POWELL SPEAKS

Posted at 9:58 a.m. ET

Colin Powell has indeed endorsed Barack Obama on "Meet the Press."  As reported in The Politico:

Saying the Democratic nominee could "not only electrify our country but electrify our world," Colin Powell crossed party lines this morning and announced his support for Barack Obama.

Powell made his announcement on "Meet the Press." He said he had no plans to campaign for Obama.

Offering an extended rationale before making his preference known, the former Secretary of State said he had only come to his decision in recent weeks in what he called the campaign's "final exam."

It's sad to see Powell sink this way.  He claimed it wasn't about race, but the line, "not only electrify our country but electrify the world" is code language. 

Also sad was Powell's swipe at Sarah Palin:

Palin, Powell said flatly, is not qualified because she's not ready to be president -- the primary role of the vice president .

Powell, a native son of New York City, also knocked one of Palin's signature lines. "Not just small towns have values," he said.

Of course, there was no discussion of Joe Biden's catastrophic record on foreign policy - opposing just about everything successful in American policy over the last 36 years.  In Powell's world, the world of the Washington bureaucrat, Biden's just "being there" is qualification enough.

Powell said he's gotten to know Barack Obama.  I wonder if he's taken the time to get to know Sarah Palin. 

John McCain's reaction to the Powell announcement was correct and classy:

It doesn’t come as a surprise," McCain said. "I'm very pleased to have the endorsement of four former Secretaries of State, well over 200 retired generals and admirals. I’ve admired and continue to respect Secretary Powell."

The sad fact is that some Americans may be swayed by the Powell halo.  We seem to be creating a lot of halos these days, with very little substance underneath.

October 19, 2008.