Sixteen years ago I interviewed Colin Powell in the Pentagon.

[grasswire]

Just Powell, his aide, my staff photographer, and me for an hour. He was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Clinton's administration at the time.

I realize that my opinion of him is relatively worthless and just anecdotal. But, hey, I have met the guy and "looked into his soul" and also read about five hundred documents and stories about him in preparation for that interview.

And I know and believe that he has made some serious errors in judgment while serving in positions of leadership -- errors that are inexplicable, really. Errors that did not serve America well.

That said, I believe that at heart he is a good man. His responses to me were genuine and thoughtful and NOT the typical mean conservatism and politics of judgmentalism, division and destruction one sees in nearly every Republican today. In fact, his answers to me on social issues did not even sound Republican, but centrist.

Powell himself would have made a fine moderate president, I think. He could have been easily elected if he had wanted the office, which he always said he did not. There's something to be said for a man who could easily have that power and chooses not to seek it. (His wife, Alma, was always against it because of the incipient threat to a black candidate.)

Maybe this endorsement is Powell's way of redeeming himself for his faults. It's a start, anyway. Many people will come to Obama because of it.

[cynatnite]

1. They've said he could have easily beaten bush in 2000...

I think using his influence to help get Obama in the WH is his way of trying to right the wrongs.

[polichick]

2. Thanks for that story! I too believe he is redeeming himself.

[cliffordu]

3. Yep, this will be a fine way to be remembered....

[DJ13]

4. He's always been a soldiers soldier

Those who are (rightfully) still upset with Powell over his UN speech need to remember what that means.

He always followed orders, even orders he wasnt happy about (as we learned later how pissed he was over the text he was told to read to the UN), but was basically ordered to read by the CinC.

[grasswire]

6. this is true...

...and I believe that most of the military still adores him. His "doctrine" and Rumsfeld-Bush's "doctrine" are diametrically opposed. The Powell doctrine protects soldiers and sailors from misuse. The Rumsfeld-Bush doctrine has led to the decimation of our military.

[grantcart]

5. well your going to get scortched for your reasonable take which I share.

Powell is not the first nor will he be the last who getting to the highest pinacle of power let events overtake their judgement.

It is not just a Shakesperean tragedy but a common one and one that our party has experienced as well.

As you note the other commendable thing about Powell is that he probably could have been President and declined to run - for whatever reason. Very very few actors on that stage have declined to pursue greater personal power.

[grasswire]

8. scorching means nothing to me.

I've been scorched by the best.

[democracy1st]

7. thanks for sharing your story I'm very happy that Powell endorsed I could give a dayum about the

complaints

[alsame]

9. Interesting that you say he sounded centrist on social issues,

because what shocked me about his MTP appearance this morning was his concern that the SCOTUS not swing too far to the right. I was very impressed with that comment.

[grasswire]

11. the man's hobby is tinkering with old Volvos..

...so he may be a latte drinker, too. :-) His favorite food is a hamburger.

[alsame]

18. Ha, I just noticed your

sig line :)

[grasswire]

22. that was great TV

I laughed my a** off.

[Hissyspit]

10. My sister baby-sat for his kids in the late 1970s.

I don't really recall much about them.

[ClarkUSA]

12. If his endorsement will help Obama get elected POTUS, then that's all that counts with me.

It's time to work hard to elect Obama and it's obvious that Powell's endorsement helps enormously in that regard. Too often,
the perfect is the enemy of the good here. I will never respect his decisions dating back to his whitewashing My Lai or forgive
his deliberate enabling of the Iraq War with years of public support, but the future trumps the past at this critical juncture in
time.

[grasswire]

14. well said (eom)

[Sodan]

28. Exactly /nt

[H2O Man]

13. Interesting OP.

I have a very different view of him, but I respect your opinion.

Nominated, for the strength we find in the diversity of thought on DU.

[steve2470]

16. can you give a quick summary of your opinion of Powell ? I respect yours nt

[H2O Man]

30. In the last 48 hours,

I posted two OPs ("Rattle the Snakes" yesterday; "Powell v. Palin: The People's Court" today) which detail my opinion of General Powell, and my thoughts on his endorsement. Yesterday's OP, in fact, provided an accurate outline of what General Powell was preparing to say today on MTP.

Because of my respect for the author of this OP, I would hesitate to do more here than refer you to those threads. But I'd be curious what you think of them.

[steve2470]

31. I had forgotten the facts that you presented in your posts

Yes, he is a moral coward. I don't envy him in his old age. He only has so much time left to atone. I guess what he did today was both selfish and helpful for us. To really atone, he needs to publish a tell-all autobiography. Of course, he would instantly be accused of lying and profiteering.

I think Powell is a great example of how your moral integrity goes down the tubes when you get too high up inside a corrupt system.

[steve2470]

15. I think a point some need to dwell on is...

the fact that he could have been a selfish bastard and said nothing at all or given a very lukewarm endorsement, if one at all. What he gave during MTP and afterwards on the sidewalk, in my lifetime, was a stunning repudiation to his own party, full throated endorsement of Obama, and, I think, a payback to Bush/Cheney for what they "forced" him to do. Yeah, the guy isn't perfect and may end up having to atone more for his sins.

I just think people need to give him credit for NOT being the typical selfish bastard and going quietly into the night. For God's sake, the guy is 71 years old. He doesn't need any crap at this point in his life. I think he WILL get payback for what he said, but we may not see it.

Last thought: I think one or the other he will have to pay for his mistakes. Either here or in the next life or "heaven", etc.

[grasswire]

27. if he would campaign the next two weeks....

....I think he would do even more penance. But he said that he won't be on the stump. That's probably just as well, because HE would become the story if he were on the campaign trail.

[steve2470]

29. Yes, and he'd be doing a Lieberman campaigning for Obama

Yes, that would THRILL us and Obama, but to expect him to do a Lieberman is .... extraordinary. I'd WISH he would do that, but let's be realistic.

[janx]

17. So why the UN dog-and-pony show?

Why did he do it? I watched that slack-jawed and will never forget it. I had always admired him before that.

[grasswire]

24. that's why I said "inexplicable"

I can only hope that some day we get the full backstory on that.

[yellerpup]

19. Thanks for sharing your insights and experience with Gen. Powell.

I thought he made a strong case for Obama this morning. He didn't change my mind because I was already there, but his endorsement can only help with Independents and military families. K&R! :dem: :dem: :dem:

Edit to add K&R!

[Stinky The Clown]

20. I'm going to agreeably disagree with you.

Not with your views based on meeting him. You were there, I wasn't.

I will disagree with your summation of him as a basically decent man who has made some bad decisions.

He's been an ambitious suck-up for most of his career. Even more than a few of his peers in the essentially egalitarian military saw him that way. Not a soldier's soldier, but rather a General's soldier. I wasn't all that comfortable of his characterization as the house n****er when he worked for George the Lesser, but in fact, it was quite apt.

He has a record as a water carrier and an errand runner. From the My Lai cover up to the lying at the UN, his career is far more about his doing what his superiors ask than acting from any altruistic sense of patriotism or even decency.

I'm quite sure he personally holds more or less liberal social views. That is, in fact, the better legacy of military service - the singularly most socialized segment of American Society. And given his background, being socially liberal is not at all surprising.

But, overall, he is not a hero in my eyes. He has done much more harm than good as I see it.

[Virginia Dare]

21. My connection to Powell..

I lived in the same neighborhood with him, went to school with his son, early 80's when he was a rising star, and before he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. They were a normal middle class family, very down to earth. I think he was plucked out by Poppy as a useful tool got caught up in the power game and sold his soul, not surprising given his past.

I think he spoke today because he was asked to. This is an extremely significant turn of events in our history. This is a sign that the moderate forces of the GOP have made a move to take control back.

[SeeHopeWin]

23. All people have to do is see the whole interview from this morning :)

[rvablue]

25. Kicked because I like firsthand accounts and for REASONABLENESS!! N/T

[Faygo Kid]

26. Thank you. I have never been a Powell fan, but his comments today were just outstanding.

He went way beyond just endorsing Obama; he reminded us of what this nation is all about with his condemnation of Muslim hatred.

I think when we look back on this election, this will be one of the major moments.