* Is Colin Powell poised to weigh in on the presidential race?

I hope not. Powell could have saved the world in 2002. But he chose to perpetuate what he knew was a lie.

He needs to go away and never speak in public again.

What's going on with the recent polling? Just today I'm reading the AP Poll which sampled 870 Democrats to 650 Repubs and Obama is down to a two percentage point lead 44% to 42%. Several other polls that showed very skewed results in favor of Obama last week have tightened considerably this week.

So what's changing here? Recent threads here in the WM have been painting a "win big" scenario and 18 days before voting, the polls are narrowing dramatically??

Concern troll??

* In Ohio, Rasmussen shows Obama and McCain tied at 49% each.

If these numbers hold up through next week, this means the Rethugs will do everything possible to steal Ohio. However, if the rest of the country's numbers hold, the evil motherfuckers can have Ohio because it may be the only meaningful Electoral state they get besides Texas.

pencarrow, check out fivethirtyeight.com

I'm surprised there is so much speculation over Colin Powell's endorsement. It's not 1992 anymore!

Plus, Colin Powell politically discredited himself with the UN speech.

I think the media's interested in the spectacle of a black Republican breaking ranks and endorsing Obama. But even so, where's the political courage in it now, when a) he's retired and b) the result is a foregone conclusion?

Jeff II wrote: "Powell could have saved the world in 2002. But he chose to perpetuate what he knew was a lie. He needs to go away and never speak in public again."

No, he needs to endorse Obama and help to save America from the ultimate catastrophe of a Palin-McCain administration.

That won't mitigate his considerable guilt for his role in knowingly promulgating the Cheney-Bush administration's sickening lies about nonexistent "Iraqi WMD" that were used to justify the long-planned war of unprovoked aggression against Iraq.

But for Powell to endorse Obama would be a good thing in and of itself. There is no reason why someone who has done evil acts should not or cannot do a good act.

And a Powell endorsement would certainly be helpful. The polls are tightening and it's going to be a close election, probably close enough for the Republicans to steal it with their massive voter disenfranchisement, intimidation and fraud.

I sure wouldn't reject Powell's endorsement at this point. It might make the difference.

Been away for two days but, two questions:

When Obama called McCain out in the final debate about false and dangerous accusations that he was "palling around with terrorists," McCain babbled about how "proud" he was of his audiences. Why didn't Obama snap back: "I'm not talking about what your audience has said -- the the palling around comment was made by your running mate!"?

When Letterman called McCain out on the Liddy terrorist connection, why did he -- or why hasn't anyone on TV except for Jon Stewart and maybe Olbermann -- called McCain out on being the keynote speaker at the ACORN meeting TWO YEARS AGO, with video and pix to prove it? Everyone in traditional media watches Stewart, so they all know even if they can't bother to read blogs like this one. So why not make the lie clear? There are pictures, for heave's sake; it's easy.

Not on point, but has anyone gone out and looked at the GOP platforms of the past in an effort to shore up the evidence against the history revisionists who are trying to paint the dems as equally or greater at fault for the "mortgage crisis"? I just did a little and it was eye opening.
Wow. I guess it wasn’t all the Clinton’s fault after all, huh?

This is straight out of the 2004 GOP Platform.

Homeownership
Homeownership is central to the American dream, and Republicans want to make
it a reality for everyone. That starts with access to capital for entrepreneurs and access to
credit for consumers. Both have improved immensely in the past four years, resulting in
record levels of homeownership. For the first time, more than half of all minorities own
their home.
We support the President’s goal of increasing the number of minority
homeowners by at least 5.5 million families by the end of the decade. Since President
Bush announced his initiative in 2002, an additional 1.6 million minorities have become
homeowners. The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunities Program helps low-income
families purchase a home. The most significant barrier to homeownership is the down
payment. We support efforts to reduce that barrier, like the American Dream
Downpayment Act and Zero Downpayment Mortgages. The President and Congress have
taken action to provide counseling and education to help first-time homebuyers navigate
the process of buying a home. The Administration has also taken steps to alert people to
the dangers of predatory lending, in an effort to help Americans maintain a positive credit
history.
Affordable housing is in the national interest. That is why the mortgage interest
deduction for primary residences was put into the federal tax code and why tax reform of
any kind should continue to encourage homeownership. We support efforts to enact the
Single-Family Affordable Housing Tax Credit. At the same time, a balanced national
housing policy must recognize that decent housing includes apartments, and addresses the
needs of all citizens, including renters.
In many areas, housing prices are higher than they need to be because of
regulations that drive up building costs. Some regulation is of course necessary, and so is
sensible zoning. We urge states and localities to work with local builders and lenders to
eliminate unnecessary burdens that price many families out of the market. We see no role
for any federal regulation of homebuilding. We do foresee a larger role for state and local
governments in controlling the federally assisted housing that has been so poorly
managed from Washington. We also encourage the modification of restrictions that
inhibit the rehabilitation of existing distressed properties.

Chris wrote: "But even so, where's the political courage in it now ..."

I don't care whether Colin Powell has "political courage" or not. I don't care whether Colin Powell is guilty of war crimes or treason for his role in knowingly deceiving the American people, the US Congress and the UN Security Council in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq.

I care about getting Obama and Biden elected and sworn in, and preventing the unthinkable nightmare of a Palin-McCain administration.

And if Powell's endorsement will help bring that about -- and I think it would certainly help, given that much of the public still thinks highly of Colin Powell, and his endorsement would completely shatter the Palin-McCain's attacks on Obama's "patriotism" and commander-in-chief creds -- then I hope like hell that Powell will do the right thing, regardless of his reasons, and endorse Obama.

Secular Animist's right, but Powell needs to drive it or park it already. All this coy attention whoring ("I don't have enough information yet. I need to see the third debate") is wearisome.

I understand where you're coming from, SecularAnimist! Yep, the GOP ticket would be a nightmare.

But this election's over.
www.fivethirtyeight.com confirms it.

A Powell endorsement of Obama would have some, small impact. But a Powell endorsement of McCain - don't rule it out - could have a much larger impact. It would, in the eyes of some, legitimize a campaign that has seen its credibility shattered repeatedly.

A Powell endorsement of Obama would have some, small impact. But a Powell endorsement of McCain - don't rule it out - could have a much larger impact. It would, in the eyes of some, legitimize a campaign that has seen its credibility shattered repeatedly.

No, he needs to endorse Obama and help to save America from the ultimate catastrophe of a Palin-McCain administration.Posted by: SecularAnimist

SA, if this were the old Soviet Union, Powell would have been air brushed out of "state" photos five years ago.

His endorsement isn't going to matter a wit.

He was not an enthusiastic supporter of the war so conservatives don't like or trust him. Liberals and other sane people hate him for the fact that he did the wrong thing with regard to the war. I would imagine that his standing in the military is significantly reduced because he lied for Shrub. And finally, I've never gotten the feeling that he matters all that much to most African-Americans.

I think Bush the Elder's endorsement would count more, and be a delicious slap to the right. A girl can dream. It's pretty clear that he thinks his son has been a complete failure.

I agree that a Powell endorsement would be far more meaningful for McCain than Obama.

My prediction is that he endorses no one.

Is Colin Powell poised to weigh in on the presidential race?

Colin Powell is as guilty of causing our current problems as Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Perino, Libby, McClellan, Bartlett, Card, Rove, Rice, Ashcroft, Wolfowitz, Feith, Snow, Fleisher, McCain and Gonzales.

As far as I'm concerned, he can take his endorsement and shove it up his a**.

Wow. I guess it wasn’t all the Clinton’s fault after all, huh? Posted by: Fred from Pescadero

No. But the Dems in congress must bear as much responsibility up through 2006 for it, and the seeds of what happened by then were sown in 1999. The mess is a combination of sins of commission (purposely weakening oversight) or omission (knowing what was happening and not raising the alarm).

This gets back to what I've posted here and elsewhere. Obama is president, the Dems have decent if not bullet proof majorities in both houses, but they continue to behave and legislate like pork-smeared assholes. (Okay. Maybe not the best imagery there.)

We are in the greatest crisis this country has seen (maybe worse) since 1932. We need to hear a great deal of talk about this, thoughtful, on message (I hate that phrase) talk, starting Nov.5 through to the inauguration about wiping out and turning back all the damage that was done over the previous eight years. We need everyone to be honest that this won't be easy, but it's got to be done. It will be important to call-out liars in the media and across the aisle. We need to empty the archives on everything the Bush administration has done. This will reflect badly on some major Dems in congress. Too fucking bad. The likes of Pelosi, Reid and Rockefeller, to name just three, need to be replaced. Pelosi could easily be replaced in her safe district. Reid and Rockefeller's seat may have to be sacrificed in 2010.

We need to raise taxes back to 1999 levels. We need to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan and dramatically reduce the military budget. All transportation and energy funding needs to go to mass transit and developing clean and renewable alternatives to oil. There is no such thing as "clean coal" and nuclear is expensive and even more problematic than carbon-based fuels.

If the drum beat does not begin on this right after the election, you can count on the Dems failing and Obama being a one term president, and the Rethugs roaring back with a vengeance, and once back in they will rape, pillage and despoil this country until we cease to matter.

Powell certainly has enough grievances with Bush & Co. to give them the finger and endorse Obama. However, that's not his style. He discredited himself in the eyes of many supporters with his UN speech, and he's done precious little to rehabilitate himself in public. He prefers being the loyal soldier - read lapdog/bootlicker. To the extent he matters anymore, an Obama endorsement wouldn't hurt. Powell is more likely to say nice things about both Obama and McShame just to keep his Rethug ties - especially the ones that provide him money - tidy.

I'm not holding my breath.

"The mess is a combination of sins of commission (purposely weakening oversight) or omission (knowing what was happening and not raising the alarm)." Posted by Jeff II who has trouble reading who posted stuff.

OK, that's a little like holding the cops as liable as the rapist for failing to stop penetration.

Apparently that AP/yahoo poll is a few weeks old and internet based.

When does Powell take up his new quarters in a Hague prison cell next to Bush, Cheney, Wolfie, and Rummy?

"The mess is a combination of sins of commission (purposely weakening oversight) or omission (knowing what was happening and not raising the alarm)." Posted by Jeff II who has trouble reading who posted stuff.

OK, that's a little like holding the cops as liable as the rapist for failing to stop penetration. Posted by: ArkyTex

What the fuck are you talking about?

If the Dems are supposedly as pure as the driven snow on this issue, then they would have been raising bloody hell about what a mess was in the making. However, the opposite is true. They spent 2001-2005 being the silent and very loyal opposition. If not, how do explain Alito and Roberts on the Supreme Court, continued blank check funding for the war in Iraq, Mukasey replacing Gonzo and Rice gaining approval as Secretary of State?

The Dems were fucking lap dog for about four years after 9/11. This is why the country is as fucked up as it is. They might not have been able to prevent everything Shrubco wanted to do, but they didn't even really try, financial oversight being part of this.

Palin has more executive experience than Obama, McCain, or Biden put together. Of course, given the way she abused her executive positions, it's not the kind of experience anyone should want.

Funny how that never seems to get mentioned. Hell, Fidel Castro has three times the executive experience of all of these folk, but that doesn't qualify him to be POTUS.