Colin Powell for Obama's VP
I think Colin Powell should be Obama's pick for VP for a number of reasons:
1) It would be an incredibly bold move, across party lines.
2) By picking Powell, Obama would be saying that he is not going to pander to racial fears. The conventional wisdom that he needs to "balance" his ticket with a white person only reinforces the idea that a black man cannot achieve things by himself, and needs the helping hand of a white "buddy." By picking Powell, Obama would be giving the big F.U. to that racist mindset. (And Obama would still reap the benefits of having an older candidate on his ticket with a tremendous amount of foreign policy and military experience.)
3) Picking Powell would allow the Obama campaign to get out of the shadow that HRC has cast over his VP selection. Powell would destroy the dynamic of having to compare Obama's VP selection with Hillary. It would become apples and oranges.
4) Powell would help with moderate white voters in key states. And those people who are opposed to a black man becoming president would not vote for Obama simply because he has a white person on the ticket, anyway.
Of course, there are some downsides:
1) Powell helped get us into the Iraq War. But I think he could just acknowledge the mistake, say he was given faulty intelligence, and announce that he is on board with a responsible withdrawal.
2) Powell probably knew of the CIA's torture techniques and did not object. McCain, by contrast, has stood against waterboarding and other uses of torture. Again, Powell announcing his opposition to such techniques now would help to neutralize the issue.
Do we really need the next administration to be made up of the same 'yes men' that the current administration uses? This is (IMHO) a serious character flaw. Making principles such as honesty and accountability secondary to loyalty is a big chunk of exactly what's wrong with the Bush administration.
June 17, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not. Ever. Going. To. Happen.
Colin Powell is a war criminal.
June 17, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not gonna happen. To many are still pissed at Colin for his support of the war. Even though he was the first to warn Bush you break it you own it. Also if his wife wouldn't let him run for President you think she is going to let him be VP?
June 17, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think having Powell on the ticket decreases the danger that Ms. Powell fears -- for reasons that are too distasteful to express.
June 17, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think having Powell on the ticket would seriously effect Obama's support among the anti-war base of the Democratic Party -- especially if Powell throws his weight behind a withdrawal. That would neutralize McCain's argument that Obama doesn't understand what's at stake in Iraq or that Obama is just wants to surrender without honor. Powell has much more stature in military affairs than McCain.
June 17, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
So what you are saying is you are dying to see two Republicans Debate each other for the VP slot.
So what you are saying is that you are dying to see A Republican as President of the Senate, and cast all tie breaking votes.
So what you are saying is that you are dying to see a Republican just a heart beat away from the Presidency.
So what you are saying is you are dying to see a Republican, who has never being tested in any election to find out if he worth a damn at the campaigning thing, be on the Democratic Ticket.
So what you are saying is that you are dying to see by how much of a margin two African Americans on the same ticket, would get trounced.
Brilliant! Have your self another Guinness, and send your resume to Turdblossom.
June 17, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, what I'm saying is I'd like to see a post-partisan, post-racial world where problems actually get solved. I believe that's Obama's platform. If you disagree, I'm sure Nader would love to have you.
June 17, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are craving what I outlined. Colin Powell is still a Republican. He never broke from his party.
I want Senator Obama to run with a fellow Democrat.
Two Republicans on the other ticket is not just enough for you it appears, you want to have three Republicans and only one Democrat in the fall election. That is absurd.
June 17, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
"We are not red states, or blue states, but the United States," as someone said.
I'm a lifelong Democrat, but I want to see Obama realize the potential of his candidacy to redraw the political map and re-envision our political life. That's what I crave. The thought of Vice President Biden or Clinton may thrill you, but not me.
June 17, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did you not see what Cheney got away with.
What about if Powell starting doing the same thing, and he is well connected with the Cheney
cabal, so he would just have to pick up where Cheney left off. Powell is a Republican for a reason. He wants to be one. Cheney could just hand him the blueprints, and Obama could not fire him.
Try thinking through the consequences
instead of just falling in love with every crazy notion that jumps into your mind. Everyone has a occasional brain fart, but that does not mean that they should fall in love with them.
June 17, 2008 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
The implicit assumption you make is that Obama would be as weak and ineffectual as Bush in controlling his VP. What's the support for that? Note also that Powell left the Bush Administration, and did so mainly over policy disagreements with Cheney's cabal.
June 17, 2008 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you even know how old Powell is? It would be a kind of hard to make the case against McCain being too old for the job, once you put Powell on the ticket. I can understand you having a one night stand with you brain fart, but, for cripes sakes, do you have to marry it.
June 17, 2008 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why not just wait until Obama and his staff determine who will be the best candidate?
After all Obama, Axelrod, Plouffe, et all have so far run a brilliant campaign.
I get a real kick out of all the pundits, both professional and amateur, who pronounce who should be Obama's Vice-president, none of whom are even remotely as qualified to decide such as is Obama and his campaign.
June 17, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
That sounds like something Mark Penn would have said. I agree that Obama's campaign has been kick a$$, but part of the fun of political debate is actually participating in it, even as an amateur.
June 17, 2008 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is one of the looniest ideas to date.
Colin Powell made his career as a slut sweeping dirt under the rug, and lying, for his bosses, beginning with the My Lai massacre.
Never once has he had the gumption to stand up and say no, let alone denounce the crimes in which he willfully participated.
The guy is a slut.
June 17, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did someone say "loon?" Stand by for Julian Smith...
But I don't see it as a legit possibility.
Although you did express one idea I kinda liked: eliminating the "white buddy"... worth pondering for a bit...
Of course you'll have everyone else what about the all important vote of the "working, hard working Americans, white Americans" the blue-collar "regular" people who bowl and drink boilermakers and live in WV, KY and Scranton?
June 17, 2008 7:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a republican, I like the General. But Powell as VP is not turning the page of history. It would also be a diss to the energized gender politics of the moment.
Again allow me to forward an idea I've advocated for on other posts.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Claudia Kennedy could be a near flawless choice for Obama.
Former Military Intelligence commander. Big supporter of John Kerry in '04. Best part, she outranks McCain. He would have to salute her. No one could question her defense and Intelligence credentials. Please consider the brief bio below.
"Claudia J. Kennedy is the first and only woman to achieve the rank of three-star general in the United States Army, taking her from the Women’s Army Corps in the late 1960s to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence from 1997 to 2000. She oversaw policies and operations affecting 45,000 people stationed worldwide with a budget of nearly $1 billion.
Following in her father’s footsteps, General Kennedy joined the Army in 1968. In 1969, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. During her career, she commanded a company, an intelligence battalion, a recruiting battalion and an intelligence brigade. As a general officer, she served as the senior intelligence officer for the U.S. Forces Command, Deputy Commanding General for the Army Intelligence Center and School and completing her career as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence.
General Kennedy received numerous honors and awards during her military career, including the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal and four Legions of Merits..."
Outside of Clinton or Gov. Sebelius, why not have a trailblazing woman like Gen. Kennedy, who has served her country with distinction?
A woman first. A career soldier always. A Democrat.
Thoughts?
June 17, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a very interesting idea. I never heard of her before. But that, of course, may be the problem. Like Powell, she wouldn't help Obama necessarily win a particular swing state, but unlike Powell, she wouldn't have the name recognition and "star power" to reconfigure the electoral map generally. Any information on what she's like as a public speaker, or whether she can connect with voters?
June 17, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
**Oh hell no. About the black thing? Let's go with Chris Rock.
He's black enough, and damn it. He didn't lie to the whole world.
June 17, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink