Whatever happened to the concept of loyalty?
I grew up in a world where people took care of those who took care of them. That must be a bygone era.
Governor Bill Richardson exemplified a rat’s rat when he turned on the Clintons to back Barack Obama, sucking up for a vice presidency. Richardson would still be a nobody had it not been for Bill Clinton elevating him to two cabinet posts during his administration.
Enter, the former Secretary of State. For years, Colin Powell has been among the most revered public figures in America, once envisioned by millions, possibly, as the first African American president. Many thought he would be chosen as John McCain’s running mate. After all, he had been a staunch ally of Senator McCain for twenty years, as was McCain to him.
Instead, he stuck it to McCain.
Here is a man whose rise to national prominence was at the behest of republicans like Ronald Reagan, George Bush I, George Bush II and John McCain. First black National Security Advisor. First black four star general of the U.S. army. First black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff. First black Secretary of State. All on the coattails of republicans who saw greatness in this man. John McCain was there supporting him all the way.
Instead, he not only stuck it to McCain, he stuck it to the republican party.
Colin Powell shares nothing in common with Barack Obama, and everything in common with McCain, including a long and distinguished military career and later, many years of public service. He and McCain have been stalwarts of republican party moderation, often separating themselves from the far right dogma. They stood shoulder to shoulder in the successes of Gulf War I, and then the War in Afghanistan and the most controversial of all; the War in Iraq. They have shared a common bond, similar views, similar careers and mutual respect.
Who would have guessed? When the chips were down, in a colossal act of betrayal, Powell turned his back on everyone who catapulted him to prominence over the last twenty years, including John McCain, by backing Obama for president. Obama’s politics are an ocean apart from moderate republicanism. He is also the most liberal left-wing of all one hundred senators in Washington D.C. He never served in the military; never supported Powell in his career, does not share the same ideology and has no record from which to draw any parallel. It makes no sense.
Powell has forever personified the erosion of the color line in America, drawing admiration from all sides of the spectrum, not because of color but because of his accomplishments. All of America has loved Colin Powell.
Not any more. All that respect and admiration for Colin Powell just took a major dump among millions, not just because he disappointed supporters of McCain, but because nobody loves a backstabber, no matter what party he or she belongs to.
Why did he do it? Platitudes like “new direction,” and “transformational figure” and citing McCain’s pick for vice president, doesn’t cut it. I might buy into the Judas-like betrayal had Powell identified one political issue he agrees with, or one accomplishment of Obama’s that he alined himself with. But that didn’t happen.
When all is said and done, and the dust settles, that one reason becomes crystal clear. I know what that reason is, and so do most Americans.
McCain and Powell have much in common… except one thing.
Obama and Powell have nothing in common…except one thing.
They say you judge a persons intellect based on how much they agree with your own thinking….Marshall, Frank and Jay Huff, you are BRILLIANT, highly intelligent people.
Has anyone read Colin Powells’ book? Does anyone remember why colin Powell did not run for President? Does anyone remember the statement in part”you break it you own it”?How many of these muslims did Colin Powell kill? Was it for the date to run for a post in Barck Hussein Obams’s? Did you see the fear on his wifes face when she was not sure if he would turn down a Presidential run? Did you read Powell stated he walked over to Tenet’s office daily prior to delivering the UN address because”it did’nt look right? Did anyone read about the infighting in the cabinet that he lost to Chaney, Rove,and othe non soldiers? Does anyone remember he led a Viet Nam contingent from the from the front and that he was wounded? Does anyone read about the horrors he faced climbing the ladder in the military;they gave him the opportunity to suffer phsiologically to prove he will fight for America? Does anyone know of the chritable/personal monetary leadership he has amassed? Does anyone know of the Order of St Maurice; very few infantry soldiers recieved it. He did.
what is he going to do now? Dig up all the white soldiers buried in Arlington that died by his side and bury them in the Alsakan permafrost.
Fathfull-Dedicated-Thankfull? Does anyone know that he has not bad mouthed Bush to date?
As he talked for 6-7 minutes outlining many things that most of the world is saying about the American condition we choose to to use(against him) the courage, integrity, common and military genius as an overstated menial term of “stabbed” in the back. Can we now have a vote to deny him burial in Arlington to an unmarked grave where his Viet Nameese soldiers are buried and some still walk over.
He did’t say what you wanted to here and you probably would have disagred with him as he withstood the social injustices in climbing the military ladder. You say, he should have quit if he couldn’t take it. You probably would not have charged that hill with him in the lead. Why? because his family is from the Caribbean Islands?
Please….Please Wikipedia General Colin Powell, United States Army.
Powell did say “My party has moved too far to the right.” That was why they picked Palin, and that was why Powell jumped ship.
Everyone loves Powell, let’s just hope he doesn’t take too many votes away for osama.
Marshall yo got it right apparently there a lot of people who did not spend much time in Lib City…Powell also sold out his party which took care of him over the years…there is a saying that a lot of your readers will understand it starts with “What’s the sense????…………..
I guess “Bob” does not have a clue as to who and what you are. I do. To call you, of all people, a racist is beyond belief.
This type of attitude is what is at the heart of what is wrong in America. To have an opinion, to be able to state it in a public forum, without being accused of being a racist, non-patriotic, etc. is a fundamental right in America. keep up the good work and, as always, I’ve got your back.
why not think Colin Powell saw enough to know where a better future of all Americans really is. he was behind the lines and left it to stand on his own two feet. why not respect the man!
MARSHALL, YOU GOT IT RIGHT AND THE ONLY THING THAT COLIN POWELL AND OBAMA HAVE IN COMMON IS THE “ONE THING” AND WE ALL KNOW IT, BUT FEW HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY IT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY REASON HE SUPPORTS OBAMA IS DUE TO HIS COLOR AND FOR NO OTHER REASON AS MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE WILL DO. HE WILL PROBABLY LOSE THE ELECTION BECAUSE THERE’S JUST TOO MANY IGNORANT VOTERS THAT WILL VOTE FOR HIM AND THEY HAVE THE MINDSET THAT THEY’D SUPPORT ADOLPH HITLER RATHER THEN A REPUBLICAN.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE MY OPINION THEY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO…
Colin Powell, like every other citizen of this country, has the obligation to cast his vote for the person he believes most qualified to lead this country in war and in peace. Personal loyalties notwithstanding, he is proving to be a man of integrity and our country can be proud of him.
Marshal, I think your article is right on. In reading the responses there are a lot of people who have been dupped by a very slick campaign by the Demos. I was disapointed in Powells endorsement of Obama.
As in several investigations I was involved in you can tell a lot about the character of an individual by following the money. My question about Obama is where did the money come from for Columba and Harvard? Also why are the school records being kept out of public view. Contrary to Parkers remark race has nothing to do with it. Early in the elction year I personnaly was looking forward to Colin Powell been a candidate on one of the tickets. Now I am glad he is not. There are other questions about Obamas records and asociations that could be asked but I will not go into those now, it would be a waste of time because there would be no valid answere given.
Marshall, since there were three “HOPES” in our high school, I should like to say that THIS Hope AGREES with all you said, and I don’t want someone to confuse me with the “HOPE” from an earlier response.
Isn’t it funny that Powell waited until after Sarah Palin was chosen to be McCain’s VP pick to endorse Obama? He must have really been counting on being VP. I just wonder what position he was promised in Obama’s cabinet.
I urge all you Obama supporters to investigate his past (see Ed’s response above), his contributors (also see again Ed’s response above), and mostly his appeal. Obama is an excellent speaker, but is he also just a “silver-tongued” devil?
Sorry, make that JIM’S responses above.
I find it so amazing that, officers and former officers who at one time, were not afraid to put in writing in an affidavit all the evidence they had gathered and offered opinions of facts, now are so afraid to write in public the real meaning of the “One Thing,” expression.
The so called, “One Thing,” is the color of the skin of those involved in this controversy.
Why are we so afraid to say publicly that Powell and Obama are both blacks or to be more correct, Afro-Americans? That is what they are and nothing can change the fact. And be it, nothing wrong with it!
But, I am sure that, had Powell ran for President and be nominated, his choice would have been Obama for VP. Historically, military heroes have not made the best Presidents so, imagine, 4 years of Powell followed by maybe 4 or 8 of Obama. Well, let’s get this nightmare over with and go on. I just hope the damage is not going to be impossible to repair.
By the way, Jay, excellent analysis.
DID IT AGAIN-STIRRED THE POT !! OH SORRY I MEANT THE MELTING POT. BUT IAM REALLY PISSED OFF BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE ALL YOUR WRITERS HAVE FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE BIG ENDORSEMENT IS STILL FORTHCOMING.THE PRESIDENT OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS OF THE UNITED STATES WILL MAKE HIS ENDORSEMENT PUBLIC ON HALLOWEEN. A FITTING DATE FOR THE FINAL BIG ENDORSEMENT FOR A OFFICE WHICH REALLY IS NEITHER ELECTED OR RESPECTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN VOTERS OR SHOULD I SAY JUST VOTERS .WHO CARES WHO POWELL LIKES AT THIS POINT..I SURE DONT!!
I pondered the last few days whether or not your article deserved an answer or not, today I decided that I should.
You manage to exposed a lot of division which already existed, now confirmed that in 2008 nothing has changed. Please tell me; how you feel about all the blacks that have died through the years in wars for their country since before Independence? were they expendable? I could not believe that a week or so ago, you said it had nothing to do with color, and now it is the one and only reason.
Betrayal; not in my opinion, maybe payback time. Powell was sent to the U.N. and in front of the world to tell lies about the WMD though he kept asking for proof, that was embarrassing and he left.
Powell was not promoted because he was one of them, he got promoted because they had no choice, he had the qualifications and it made them look good to have a black man in that position. I am sure he went thru hell and passed over many times to get to that position. How do you feel about Condi Rice? Do you feel she shouldn’t have been appointed?
What happens to the first and fifth admendment which we talk so much about. At least he is not a hypocrite. This week on CNN they interviewed the McCain’s Campaign Finance Director; who has been a lifelong Republican, a white man. He decided to vote for Obama, is he a traitor? also a Republican Senator from Michigan and a few others including the granddaughter of Barry Goldwater, all white. Don’t they have the right to vote for who they want? To suggest that Powell does not have the discernment or right to vote for whoever he feels like, is unreal.
About loyalty…well, you know as well as I do, even in our working lives we have seen it frequently.
About Obama; I feel if today; in 2008, we are so hateful, imagine what he must have gone through 20 years ago in Harvard to become the President of their Law Review. I know for many in the South, it is ingrained by their upbringing, but what are we promoting here? Is it that a black man cannot be honest, sincere, trusted, hard working, loving and devoted?
On another front; why didn’t Mrs. McCain bought the clothes for Gov. Palin? it would have been the right thing to do, it isn’t that she cannot afford it. While they complained that Obama wants to “spread the wealth”; they feel it is OK to use contributor’s funds of the RNC, for their personal use. It would have been a tax write off for the McCain’s.
I am glad that my parents thought me the right values.
How a person whose position is on the right side of the fence, can endorse a person on the extreme left side of the fence is unfathomable, unless there is a trump card. Irrespective of your views, you are very naive, if you don’t see that, for the most part, Italians support Italians, Irish support Irish, Catholics support Catholics, Jews support Jews, Democrats support Democratics, and Republicans support Republicans UNLESS THERE IS A TRUMP CARD!!!
Marshall, you certainly stirred the pot this time. From reading many of the responses from our former brethren, I am very disappointed, but not surprised. It would seem that if you are not in lock step with their opinions, you are a racist. Unfortunately, that appears to be a major democratic mantra used all too effectively to silence all that dare have an opinion that differs from theirs. It would seem that our Country is headed in an unfortunate direction and for that I primarily blame the Democrats who have incessantly been assailing Bush for every wrong conceivable, all in the quest to regain power. Yes, the quest for power has become an all encompassing corrupter of politics.
As far as Colin Powell is concerned, he did state his reasons, but that does not mean he was being totally forthright, and as others have said, I too believe he voted the race card. I have no issues with a black candidate, but not this one, he is about as far left as you can get and he would not get my vote whatever his ethnic background. I personally would like to see Dr. Condoleezza Rice run for higher office, but I’m afraid for many, she is also too far to the right.
You hit the nail on the head as usual.
Marshall, I remember you from MDPD. The points you have made are excellent, and I applaud your courage to speak the truth in an age when “political correctness” outweighs honest communication based on facts.
Colin Powell has been disloyal not only to the Republican Party, but to the conservative principles it represents.
In my view, Powell’s decision to support Obama is a reflection of a confused society and a leadership focused on agendas rather than principles. This is all a natural extension of children who, for a generation, have been confused by a biased media, and of college professors like Bill Ayers who hide under the cloaks of the very American freedoms that allow them to indoctrinate young college students.
Once society becomes confused, it is easier to divide and separate. Those seeds are beginning to sow, and I fear for America’s future.
Please continue to speak out with the courage of your convictions….you speak for many.
Marshall, you really opened a can of worms that time.
I really think that Gen. Powell spoke from his conscience and not for any politcal, self-serving or racial reasons.
And one more thing…..Martin Luther King, in his famed “I Have a Dream Speech” stated he longed for a day when men would be judged…”not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” While few would ever dispute the content of Powell’s character, the same cannot be said for Obama. I find it astonishing that Powell can state on one hand that he supported the war, but would then endorse a man who wants to surrender. It is even more disturbing that he would support a Presidential Candidate who has established a pattern (since his college days) of associating himself with people like Bill Ayers, and many others who state they want to “damn” America. These same individuals either advocate or act with violence and disdain for America to draw attention to their causes. What does it say about the content of Obama’s character when he hedges and vascillates about condemning such behavior? Questioning Obama’s past associations and affiliations have nothing to do with the color of his skin and everything to do with legitimately questioning his character…and therefore his suitability to become our Commander in Chief.
He is just living up to his name. I never thought Powell was a sincere individual. I remember watching Colin and Stormin Norman during Desert storm. His posture always cracked me up. Michael Jackson was criticized for holding his crotch like Colin Powell does. Go figure. I’d vote for Schwartzkauf (sp?) if he’d run. Now that is a military man with a conscience. All Powell’s endorsement did is put more doubt in the minds of Democrats who are not 100% for Obama. I think it is a republican ploy, passed off as a racial one.
Sooo, Marshall isn’t racist, Obama is a terrorist and Palin is the best thing since sliced bread? You’re all delusional. I will leave off here and allow Obama’s Presidency speak for itself!
Almost everyone is in disagreement about whether we should vote for McCain or for Obama. You are BOTH right! Neither McCain NOR Obama are fit to lead the nation that has been blessed by God more than any other nation in the history of the world. All of the little dramas and disagreements going on every day all over the country, in Washington, at street intersections, in these emails, at the water cooler, from the pulpits, in the media and in your conversations and writings, are all just diversionary “talking points” designed by the Master Deceiver to distract, befuddle and confuse the masses, and to keep you from looking toward a more Godly person who would be more qualified to lead this great nation. I almost said “Godly nation”, but that is a term that WAS used BEFORE so many Biblical principals had been stripped from our laws and courts, our schools, and our media and “entertainment” venues, etc. That was BEFORE our government created the Federal Reserve note out of thin air, and began the process of enslaving millions of Americans to trillions of dollars of debt. BEFORE murder was legalized (in the form of abortion, and will continue to be legal under either major candidate). BEFOE we as a nation started backsliding in many, many ways of greatness, on an ever-increasing downhill slope.
So, do you want to continue to be led like a sheep around this common political merry-go-round with no place to go, with no good hope for the future, or do you want to vote your principal for a better solution to our nation’s growing ills?
May I suggest that you examine the Constitution Party Presidential Candidate Chuck Baldwin at http://www.baldwinlive08.com . I know that the first thought that comes to your mind is that a vote for Baldwin is a wasted vote, because he cannot possibly win. Read the “A Wasted Vote” article. Prayerfully consider voting for who you would LIKE to have as a leader, NOT who you think will win the election. There are profound parallels between the choice we have to make in a few days, and the choice Joshuah gave to the Israelites as to who they wanted to serve (who they wanted to rule over them), in the final book of Joshuah (chapter 25). Right before he died, their respected Godly leader Joshuah told them, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” v.15
Let’s choose the BEST man for the job, not the one who the crowd is following. And take note that Exodus 23:2 commands us who want to obey God: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”
This is just racism. Colin Powell didn’t betray his party. His party betrayed him. He’s the only one with the balls to say it.
Wordsmith, you really struck chords with people on this subject, didn’t you.
I would not be so crass to state you are wrong. I do believe you are mistaken.
We should not confuse loyalty with blind loyalty.
Who believes the surviving members of the Barry Goldwater family are disloyal or unpatriotic in supporting Barack Obama? Only those on the right who are blindly loyal.
For those of you who blindly follow John McCain because of a perceived loyalty to the Party or to the Country, which John McCain do you choose to follow? The man changes before our eyes on almost a daily basis.
Good luck to all us us; we will need much luck in the next few years, despite the outcome of the impending election. Our politicians and the Decider-in-Chief now in office have left us a HELL OF A MESS!
Marshall, you hit a direct bullseye, there is no rational person who can look at the qualifications of the canidates, and with out drinking large amounts of the Obama Kool-Aid, select Obama. A man who has a hate filled mentor and reverand for 20 years, an associte of Father Phalger, the likes of William Ayres, interestiigly, just came to light that he Ayres dedicated one of his books to Sirsan Sirsan, sweet land deals with Obama’s buddy and convicted felon Tony Resco, and the connection with the corrupt group of ACORN. Don’t forget about Rashid Kaledi, PLO spokesman, and hater of all Jewish people and the state if Israel, whom the LA Times has a video tape of Obama, Kaledi, and it’s been reported the William Ayers was also at the party, this was just a few years ago. But for some reason they refuse to release the tape, gee what happened to the adage the media likes to use, “the public’s right to know”. But let us be honest, if it were not for the totally corrupt main stream media, yes CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, to name a few, if they did not hop in the tank for Obama, McCain would be 20 points ahead of Obama. They are beyond left wing, the are to the extreme, the media, is not to be trusted. The dirty little secret is, if McCain could be associated, with racists, the media would have a total field day, chewing and spitting him out, but since it is their man with the dirty closet full of left wing extremists, thats OK. Rather then look at Obama’s ties, it’s more important to reveal that Todd Palin had a DUI 20 years ago. Let’s hope that America votes for McCain / Palin. These are tuff times and to vote for a Marxist for president is shameful to this great country, God Bless America!!!!
The country has spoken!
To M.Little,
God help us……..The country has been led down the primrose path by the main stream media. Uninformed decisions will take us down the road to the extreme left with Reid and Pelosi and the majority of dems in congress. I will wait and see, but I am fearful.
Well I am fearful of the religious right and there fanatical rants. I do not want a leader who is sitting around to see a sign from God, as Palin stated. I want someone who can run a country and not vote for someone because they have the same religious beliefs. That is exactly what happened with Bush and look where we are now. Thousands of people are without jobs, and homes. Businesses are closing daily. Lets see citicorp just laid off 50,000 plus and tomorrow another company will lay thousands off. So you see God doesnt have anything to do with it. Our government is run by people who right now have shown there incompentance. I really dont care what there religious beliefs are.
Uniformed decisions. Are you kidding me! Sort of what the Bush administration did with Iraq, costing thousands of innocent soldiers there life. Ill take my chance with your so called extreme left, the extreme right of the last eight years has done us any favors. It looks like Obama is on track appointing competant leadership unlike Bush and his cronyism. Just today Bush admitted in an interview that he probably would have still gone into Iraq even if he had the proper intelligence. For the 6 yrs the Republicans had the majority along with Bush, what was accomplished. A mess. In four years we will be much better off after President Elect diggs us out of the mess we are in.
“WOW”
Lots of good material for a new book here, Marshall!