Comments on: Colin Powell Suggests He Might Vote Democrat Against Republican Nominee

By: Sajwert

Sajwert — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:05:40 +0000

I disagree with that 'Bush Stooge' comment.
Powell did what he did not because he was a 'stooge' for anyone, but because his military training taught him that he follow the rules and the commands of his superior. That is not being a 'stooge' IMHO. He was not free to follow his own devices and desires.

By: fishes

fishes — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:22:11 +0000

Could not be put any better. All you need to know about Powell is his performance at the UN. Talk about not wanting to be left at the station.

By: Slamfu

Slamfu — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:18:37 +0000

What do you think his statement was doing Davebo? He basically said the Bush administration has screwed things up so bad he's looking for outside the GOP for the next commander in chief. Powell is a results driven man, and in fact has a successful gulf war under his belt from the previous Bush adminstration. I don't doubt he's been disgusted with the ineptness of this one. Remember, he resigned. You don't quit jobs you don't have a problem with.

By: Davebo

Davebo — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:00:57 +0000

The problem that Powell might face among Obama voters is that the nuttier anti-war people probably consider him still a "Bush stooge," etc.

Duh!

Perhaps because he was a Bush Stooge for so many years, and if he's decided he will no longer be a "Bush Stooge" he's done a lousy job of conveying the message.

By: DLS

DLS — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:06:42 +0000

The problem that Powell might face among Obama voters is that the nuttier anti-war people probably consider him still a “Bush stooge,” etc. He also may be too “heavy” or simply too establishment for Obama voters who truly want change.

However, I bet they'd rush to accept Al Gore as Obama's Vice Presidential choice.

By: casualobserver

casualobserver — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:55:40 +0000

Well, hell, the fact that Bush2 let the neocons flush the "Powell doctrine" down the crapper, it hardly surprises me that he has no love lost for the Bushster.

I can see also see Powell liking the portrait of active diplomacy foreign policy that Obama paints.

But, ultimately, Powell is military and as I suspect Obama will ramp up the non-soldier rhetoric of withdraw according to timetables against McCain, I don't see Powell signing on.

By: pacatrue

pacatrue — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:11:04 +0000

Obama's VP is intriguing indeed. Would that be a lock on the Presidency? Obama has enough support from the leftish part of the Dem party, as well as an appeal to independents and cross-over Republicans. A Powell VP would seem to cement that cross-over appeal, drawing many of the people who might vote for McCain over. But as casual observer states, there are probably too many policy differences to make that work. I'd have to hear some repudiation of Iraq statements from Powell as well myself…. Anyway, it's fun, meaningless speculation.

I noticed the dig to McCain/Republicans in Powell's comments myself with the idea that he would want to vote for a party where the candidate and the party were “fully in sync”.

By: DLS

DLS — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:38:53 +0000

Obama's VP ? ? ?

By: DLS

DLS — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:23:08 +0000

Powell could have been elected President in 1992, 1996, 2000, or even in 2004 or now in 2008, even.

“Goodness” disqualfies the Democrats generally, but make no mistake about it, this was a slam against Bush and the past seven years.

By: Davebo

Davebo — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:14:01 +0000

To a lot of people, Powell is indicative of the independent-thinking Republican who could be a moderate or conservative but is not a lockstep supporter no matter what of the current Republican faction that now controls the Republican party and the White House.

Which just goes to show that a lot of people are totally ignorant of his past.

Throughout his career a lot of words could be used to describe Colin Powell, but independant thinker isn't one of them. And " lockstep supporter no matter what " is pretty hard to deny given his actual actions.

I look forward to the day that the Powell bubble is finally burst and people see him for what he has always been.

A consumate "yes man" who will do whatever he thinks he has to to advance himself.

By: casualobserver

casualobserver — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:11:56 +0000

Must be one of those "philosophy vs. policy" distinctions that comes into play respecting the Obama candidacy, because contemporaneously with this Blitzer interview, you have this from the same guy.......

Powell cautioned Democratic presidential front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama not to fall for the easy political solution of setting timetables for withdrawal from Iraq.

"The big issue here is at what rate can the Iraqis be responsible for assuming their own security? Remember, the purpose of the surge and the continued presence of US troops was to create an environment in which the Iraqis can surge. And that really is the thing we have to measure. How well are they surging?" he said.

Powell said he had no idea on what basis Clinton made the promise that if she became President, she will begin to withdraw troops in sixty days, taking out one to two brigades every month.

"... I have no idea on what basis she is making these statements. I don't know what's magic about 60 days and what's magic about one or two brigades a month. The question is, what situation do you want to leave Iraq in?" Powell said.

Powell, however, said the Iraqis will have to assume greater responsibility for their own security over the next year or two.

The one time Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was asked to comment on Senator Barack Obama's assertion that all of America's combat troops will be out of Iraq within 16 months of him assuming the Presidency.

"...I have found in my many years of service, to set arbitrary dates that don't coincide with the situation on the ground or what actually is happening tends not to be a useful strategy," Powell said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Powell...