Powell's Sell-Out

I hesitate to blog about this because I really don't think it'll sway a whole lot of voters, but the media is having a near-orgasm about it, so I suppose I should provide the alternate opinion (i.e. truth) about the subject. So, with reluctance, here you go...

Colin Powell has officially endorsed Barack Obama.

If you recall, Powell was George W. Bush's Secretary of State for several years, and was one of the primary voices in persuading the U.N. of Saddam Hussein's duplicity, garnering international support for the 2003 invasion. Now, though, Powell has jumped the GOP ship and dived into the stinking cesspool that is the liberal swamp. Let's examine why. First, here's the announcement itself:

Powell says that he is concerned by the very things (like Palin's selection, indications of originalist Supreme Court justices, etc.) that real conservatives have appreciated. Clearly, he is not a conservative, but that is not news to anyone who has watched him over the past few years.

Of particular interest to me is that Powell said Obama's relationship to Bill Ayers is irrelevant because it isn't a central issue of the campaign. Um...hello? How is a discussion of the judgment and character of these candidates NOT a central issue? This, to me, is the biggest indicator that Powell is a closet Lefty - it is only on the Left that issues of character do not seem to matter.

Michelle Malkin posts the following video clip in response to Powell's suggestion of Obama's 'steadiness' and 'not jumping in and changing every day':

Yeah, that's consistency for you.

Malkin points out the reality that Powell has steadily been tracking to the left politically, and really didn't belong on the Right anymore at all:

The party, he complains, has become too “narrow” for his tastes. Pro-abortion Powell can’t stand the thought of two more Republican Supreme Court appointments. He thinks Sarah Palin is too conservative. He shares the Obama view of our base as racist and non-inclusive — but has nothing to say about the rabid pack of America-damning preachers who helped make Obama the “transformational” figure Powell has placed his faith in.

Powell also makes reference to all the Obama-is-a-Muslim rumors, blaming the Republican Party for all that. Never mind the Democrat Hillary backers like Bob Kerrey and on down to her grass-roots supporters who indulged themselves and trafficked in those very rumors Powell smears conservatives for spreading.

The orgy of Obamedia attention Powell will receive the next 24 hours is disproportionate to its importance.

The press only loves maverick Republicans when they jump in bed with Democrats.

Just ask John McCain.

Too true. Little Green Footballs offers this bit of analysis:

Will any moonbat heads be exploding over this? After all, they’ve been vilifying Powell for years for “lying us into a war.”

I’m going to take a wild guess and say the lefties will suddenly forget all about it.

That is probably one of the best possible questions that will define the Left on this endorsement. He's evil, horrible, traitorous...until he's on their side. Then he's the perfect picture of reason and thoughtfulness. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Powell insists that it's not because of race, oh no, not at all. And yet, this is the same guy who said it would be 'electrifying' to see the nation's first black President, and who strongly supports government racial preferences. But, really, he doesn't support Obama because of race. Apparently, it's his liberalism that Powell likes. In response to that, Rush Limbaugh offered a very succinct rebuttal:

"Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race," Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail. "OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I'll let you know what I come up with."

As for Powell's statement of concern this morning about the sort of Supreme Court justices a President McCain might appoint, Limbaugh wrote: "I was also unaware of his dislike for John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Antonin Scalia. I guess he also regrets Reagan and Bush making him a four-star [general] and secretary of state and appointing his son to head the FCC. Yes, let's hear it for transformational figures."

I think that, in the end, Powell is just done with the GOP. His positions don't really match ours, his racial preferences don't really play well on this side of the aisle, and I think he is still bitter about his close association with Bush. I recall reading somewhere a few months ago (can't find the article now) that Powell never really forgave Bush for having him go to the U.N. about Iraq's WMDs, which painted him as a targeted punching bag for the liberal media ever since. He has seen the winds of hatred blow against Bush and wanted to distance himself from that legacy, apparently not having the same conviction and spine that Bush has. Endorsing Obama now provides the best chance for him to make his break for political safety at the end of his career in public service, kind of like riding into the setting sun as the credits roll. And, once again, the race thing would be some nice icing on the cake.

Now, let's get back to reality. Will the media make a big deal of Powell's endorsement? Most assuredly yes. Will it matter to the voting public? Not one little bit. Keep in mind that the only people Powell is likely to persuade would be black Americans, and they're already favoring Obama by well over 90%, so he can't get much more support from them, anyway. Most people -- black or not -- probably couldn't even state who Powell is or what position he held. So, don't let it ruffle your feathers - it's just as well that Powell comes out of the liberal closet. Better is the enemy (politically speaking, of course) that you know than the one you don't know.

Now we know where Powell stands.

There's my two cents.