Colin Powell re-enters the political scene....

[suedanim]

This could be very interesting.

July 1, 2008, 7:27 pm
Powell Met With Obama, McCain in June (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/powell-met-with-obama-mccain-in-june/)

By Michael Falcone (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/author/mfalcone/)

If former Secretary of State Colin Powell wants to play a role in the next presidential administration — or in electing the next president, for that matter — he appears to be keeping his options open.

During a five-day span in June, Mr. Powell, the retired four-star general and former chairman of the joint chiefs-of-staff, met one-on-one with both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain — the first such meetings since each of them became their party’s presumptive nominee, a spokeswoman for Mr. Powell said today.

“Both were conversations that the senators had requested,” said the spokeswoman, Peggy Cifrino. “Just to talk about issues and foreign policy.”

The meetings were first reported (http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/07/on_call_exclusi.html) by the National Journal’s Hotline “On Call” blog earlier today.

It is not the first time that Mr. Powell has met with the two candidates. Ms. Cifrino said Mr. Obama has “probably been in two or three times altogether” and Mr. Powell speaks with both senators occasionally by phone. She noted that the last sit-down between Mr. Obama and Mr. Powell occurred just before the Illinois senator announced his presidential bid.

But as rumors swirl about whether Mr. Powell will defect from the Republican Party and endorse Mr. Obama, the private chat the two had on June 18, is generating a bit more buzz. Mr. Powell has long said he would not let his hands be tied by party allegiance.

Appearing on CNN’s “Late Edition,” in February Mr. Powell said: “I will vote for the candidate I think can do the best job in America. Whether that candidate is a Republican or Democrat or an independent.”

And speaking to reporters at an appearance in Vancouver (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/13/powell_does_not_rule_out_suppo.html) a few weeks ago he amplified his earlier comments: “I will vote for the individual I think that brings the best set of tools to the problems of 21st-century America and the 21st-century world regardless of party, regardless of anything else other than the most qualified candidate.”

Bloggers and pundits of all political stripes seem to be engaged in something of a tug-of-war over whether Mr. Powell is more likely to side with the Republicans or Democrats in the election, and whether one of the candidates might tap him as a running mate.

The Obama campaign declined to comment, and the McCain campaign hadn’t responded to a request for comment.

So, does Mr. Powell have plans to endorse either candidate anytime soon?

His associate, Ms. Cifrino, was tight-lipped. “No,” she said.

[suedanim]

Colin Powell edging closer to Barack Obama? (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/colin-powell-ed.html)

As the general election campaign evolves, retired Gen. Colin Powell may be assuming the role that Al Gore (http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/al-gore) occupied during the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination -- the big "get," the [/URL] potential endorser whose backing would cause quite a stir.

Gore, of course, never did choose sides; he [URL="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/al-gore-wraps-h.html"]bestowed his formal embrace (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/01/powell.jpg) on Barack Obama (http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/barack-obama) after Hillary Clinton (http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/hillary-rodham-clinton) had conceded the race.

But Powell has given indications that he will make a public pick. And speculation that he's leaning toward Obama is sure to go up a notch with word from the National Journal's "Hotline on Call" that the two met privately two weeks ago in Powell's office in Alexandria, Va.

The Hotline item reported (http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/07/on_call_exclusi.html) that a Powell spokeswoman said that the tete-a-tete occurred June 18 and lasted about an hour.

The Powell aide, Peggy Cifrino, termed it "an informal conversation" and added, "There’s no looming endorsement. They came to talk about issues."
Cifrano also noted that her boss had met with John McCain (http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/john-mccain) a week earlier. But news of the Powell/Obama chat comes on the heels of a Robert Novak column opining that (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/25/AR2008062501942.html) President Bush's former secetary of State "probably will enter Obama's camp at a time of his own choosing."

-- Don Frederick

[ECW]

Endorsing Obama just might get the bad taste of his UN speech out of his mouth.

[suedanim]

Endorsing Obama just might get the bad taste of his UN speech out of his mouth.

...and put it directly into the mouths of the GOP. They get Leiberman and Zell Miller, we get Powell and Chuck Hagel. I'm happy.

BUT.. imo... Powell's got some explaining to do. If he doesn't come clean, he may as well just stay in the background as far as I'm concerned.

Dream scenario... he cops on what he knows on Iraq intel manipulation... and becomes Obama's VP. I don't care too much on the VP spot cause I know whoever Obama chooses ... for that executive branch spot.. will be excellent. But, I seriously hope Powell speaks out when these sonsabitches are out of power.

[Wndrtch]

This could be very interesting.

July 1, 2008, 7:27 pm
Powell Met With Obama, McCain in June (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/powell-met-with-obama-mccain-in-june/)

By Michael Falcone (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/author/mfalcone/)

If former Secretary of State Colin Powell wants to play a role in the next presidential administration — or in electing the next president, for that matter — he appears to be keeping his options open.

During a five-day span in June, Mr. Powell, the retired four-star general and former chairman of the joint chiefs-of-staff, met one-on-one with both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain — the first such meetings since each of them became their party’s presumptive nominee, a spokeswoman for Mr. Powell said today.

“Both were conversations that the senators had requested,” said the spokeswoman, Peggy Cifrino. “Just to talk about issues and foreign policy.”

The meetings were first reported (http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/07/on_call_exclusi.html) by the National Journal’s Hotline “On Call” blog earlier today.

It is not the first time that Mr. Powell has met with the two candidates. Ms. Cifrino said Mr. Obama has “probably been in two or three times altogether” and Mr. Powell speaks with both senators occasionally by phone. She noted that the last sit-down between Mr. Obama and Mr. Powell occurred just before the Illinois senator announced his presidential bid.

But as rumors swirl about whether Mr. Powell will defect from the Republican Party and endorse Mr. Obama, the private chat the two had on June 18, is generating a bit more buzz. Mr. Powell has long said he would not let his hands be tied by party allegiance.

Appearing on CNN’s “Late Edition,” in February Mr. Powell said: “I will vote for the candidate I think can do the best job in America. Whether that candidate is a Republican or Democrat or an independent.”

And speaking to reporters at an appearance in Vancouver (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/13/powell_does_not_rule_out_suppo.html) a few weeks ago he amplified his earlier comments: “I will vote for the individual I think that brings the best set of tools to the problems of 21st-century America and the 21st-century world regardless of party, regardless of anything else other than the most qualified candidate.”

Bloggers and pundits of all political stripes seem to be engaged in something of a tug-of-war over whether Mr. Powell is more likely to side with the Republicans or Democrats in the election, and whether one of the candidates might tap him as a running mate.

The Obama campaign declined to comment, and the McCain campaign hadn’t responded to a request for comment.

So, does Mr. Powell have plans to endorse either candidate anytime soon?

His associate, Ms. Cifrino, was tight-lipped. “No,” she said.

He's being smart for now. He's not showing his cards just yet.

IMHO, I think he'll lean towards McCain in the end, because McCain has shown he "bucks" the Republican establishment from time to time, similar to Powell. Yet, Obama "represents" the DNC establishment (hard-core, left-wing fanatics). Both Powell and McCain are independants of sorts, with very similar "world-views" having been career military. Powell is well aware that McCain is not George Bush.

[suedanim]

He's being smart for now. He's not showing his cards just yet.

IMHO, I think he'll lean towards McCain in the end, because McCain has shown he "bucks" the Republican establishment from time to time, similar to Powell. Yet, Obama "represents" the DNC establishment (hard-core, left-wing fanatics). Both Powell and McCain are independants of sorts, with very similar "world-views" having been career military. Powell is well aware that McCain is not George Bush.

Well I guess we're both guilty of wishful thinking at least.

My guess is that Powell knows all too well that McCain is a dangerous hothead with extremely poor judgement, who changes his mind as often as his underwear and believe he would be just another disaster for the United States as George Bush has been.

And... WTF is McCain doing running around Columbia and Mexico....Leiberman in tow as usual... showing off with heads of state as part of his CAMPAIGN, paid for with campaign finances? Hes not been elected yet. What's Leiberman, his caregiver?

Of course... could be they already know this election won't be fair ones after all eh? I guess some of us still have too much hope for REAL democracy in the United States of America.

:ponder:

[heyjude]

I wouldn't vote for McCain period. But at least he has not hung a replica of the Great Seal on his podium. And one other thing I will say in McCain's favor. He is paying for his own security. I'm not. Whoopee.

[Wndrtch]

Well I guess we're both guilty of wishful thinking at least.

My guess is that Powell knows all too well that McCain is a dangerous hothead with extremely poor judgement, who changes his mind as often as his underwear and believe he would be just another disaster for the United States as George Bush has been.

And... WTF is McCain doing running around Columbia and Mexico....Leiberman in tow as usual... showing off with heads of state as part of his CAMPAIGN, paid for with campaign finances? Hes not been elected yet. What's Leiberman, his caregiver?

Of course... could be they already know this election won't be fair ones after all eh? I guess some of us still have too much hope for REAL democracy in the United States of America.

:ponder:

Leiberman is about "perception".

Lieberman represent the foolishness running the DNC today (inflexible, narrow-minded, far-Left fanatcism) in the minds of the public, in that he was railroaded by the DNC over one issue, dispite being a ardent supporter of Liberal causes for decades. It demonstrate clearly that the DNC "tent" isn't as big as they pretend.

It also serves to create an impression that McCain can actualy DO what Obama can't do, which is reach-out across the isle. Obama uses "just words", and McCain is DOING.

[suedanim]

Leiberman is about "perception".

Lieberman represent the foolishness running the DNC today (inflexible, narrow-minded, far-Left fanatcism) in the minds of the public, in that he was railroaded by the DNC over one issue, dispite being a ardent supporter of Liberal causes for decades. It demonstrate clearly that the DNC "tent" isn't as big as they pretend.

It also serves to create an impression that McCain can actualy DO what Obama can't do, which is reach-out across the isle. Obama uses "just words", and McCain is DOING.

Omg... you so don't get it. McCain's not reaching across shit... If e was reaching... the GOP's umbrella would now be far more inclusive of Americans other than warhawks. AIPAC and the PNAC own the GOP.. Leiberman is a staunch warhawk and representative of that all too powerful lobby. McCain is merely on the take... and is doing the bidding of his masters. He's owned. He's no maverick, no independant ... He sold out, long ago.

btw... I already know Obama's bent his knee to APAIC... so no need to point that out... BUT... he's not owned like McCain is. McCain's the coddled, coached bitch of the neocon right. He does NOT represent YOU.

[4Reaganomics]

Anyone who is willing to be tortured and starved for 5 plus years so that I can sit here at a great University and pursue happiness. McCain guaranteed our freedom in the most courageous of ways

I disagree with him around 35% of the time, but I could definitively say that McCain represent me as an individual due to his defense of my liberty, life, and the ever so dear pursuit of happiness.

[Mia]

Anyone who is willing to be tortured and starved for 5 plus years so that I can sit here at a great University and pursue happiness. McCain guaranteed our freedom in the most courageous of ways

I disagree with him around 35% of the time, but I could definitively say that McCain represent me as an individual due to his defense of my liberty, life, and the ever so dear pursuit of happiness.


Really? Those people were coming after us and he helped stopped them?

I need to read my history again.....that doesn't sound right to me.

How did his service assure anything for you other than to use as a prop to get into office and take away the liberties you say shouldn't be removed?

[4Reaganomics]

He represents 1 of an army/navy/air force of thousands. Each one of these men who enlists defends my liberty and the rights that this country has ensured me. John Sidney McCain is a man who enlisted in the military to serve his country, and he did so to the greatest extent.

He was willing to be tortured for liberty, without men volunteering the way the he so generously we would be as vulnerable to our liberties being stripped away from us as France in 1940.

Safety and Security of our liberties our provided by those who stand up to defend this country and what it stands for.

In that regard, John McCain was a tremendous success.

[heyjude]

It isn't too big of a guess, that if McCain is elected, he will revert to type. That is what the Republicans are afraid of. And if he reverts to type, he will be one of our most bi-partisan presidents. McCain is sucking up to the right, trying to get elected. He most likely won't run for a second term, so he will be free to do what he wants if he is elected.

Obama on the other hand, has never shown a bi-partisan bent. He may be, but has not served in the Senate long enough to know much about what he might or might not do. But Obama is sucking up to moderates to try to get elected. And he will be far less moderate if he is elected. Especially if he is elected to a second term.