Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Colin Powell


Sunday morning, I was playing with my grandson and his trains in the living room. The television was on but, neither one of us was paying any attention to it. After all, we were about the serious business of laying tracks and connecting a station that his trains were going to run through. Then, I heard the announcer say, "When we return, former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, will weigh in with his choice for President." Now, that caught my attention.

I continued playing with my little man but, now I was anxiously trying to get through the very clever Viagra commercial where the man puts on a powder blue tux from (what I hope wasn't) his wedding day and then vainly attempts to carry his wife upstairs for a "romp in the hay." He wisely decides that he is no longer a twenty-something and Viagra or not, he'd better conserve what energy he has and just WALK up the stairs for that romp. I sang along with the commercial, "Viva... Viva... Viagraaaaaaaa..." (at least, the song was cool). There was another commercial about bloating but, I didn't really get into that one.

Then, came the face of the black man who I had secretly wanted to run for president many years ago. Colin Powell! Colin Powell is a man who I have always respected, even though I have cringed at his political association with this Bush administration. I have always thought of him as a good, decent man and a free thinker. Although, I lost a little respect for him when, while serving as Secretary of State under this president, he backed the lies and misconceptions put forth by the Bush Administration that led to this dreadful war in Iraq. I suspect that even he had a problem with what he was being asked to do and say and that this is why he eventually gave it up and walked away from it all in favor of being a private citizen.

Despite the fact that Colin Powell is a "moderate" Republican, he has gone on the record and said that he is supporting Barack Obama for president. I was pleased to hear this and I know it took a lot of courage for him to go against his party to take this stand. He mapped out some very good reasons why he was choosing Mr. Obama for president and none of his reasons had anything to do with race. (So, take that Rush Limbaugh!) They were clear cut and intelligent reasons that would have been "accepted" if he were white but, never the less, they were pooh-poohed by a few right wing pundits who speculated that the real reason he was supporting Obama was because they are both black.

I could do an entire post on how nutty and wrong that is but, I won't waste the effort. Colin Powell backed President Bush for re-election and nobody had a problem with that so, can't he back Barack Obama? I would have backed Powell for president, Republican or not, because I like the man and not just because he's black. Despite his missteps with both George W., his daddy (George, Sr.), and that crowd, Colin Powell has redeemed himself in my eyes with his announcement on Sunday morning.

Can you believe that after his announcement, they showed that same Viagra commercial that aired right before he made his announcement? Was that a subliminal suggestion about the present impotence of this nation and it's economy? Oh-Oh, there I go gettin' deep. Television news people don't get that deep. It probably was just a coincidence... just like Colin's brave choice.

13 comments:

SLC said...

That was no coincidence. That was John McCain dressed in old school tradition trying to carry the weight of yesterdays mistake; Sarah Palin, up the stairs of the White House to partake in political shenanigans. Realizing she was to heavy to carry he dropped her and said I'll meet you there, and afterwards we can continue our bloated (commercial 2) rhetoric of division.

Ok maybe it was a coincidence.
SLC

Strongblkwmn said...

I respect Colin Powell as a man, but I would not have voted for him if he would have ran for president.

I'm very glad that he put his politics aside and put a lot of thought into his endorsement.

OG, The Original Glamazon said...

Well, I knew the announcement was coming and we (the crew and I) even discussed his upcoming appearance on Friday night when we hung out. I knew the haters (real hate mongers not just slang) would say race. People project what they think on to other people, because for many of them the only reason they back McCain is because he is NOT a black man.

Anyway I have never loss respect for Powell because it seemed when he realized he was hoodwinked, bamboozled and ran amuck upon he politely step down and removed himself from the administration. From time to time we do make bad choices but it is always how we come back. I'm just glad to see he still is the man who is willing to make his own decisions.

I think its funny they are saying he would have been disowned PLEASE!! Lets me know those HATERS still don't get it at all. If blacks still manage to respect Powell and his decisions back in 2000 and 2004 why would we turn on him. ANYWAY!

-OG

Me said...

Hmmm...I agree with you about the commercial. I took a history of film class years ago and the first day we learned that nothing in the filming industry is done by accident.So there you go!
Anyway...hubby and I were discussing Powell the other night. I wonder how many times he went along with things not because he agreed with it, but because it was his job. I respect him because once he saw that things just were not adding up...he was done.
What is Condie waiting on??? OK...I know that isn't going to happen.

Keith said...

@Raven- You never know with Condi-lolol-I'll bet she's a closet Obama
supporter.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Keith that Powell
was a princapled man who just couldn't stomach the Bush Administration and so he quietly left. In the end, he proved to be "Black" first.. Good for him.

Anonymous said...

Excellent Post Keith, I read this this morning, but didn't have time to comment. I'm with Raven, I'm waitin for Condi to come around.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad Colin Powell put his Party
politics aside and endorsed Barrack Obama..I know that the rethugs as Feild Negro calls them ,lolol are through with him.

Anonymous said...

Come on Condi, get with the program!!lololol Good Post Keith

Keith said...

@SLC, Stongblkwmn, OG- As always
thanks for your insightful comments,you guys aalways give me a lot to think about.

Mizrepresent said...

lol Keith, i hear you! That was so special to me too! How can we go wrong?

ZACK said...

Keith, I guess this means that Viagra is going after people like you! (I'm kidding. But it is strange that they assume that older folks ONLY watch news programs)

I agree with you about Colon Powell. (No typo there. That's how his dumbass pronounces his name. I have a cousin whose name is spelled the same and we call that cousin "COLLIN")

Sorry about the superfluous use of parentheses. (That's my trademark style, ya know?)

(Okay, one more parenthesis for good measure)

GREAT POST!

Keith said...

@Zack- lololol- Viva Viagra!!!




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