What happens if Colin Powell endorses Obama?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

American politics is binary.   You're either black or white, Colin Powell is black. 

It's unfair and disgusting, but yeah, that's the way it is.

It's binary in Jamacia as well. And there he's White.

[Lunar]

Back to the unfair bit before the disgusting bit.

[Zarn]

If Powell endorsed Obama, he would lose a lot of respect.

Hows that? 

Among republicans?  ....... The republican party has become the evil empire in this country.   Its always divide, fear, war, fights, inner city folks are unAmerican ect... its gets a little boring.

Why don't we just reelect Bush and call it a day?

McCain or Obama... those are the options. Stop tying Bush into something, where he is not a participant. Supporting Obama means he supports the ACORN tactics, and that is anti-republican. By republican, I mean the Federal Republic of the United States.

[WalterMitty]

maybe obama can get paul o'neill's endorsement too!

oh the votes would pour in...

[Dan the Roman]

maybe obama can get paul o'neill's endorsement too!

oh the votes would pour in...

He as it. O'Neil is one of his economic advisers.

[WalterMitty]

maybe obama can get paul o'neill's endorsement too!

oh the votes would pour in...

He as it. O'Neil is one of his economic advisers.

dont forget bill ruckelshaus!

he was on gerald ford's 1976 short list!

[Speed of Sound]

maybe obama can get paul o'neill's endorsement too!

oh the votes would pour in...

He as it. O'Neil is one of his economic advisers.

dont forget bill ruckelshaus!

he was on gerald ford's 1976 short list!

Grab your gun and your religion Walter, because you sure are bitter today.

[JohnCA246]

it will change no ones mines but give him good press for a day which is worth thousands of dollars worth of adds.

Same with the Ted Kennedy endorsement.  Ted didn't change anyone's minds, but gave Obama good press and free advertising.

[TheGlobalizer]

It will completely halt any momentum McCain may have had.... which McCain really cannot afford.

Concur.  The issue isn't a % gain, but the roadblock it presents.

[J. J.]

Just announced it.  Will decline to campaign.

[Nym90]

Just announced it.  Will decline to campaign.

This might help Obama.

[Fritz]

Does Powell have a shot at a cabinet post again?  Would he want it?

[Wall St. Wiz]

Wow, huge surprise, a black guy endorsing another black guy.  Did anyone really believe Powell would join the 2% of blacks voting for McCain. 

I don't think it will have any impact, no one in the country gives a sh**t about Colin Powell.  He was vilified by the left for lying about Iraq and his reputation destroyed in the process.

[J. J.]

Just announced it.  Will decline to campaign.

This might help Obama.

I don't know how many numbers it will run.  His "after conference" was not hugely enthusiastic.

[Smid]

The Liberal Left must be wondering what to do - on the one hand, they've always hated Powell, on the other, he's now backing their fearless leader... their heads must be spinning.

[Democratic Hawk]

Wow, huge surprise, a black guy endorsing another black guy.  Did anyone really believe Powell would join the 2% of blacks voting for McCain. 

I don't think it will have any impact, no one in the country gives a sh**t about Colin Powell.  He was vilified by the left for lying about Iraq and his reputation destroyed in the process.

Tell me why Colin Powell would be on course, in a hypothetical matchup (Rasmussen) against McCain, to defeat him handidly if no one gives a sh**t about him?

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=81457.0

I'm sure Powell has his reasons for supporting Obama - and it will be for the right reasons. The fact that both are black, being of no relevance

Dave

[opebo]

The Liberal Left must be wondering what to do - on the one hand, they've always hated Powell, on the other, he's now backing their fearless leader... their heads must be spinning.

What a stupid post.   No, their heads are not spinning - they just don't care.  Who cares if some has-been liar endorses Obama, what else is he going to do?  

That said, what this does is not increase any support for Obama, but it slows the inevitable loss of support to McCain that is currently occurring.   The race is rapidly tightening towards election day, when only a couple of points will separate the two candidates - more than enough for the Bradley effect to overcome.  As some have said above, what the Powow endorsement does is distract americans from the pro-McCain news coverage for a day or so, thus staunching the bleeding for a moment.

[Democratic Hawk]

The Liberal Left must be wondering what to do - on the one hand, they've always hated Powell, on the other, he's now backing their fearless leader... their heads must be spinning.

Well as someone who does not identify with the Liberal Left, lets just say I welcome Powell's endorsement of Obama, most unquivocally

Dave

[Middle-aged Europe]

The first reactions of Republicans in this thread tells me that they're at least worried what the effects of this endorsement could be. So far, they don't know what it means exactly (same probably applies to Democrats), but they're concerned that it might have a positive impact for Obama. That's how I would read it.

[Wall St. Wiz]

Wow, huge surprise, a black guy endorsing another black guy.  Did anyone really believe Powell would join the 2% of blacks voting for McCain. 

I don't think it will have any impact, no one in the country gives a sh**t about Colin Powell.  He was vilified by the left for lying about Iraq and his reputation destroyed in the process.

Tell me why Colin Powell would be on course, in a hypothetical matchup (Rasmussen) against McCain, to defeat him handidly if no one gives a sh**t about him?

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=81457.0

I'm sure Powell has his reasons for supporting Obama - and it will be for the right reasons. The fact that both are black, being of no relevance

Dave

Anyone seen as above it all will have huge positive approval ratings, that's why candidates typically have high ratings before declaring they will run, and then once they run and have to stake out positions their ratings inevitably fall.

I guarantee you if Powell actually did run and campaign and have to take positions that people disagreed with, his numbers would drop.

I think he actually would get annihilated by either McCain or Obama.  The conservative base has never trusted Powell, going back to the first Gulf War. The liberals hate him for the Iraq war and being in Bush's cabinet.  And he has never articulated positions on many of the issues that people care about.

Also, for you to say that race had nothing to do with it is naive.  It's really a numbers game.  The odds of him being in the 2% of blacks who are voting for McCain are obviously quite low.

[Tender Branson]

Let's see what Rasmussen tells us about Powell today:

Eighty percent (80%) of voters have a favorable view of Powell, who many Republicans have hoped over the years would seek the party’s presidential nomination. Powell has chosen not to run, reportedly in part because of his wife’s fears for his safety.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Powell, as do 81% of unaffiliated voters and 77% of Democrats. Eighty-two percent (82%) of white voters and 72% of African-Americans share that view.

If Powell endorses one of the candidates, how likely is that to have an influence on the way that you will vote?

5% Very likely
7% Somewhat likely

26% Not very likely
57% Not at all likely

5% Not sure

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/42_see_powell_endorsement_of_obama_as_possible

[Democratic Hawk]

The first reactions of Republicans in this thread tells me that they're at least worried what the effects of this endorsement could be. So far, they don't know what it means exactly (same probably applies to Democrats), but they're concerned that it might have a positive impact for Obama. That's what would I read out of it.

Well they are those who certainly seem intent on rubbishing Powell's endorsement as being nothing to do with anything beyond the fact that both men are black

Dave

[Democratic Hawk]

Also, for you to say that race had nothing to do with it is naive.  It's really a numbers game.  The odds of him being in the 2% of blacks who are voting for McCain are obviously quite low.

You're talking to me man, Wiz

[TheGlobalizer]

Powell's endorsement helps Powell more than it helps Obama, IMHO.

[TheresNoMoney]

The main benefit is the media coverage it will get over the next 2 or 3 days. The media will be talking about Colin Powell instead of "Joe the Plumber".