Dog Bites Man
Via Mark Kleiman, Glenn Reynolds proclaims Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama a “dog bites man” story. Really?
Colin Powell was National Security Adviser under Ronald Reagan. He was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush. He continued in that role in the early Clinton years, in which capacity he helped congressional Republicans spike several Clinton administration initiatives. After retiring, he became active in Republican Party politics, speaking at the 1996 Republican National Convention on behalf of Bob Dole. He likewise spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention on behalf of George W. Bush and campaigned for Bush before being appointed Secretary of State and, after Bush was inaugurated, became Secretary of State. It’s true that Powell’s disillusionment with the state of the GOP’s capture by its furthest-right elements has been a developing story over a period of years and thus the endorsement doesn’t come as a shock, but that years-long period of disillusionment is, itself, an important story that culminates in the Obama endorsement.
32 Responses to “Dog Bites Man”
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October 20th, 2008 at 11:03 am
reynolds reacts to news with complete dishonesty and implicit racism.
now that’s dog bites man.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:07 am
I think they are saying that because, you know, they are both, you know, not “real americans”.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Wait a minute! Isn’t it Powell that lied to us and the UN to get us into a war? Now he is some sort of hero for backing Obama? I have heard of hero to zero but not zero to hero. Which is it?
October 20th, 2008 at 11:17 am
1) I really don’t see why we should care what Colin Powell thinks. He served in Vietnam — but so did a lot of other men. Unlike Colin, a lot of them didn’t come back –including a friend of mine.
2) For Colin Powell to help George Bush lie us into an unnecessary war is inexcusible — and a betrayal of his fellow brothers in arms who signed up to defend the USA –not to grab some oil deposits for Houston. Unlike Dick Cheney and George Bush, Colin Powell KNEW what war does — the price it lays on American families.
3) Matthew extolling of Colin Powell is in line with what I’m seeing on many liberal blogs — a switch from out-of-power truth-telling mode to “Courtier” mode. In which one defends a fithy, corrupt establishment because the odds are looking good that one will have a place in that establishment.
4) You can already see the change this morning in that Whore of Wall Street, the New York Times. The Times is arguing that the Wall Street Bailout is not unsupportable , since the US “debt held by the public” is ONLY $5.8 Trillion.
5) In reality the federal debt is close to $9.8 Trillion — and the debt limit had to be raised to $11.3 Trillion because of the Bailout. The Times is being careful to not note the $4 Trillion stolen out of Social Security/Medicare by Bush and past Congresses.
6) Washington DC is a vicious predator which is sucking the life out of this country — a far greater threat to the common citizen than any external enemy, including Al Qaeda.
The Democratic leadership is showing that they do not differ in substance from the Republicans — that the only real “Change” they want is to be in charge.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:17 am
#3: Read this and get back to us. Also please check the spelling of “goats.”
October 20th, 2008 at 11:27 am
What Reynolds realizes and Matt apparently doesn’t is that Captain America there is black, just like Obama. And OJ and that guy from Freddie or Fanny. Maybe Matt could work it out with a colorful graphic.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Hey, did Glenn just call a black man a dog? I claim offense by the lipstick-on-a-pig rule (that is, disingenuous looking for offense).
October 20th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Interestingly, the conservative bloggers do seem to think it’s a major story when a (white) Democrat endorses McCain, and they are quick, usually even preemptive, about attacking any claims that racism has anything to do with it.
October 20th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Wait a minute! Isn’t it Powell that lied to us and the UN to get us into a war? Now he is some sort of hero for backing Obama? I have heard of hero to zero but not zero to hero. Which is it?
This is someone who is going to vote for Juan McCain.
This is the best election EVAR!
October 20th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Yes, Colin Powell lied to us and the UN and should be viewed with suspicion.
AND
Colin Powell’s endorsement may be very useful to Obama.
Both statements can be and are true.
The use of exclusive OR (XOR) as the only logical operator in formulating arguments has been shown make people weapons grade stupid. Almost any real world situation has many more than two possible outcomes and in even moderately complex situations the final outcome is highly likely to include elements of several possible “pure” outcomes.
Learn to use “AND” a bit – it greatly enhances understanding.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Eh, Reynolds just took the opportunity to liken a black man to an animal. That’s all.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Colin Powell’s stock went way up in my book. Plus, Obama got the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune, which has never before endorsed a Democrat. This is a good trend.
I don’t blame Powell for his presentation at the UN. He was presenting what George “Slam Dunk” Tenet gave him.
More troubling are the charges Powell whitewashed the events at My Lai when he was a 31 year old Major.
October 20th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I didn’t have the resources of Colin Powell but I had enough brains to see the WMD story was a put-up job.
Powell knew it too. But he didn’t have the stones to resign on principle.
Now he’s trying to cover his ass and he knows it. To hell with him, he’s a toady.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Yes, Reynolds is spinning because of how much this hurts his side. Endorsements aren’t that big a deal generally, but this is about as big as endorsements get.
But this might be the right place to mention that Powell is full of baloney when he says that a lot of Republicans are thinking what he’s saying. McCain will get 85% of Republicans or more. They weren’t turned off by the disgusting smear campaign against John Kerry in 2004, and I’d bet that they have little problem with what’s being thrown at Obama right now. We liberals can name all the dissenting conservatives who have endorsed Obama, have critized Palin, etc. But these people are still a small percentage of prominent Republicans.
If a young man with Powell’s views, abilities, and career trajectory, white or black, were turning 30 this year, he’d be a Democrat. Powell is much more alone in the Republican party than he claims to be.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Powell is probably the Republican who Democrats respect most. McCain might’ve once been the second-most respected before he waged such a filthy, unamerican sleaze fest of a campaign.
However much blame Colin Powell deserves for helping put that soldier there, his tribute to the fallen Muslim American war hero rang beautiful and powerful and true. It was exactly the kind of enduring, truthful smackdown that Republicans so richly deserve.
Question Powell’s judgment; his character is rock solid.
October 20th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
According to LGF – “Powell would endorse J.J. Walker if he were running.” Of course, LGF would endorse Joe Lieberman’s mother if she were running.
Powell (despite his U.N. presentation) still retains more honor than 97% of the pols of both parties. Chickenhawks like Reynolds know his endorsement puts one more heavy nail in Magoo’s coffin.
October 20th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
On the other hand, Heidi Montag has endorsed McCain. So that ..er.. pulls in the 20-28 male vote.
http://www.usmagazine.com/heidi_montag_im_voting_for_john_mccain
Come to think of it, we do need more political pundits in bikinis. Would you give this woman your vote if she asked for it?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26488784@N04/2560848379/
October 20th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
On Fox yesterday, McCain also seemed to think it was unsurprising that Powell didn’t endorse him. I’m not sure admitting that he expects moderate Republicans to support Obama is helpful to him.
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