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08:52 October 19th, 2008

Colin Powell criticizes fellow Republicans, backs Obama

Posted by: Thomas Ferraro
Tags: Front Row Washington, , , ,

WASHINGTON - Colin Powell, a retired U.S. Army general and former secretary of state in the Bush administration, criticized fellow Republicans on Sunday and endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The Republican Party “has moved more to the right than I would like to see it,” Powell told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Powell described Obama as an inspirational figure and denounced some efforts by White House contender John McCain and other Republicans to defeat him.

powell.jpgHe ripped into McCain for trying to tie Obama to Bill Ayers, a one-time violent anti-Vietnam War activist who decades later served with Obama on a charity board.

“What they’re trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings,” Powell said. “This goes too far and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow.”

Powell said he was also troubled that some members of the Republican Party — not McCain — have said, “‘Well you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim.’”

“He is not a Muslim, he’s a Christian,” Powell said. “But the really right answer is ‘what if he is?’ Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer’s no.”

Powell said Obama understands the issues and has reached out across across ethnic, racial and generational lines.

“He speaks authoritatively. He speaks with great insight into the challenges we’re facing of a military and political and economic nature,” Powell said. “He has both style and substance — he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.”

Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage

Photo credit: Reuters/Alessia Pierdomenico (Colin Powell at an event on LondonĀ on Oct. 14)

26 comments so far

Obama is no Christian. True Christians don’t hate white or black people. He sat in a white hating church for 20 years. He advocates abortion in every form no matter how gruesome. He calls himself a uniter and he is more devisive than anyone. He never answers his critics he only blame shifts and so do his serrogates. They call the conservative right bigotted and hateful, yet there has been 100 times more hate coming from the left. People like Sandra Bernhard talking about her black brothers gang raping Sarah Pahlin. Hollywood loves Senator Obama because he’s an actor too. We need to remember everyone is entitled to an opinion but with Obama and his followers only if you agree with him. They want to silence any and all opposition. That should scare the heck out of all of us.

As for Drew’s criticism of Christians, he doesn’t have a clue what real Christians do for the poor, naked, hungry, and sick. Over 40 million unborn fetus gone so far. They don’t need shoes, cars,books, school, doctors, lawyers, teachers. Who knows who they may have been or what they may have invented.

- Posted by DG

Ok, so just because Obama has an ethnic middle eastern, middle name means he’s not a Christian? You are the kind of so called “Christians” that make the rest of us look stupid and ignorant. Funny thing about you so called Christians is that you care so much about an unborn fetus yet you have no problem turning a blind eye to ones that are born into poverty and the tens of thousands of lives lost in the needless Iraq invasion. After 8 years under one of the worst administrations in US history, I find it absolutely hysterical that you still deem Bush Christian-like.

Powell realizes that his party is sunk and did the only logical thing by jumping ship. The election will be a landslide for Obama and it will be fun watching the religious right crying into their bibles while their ship runs into the proverbial iceberg.

- Posted by Drew

B. Hussein Obama is not a christian as Colin Powell states. A Christian is a person who is born again, repents or changes his or her life for the better and lives everyday following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. In Ecclesiastes Chapter 12: 13-14 saya” Let uus here the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD and Obeythe commandments. For God will bring every work into judgement, with EVERY SECRET THING, whether it be good or whether it be evil. How can he be a christian if he is pro-abortion. It’s murder..plain and simple. Hussein Obama believes there is more than one way to get into heaven..Wrong. The only way is through His Son, Jesus Christ!! This world Christian is being used very loosely.
I doubt very much that Hussein Obama has even witnessed to anyone and bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t go telling me that Hussein Obama is a Christian. It is an Insult to Christians like myself. But I do pray for him because that’s what christians are supposed to do. And I forgive him for what he stands for. I do not judge him because he will be judged in the end by the Great Judge. Fear God!!

- Posted by Steve

it concerns me that This United States Of America has not really moved forward. You say that since 9/11 we have had no terrorist attacks what was Antrax? are you simple blind to the fact that all that American money that Suddam had came from some source in America. What are you talking about what about Fla in 2004, was the vote ever correct. How can you support some one who has backed Bush 90% of the time, I can see a few errors but not that many and what makes you think that he has all of sudden changed. Put your thinking caps on. I really think some of you would put anybody in the white house as long as he is not Black. It’s not about Black or White it’s about the truth. All of you who keep writing all this negative stuff how do you sleep at night You should respect Obama because he is a Us Senator whether you vote for him or not. You should respect McCain too, both men have done great things in their lifetime. Mc Cain more than Obama, which is because of the Age difference. Come on you all play fair, this rot gut throat cutting, back stabbing is not good it has brought nations down may the best man Win. Vote for who you think will make the best President for this time. We are tired of the childlishness of you over the age of 18 voters. do what you have to do but shut up will you. Most of you don’t have a clue about McCain or OBama you have not studied either one of them and you have made your decision all on the color of their skins. Or some Superior hogwash, we all bleed red blood and your heart will work just as fine in McCain or Obama body. God is see through and so will you be if, if, if if, if you get to heaven. But remember he is watching you. And you will someday have to bow before him and don’t let it be said that you were not fair to either McCain or Obama. To all of you who profess to be Christian, don’t dig no ditches, if you do you better dig one for yourself.

- Posted by The one who has faith

I have been waiting for this breathe of fresh air. Thank
you Colin Powell, We needed that confirmation and to all of you who put your trust in Colin Powell, now trust OBama, we are like no other people in the world we will not hold you captive, we will not put on white sheets and come in the still of the night and bomb your children, we will love this nation that we have fought so hard to be apart of. This great nation. Barack Obama will help dispel some of the atrocities that the American people have dealt with. This is the beginning of the drafting in of the gentiles. We are Americans and we are tired of fighting about our color we are the Human Race and we will all be treated fairly with a president who speaks change and brings us all together as one. It has to be done or we will perish. If any of you Believen God you need to stop and pray and fast. God is in charge whether you believe it or not.

- Posted by The one who has faith

At one time I would have voted for Powell if he had run for president, but would not now.

- Posted by Eddie Fowler

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