Sticking It to the Man
Collin Powell didn't run for President because 1) his family didn't want him to and 2) because he's a Republican but couldn't stand to align himself with the party that he feels permanently damaged his career (my opinion, obviously).
And now, 3 weeks before the election, Powell has put everything he has ever stood for in jeopardy by backing a white flag raising American apologist. Personally, I think he did it because he's so angry with what he feels the Bush Administration did to his credibility. Nevermind that at the time, he 100% believed what he was saying. But it's the administrations fault that the public turned, there were no nuclear weapons, and Powell and his speech to the U.N. became the punch line of many YouTube videos.
I think he's angry and jaded, and that is why he's turned against his men and women in uniform, and put them in harms way by standing up for the man that would have them leave a mission with their heads bowed in defeat, their tale between their legs, as the Commander in Chief waves a white flag and reaches out his hand to be the bad guys friend.
In my mind, he's made himself even more irrelevent. And I'm sad that it's come to this. He can see the writing on the wall maybe. Or maybe he's been drinking the kool-aid. And maybe he thinks there's another cabinet position for him, in an Obama administration.
**Updated with additional thoughts**
And I'm writing this before I read the comments left so take that for what it's worth.
Other quotes coming out of this were that Powell didn't want any more conservative judges. Ostensibly, he's worried about Roe v. Wade. Powell is and has been pro-choice for quite a while. As is his right. But if he's making this decision based on this fact alone (which, well who knows) that makes him a single issue voter and I've never heard anything positive said about people who vote like that.
And now, 3 weeks before the election, Powell has put everything he has ever stood for in jeopardy by backing a white flag raising American apologist. Personally, I think he did it because he's so angry with what he feels the Bush Administration did to his credibility. Nevermind that at the time, he 100% believed what he was saying. But it's the administrations fault that the public turned, there were no nuclear weapons, and Powell and his speech to the U.N. became the punch line of many YouTube videos.
I think he's angry and jaded, and that is why he's turned against his men and women in uniform, and put them in harms way by standing up for the man that would have them leave a mission with their heads bowed in defeat, their tale between their legs, as the Commander in Chief waves a white flag and reaches out his hand to be the bad guys friend.
“This is the time for outreach,” Powell said, saying the next president would have to “reach out and show the world there is a new administration that is willing to reach out.”
In particular, he said, he welcomed Obama’s president to “talk to people we haven’t talked to,” a reference to Obama’s controversial pledge to hold talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“I think that [Obama] has a definite way of doing business that will serve us well,” Powell said.
In my mind, he's made himself even more irrelevent. And I'm sad that it's come to this. He can see the writing on the wall maybe. Or maybe he's been drinking the kool-aid. And maybe he thinks there's another cabinet position for him, in an Obama administration.
**Updated with additional thoughts**
And I'm writing this before I read the comments left so take that for what it's worth.
Other quotes coming out of this were that Powell didn't want any more conservative judges. Ostensibly, he's worried about Roe v. Wade. Powell is and has been pro-choice for quite a while. As is his right. But if he's making this decision based on this fact alone (which, well who knows) that makes him a single issue voter and I've never heard anything positive said about people who vote like that.
Comments
It's really obnoxious for you to equate supporting Obama with turning against men and women in uniform. Offensive, even. I'm confident that we disagree about what "victory" in Iraq looks like. But disagreeing with you (and John McCain) does not make me a white flat raising American apologist.
I am so tired of this Bush mantra of if you're not 100% with us, you're the enemy. No disagreement is tolerable. Maybe Colin Powell is tired of it, too. And maybe, just maybe, Colin Powell just genuinely believes Obama is the better candidate.
Obama is a white flag raising American apologist. His idea is to pull troops out in 16 months. Regardless of what his generals tell him. That's raising a white flag.
He's constantly talking about how great America "can be." Not how great America is. This makes him an apologist.
He appeals to the dispair in all of us in the hopes that we will turn to him to save us. Many people have. They think he can make the country better. I disagree. I think no one man can make this country better, and I definitely don't think socialism ever made anything better.
It's not a Bush mantra, whatever that means. If you're not 100% with me, I don't really care, and that doesn't make you the enemy. A lot of people don't agree with me. Does this translate to me having a lot of enemies?
But I have as much right to say I think Colin Powell made a terrible decision as anyone else has to praise it. And Obama is not a friend to the military and he never will be. And honestly, you can't say that you are a friend to the military either, because I bet you can't name one positive thing that military has done in the last 8 years.
However, If you are a single issue voter for life you are stupid, uninformed, closed minded and have a belief system that is dated and dis-proven (at least that is the belief of their critics). Those single issue voters are held to such disdain and ridicule it is really surprising that they voice their opinion at all.
This comment is posted by someone who if ever given the choice to vote for Roe v Wade would vote yes. But there has never been an opportunity for the country to vote on this issue.