Crush Liberalism

UPDATE: Obligatory “Powell endorses Obama” post

UPDATES BELOW.

Yawn!  This was hinted at back in August.  Is this a game-changer?  I doubt it.

I’m not going to knock Powell for endorsing the candidate of his choice.  What I am going to knock, though, is his candor, or lack thereof.  He claims that Obama’s race has nothing to do with his endorsement, and I think that is a bit disingenuous of a claim.

First of all, Powell is a big-time proponent of affirmative action.  He got on the stage at the 2004 GOP convention and defended AA with gusto.  That disappointed me, because that defense was basically implying that he got to where he did in his life and career as a result of AA, not on his own merits.  Clearly, he’s got a racial component to his worldview.

Secondly, Powell told a bunch of college kids at GWU last month how awesomely McAwesome it would be if we elected a black president.  “Electrifying”, to use his words.  Apparently, Powell feels that any black president, even a socialist one, would do.

Ace summarizes Powell thusly:

Colin Powell was never a Republican. He was a military officer who knew how to play the political game during a period dominated by Republicans. Of course he kissed Republican ass. Just as he kissed Bob Woodward’s ass to make sure he always came out smelling like roses in his books.

The Republican Party has always used Powell, just as he’s used us in turn. We have promoted this dubious figure as — let’s admit it — a bit of a token, proof that black people like us.

But he’s never been on our side. He’s always been a liberal, and, moreover, he’s always been on Colin Powell’s side.

Exit question, redux:  As was asked back in August, don’t you think it’s kind of funny that the same liberals who accused Powell of “lying us into Iraq” now embrace his endorsement?

UPDATE (10/20/2008 – 10:28 A.M. EST):  Brian Maloney thinks that the endorsement may backfire in that it revives the race issue, and that many Americans may resent Powell endorsing a gay simply because of his skin color.  I disagree: I think Powell is irrelevant, and that he will influence no one’s vote.

October 20, 2008 - Posted by crushliberalism | affirmative action, bigotry, hypocrisy, Obama