I'll cut you some slack because you are new to politics, but come on, this is ridiculous. None of the three people you cite are influences on Obama's life. Buffett (not buffet), is a supporter who is largely resigned to philanthropic pursuits and is in no way connected to the harsh realities of today's economy. He is rich beyond his wildest dreams and can't spend all of his money even if he tried. Politics doesn't impact his lifestyle one bit. The vast majority of corporate CEO's support McCain. But back to the question -- Buffett was introduced to Obama during this election cycle. He in no way influenced Obama's formative years, or his political trajectory. He was a late addition, who supports Obama, but was not an influence. Conflating the two concepts is foolish. Furthermore, the Obamatrons' instictive shout of Warren Buffett! whenever Obama's financial shortcomings are brought up is a just a simplistic and ignorant defense. One person? Please. Obama's financial instincts are freaking horrific. Most lawyers' are. Dig a little deeper and develop an informed opinion, AB. Bill Clinton downright despised Obama during the primaries and still has rifts with him. He told the world Hillary was the better choice for President. An influence? Ha! More like a political enemy who is toeing the line like a good Democrat. Powell an influence? Please. He just announced his support today. What a flimsy argument. You've got a lot to learn, my man.
This endorsement will bring many, many undecided independent and republican voters over to Obama. This endorsement is a huge win for the good guys.
AB...you are a comedian correct? How many black comedians have used Colin Powell and Condi Rice in jokes with Bush? How many times have civic leaders like Rev Al Sharpton criticize and even personally attack Powell. How many people have called him stereotypical names like Uncle Tom? If you are going to say that many people in the Black Community have not thought negatively about Powell over the years then you are lying. BTW...I'm not White! I don't believe Powell's endorsement for Obama wasn't racially motivated but he does have his alterior motives. Look at what he said recently in London http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7670788.stm Mr Powell told the audience his own black identity mattered as much as ever and that Africa, with hard work and foreign investment, could prosper like Asia and Eastern Europe. It was a brilliant mix of western and African music and fashion and the whole atmosphere was just one big party. Kenneth Hilton, who attended the event 'My night at Royal Albert Hall' "I stand before you tonight as an African-American," Mr Powell said. "Many people have said to me you became secretary of state of the USA, is it still necessary to say that you are an African-American or that you are black, and I say, yes, so that we can remind our children. "It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history. I didn't just drop out of the sky, people came from my continent in chains." A lot of wrongs had been done to Africa by Western powers faced with "an iron curtain and a bamboo curtain", he said in an apparent reference to the USSR and communist China. These barriers had fallen, he argued. "Asia is expanding, it created jobs for people, and Eastern Europeans are doing the same... it's now Africa's turn." Hmm...Sounds to me he's working out some kind of deal with an Obama administration. Can we say Ambassador or Foreign policy advisor?
It really is amazing to watch over the last few months how unhinged he's become. In fact law enforcement should probably be notified.
The vast majority of corporate CEO's support McCain. This is the basis for your argument? Come on, you've got to bring it better than that. First of all, it's not CEO's- that's a possessive. It's CEOs, as in plural. Second, we know the real reason many CEOs would support McCain. And it ain't about the e-con-omy.
Why? Momentum from these kinds of things fade. That's why the overreaction to the Palin bounce was so stupid - by definition, a bounce dissipates. A Colin Powell endorsement is also a bounce - it will dissipate. Waiting until now (he could have even waited a few more days) gets more impact from it. Plus, it lets Obama control the news cycle when he wants to. A Powell endorsement mixed in with Palin-mania would have been drowned out. Now, a Powell endorsement gets the talk off all the nonsense McCain is trying to throw in the hopes that something will stick. All through the primaries, the Obama camp was incredibly effective at rolling out endorsements to control news cycles. This seems be no different.
TJ: Will you still feel the same way about Colin Powell if he endorsed McCain instead? Just curious...
Perhaps, but it might have prevented McCain camp from going down that Ayers path. I just think Powell had his own personal gain from this and looks like he struck some kind of deal with the Obama administration.
Maybe so - but for what it's worth, I don't think anything was going to prevent McCain from going down that path. The losing side always throws slime - how far they go varies, but it always happens. So it was going to come up eventually.
Good quotes from GOP officials: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14714.html "The Powell endorsement is a big deal," said Scott Reed, Bob Dole's campaign manager in 1996 and a close friend of McCain campaign manager Rick Davis. "It has been bantered about since August and shows both Powell and Obama know how to make an impact in the closing days of a tight campaign." Kevin Madden, a GOP veteran who was the press secretary for Mitt Romney's presidential bid, said that "Colin Powell was a proxy for our party's ability to persuade Democrats and independents to join a center-right coalition of ideas built around economic conservatism and a strong national defense. The endorsement is emblematic of the challenges we face as a party when it comes to winning back these voters." "What that just did in one sound bite — and I assume that sound bite will end up in an ad — is it eliminated the experience factor," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican, in an appearance on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." "How are you going to say the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the former national security adviser, former secretary of state was taken in?"
Here's a quote to refresh your memory in 2002: Singer/activist Harry Belafonte viciously lashed out at Secretary of State Colin Powell, calling Powell a house slave and a lackey to "master" George W. Bush. "You got the privilege of living in the house," said Belafonte, "if you served the master exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him. Colin Powell's committed to come into the house of the master. When Colin Powell dares to suggest something other than what the master wants to hear, he will be turned back out to pasture." Belafonte later. got off a second round, this time pronouncing Powell "a tragic failure," while reiterating the slave reference, presumably because of Powell's support for possible military action against Iraq. Powell, with his customary calmness and class, dismissed Belafonte's remarks as "unfortunate." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200210/ai_n9129842
You can tell this is big news by the simple fact that T_J feels compelled to post and apply his tried and true discipline of misdirection. While I lost some respect for Powell during the Bush travesty, I cut him some slack because like the soldier he was, he followed orders. His reputation deserves restoration among all people, not just the African-American populace as RRNY believes. I would not be averse to seeing Powell play a role in an Obama administration.
Like I said, he gains from this personally. The more I think about it, he's trying to restore his Global reputation. This is the perfect opportunity to do so with the whole world watching. No matter how many books he has written over the years distancing himself from GWB, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and company, the amount of exposure he is receiving from this Obama endorsement benefits Powell more than it does Obama. Whether Obama wins or loses (I believe Obama won already), Powell is getting the most of this announcement.
