The publisher of The Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol has told Fox News the Colin Powell will endorse Barack Obama at the Democratic convention.
“He may well give a speech at the Democratic convention explaining his endorsement of Obama. For whatever reason I think he has decided he’s going to endorse Obama. I think [Powell] has a high respect for Senator McCain, they go back a long way.” Kristol qualified his speculation by saying that that this is not a done deal, “This is not an absolute done deal, but these people are very confident that Powell will endorse Obama.” He also said that Powell could speak Wednesday night at the Democratic convention.
Powell’s spokeswoman Peggy Cifrino completely denied the part of the rumor that Powell will be at the convention, “There’s absolutely no truth to it whatsoever. Colin Powell will not be at either convention. There’s absolutely no truth to this.” Powell himself powerslammed Bill Kristol to ABC News, “I do not have time to waste on Bill Kristol’s musings. I am not going to the convention. I have made this clear.”
Interestingly, both comments didn’t say that Powell won’t be endorsing Obama. They only said that Powell won’t be at the Democratic convention.
There are two things that everybody knows. One, Powell has been informally advising Obama for well over a year now, and two, Bill Kristol is not a reliable source of information. However, if Kristol has happened to have gotten this one correct, this would be a devastating blow to the McCain campaign. I find it hysterical that Kristol can’t figure out the reason why Powell would endorse Obama.
The reason is that McCain’s support and proposed continuation of the Bush Doctrine violates every foreign policy tenant that Colin Powell stands for. Powell has said in the past that his decision to endorse won’t be based on race, so no one should expect him to endorse Obama because they both are black. If Powell endorses Obama, his reasoning will be the failed foreign policy of the Bush administration. If this endorsement happens, it could very well be game, set, and match for the 2008 presidential race.
Jason Easley has it cold. Powell soldiered up for the Bushies and they sucker punched and pulled the rug out from under him, damaging his credibility around the world and at home, including in the military. McCain can’t carry Powell’s jock, and wouldn’t take his advice, but Obama could make the changes Powell would like to see, and that would restore his stature.
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They used Powell and destroyed the man’s reputation. That film of him at the UN will be associated with him forever. It is easy to see why Powell would feel betrayed by the same people and policies that McCain is supporting.
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