy for Cheney & Rumsfeld.
They cynically provided him a script to read at that UN hearing in Feb. 03, which destroyed his credibility world wide.
It's a mystery why he still feels any loyalty to them or their party.
Posted by: ornery | September 15, 2008 10:47 PM
Oprah said she wasn't going to have any candidates ON HER SHOW!!!! FURTHERMORE OPRAH BRACE YOURSELF, OPRAH IS DOING JUST FINE, AND SO ARE BARACK AND MCHELLE AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO FINE...IT'S US WHO WILL BE IN TROUBLE IF YOU ELECT THIS VETERAN WHO STILL HAS WAR ISSUES AND A TRIGGER FINGER!!! ...UNLESS YOU'RE RICH, THAT IS.PALIN AND MCCANE WON'T CARE ABOUT YOU OR YOUR LITTLE SMART A**ED ATTITUDE!
Posted by: Dawson | September 15, 2008 11:37 PM
OPRAH ALREADY HAD BUSH AND GORE ON HER SHOW.
BUSH won and I'm sure that was good enough motivation to keep from making that mistake again. This time she comes out ASAP announcing for Obama so she hasn't got to commit herself to anything BALANCED this time around ha, and she can throw behind him support from what's said to be THE MOST POWERFUL WOMAN IN AMERICA.
Now, of course Fox NEWS goes and screws everything up by showing a video from a film maker doing a movie on INCREDIBLE WOMEN which also featured Palin as one of the women being filmed for becoming Governor in a WILDERNESS ALL MAN AREA IN ALASKA.... and unaware she is going to be our VP, he asks Palin (as he did with the other women) to mention Oprah, since she is the SYMBOL OF THAT TYPE OF WOMAN. Palin is telling Oprah on video that she welcomes Oprah to Alaska. I guess Palin's sister is a huge fan of Oprahs and didn't bother to be excited about Palin becoming Governor because ' you might get to meet Oprah' was all that was on her mind.
Wow, way to go Oprah !
KUDOS to GRETA for this look at Todd Palin. That was extremely interesting. What a tough DUDE he is, gosh ! !
Posted by: LOOKIN GOOD OPRAH ! | September 16, 2008 1:34 PM
Honestly, I just wish Powell would run so i could vote for someone I truely want to see in the oval office. But seriously guys. Just remeber to vote this year.. It's very important... people who complain about our current office staff probably didn't even vote.
Posted by: Corey | September 16, 2008 1:50 PM
Undecided?
Powel is duller than I thought.
Posted by: JOHN CHUCKMAN, TORONTO | September 16, 2008 4:43 PM
Since Colin Powell has been a
Republican all these years and now
decides to vote for an inexperienced
Obama, that tells me he's voting for
him because he is black.
Posted by: Texan | October 21, 2008 10:36 PM