Colin Powell Endorses Obama

This morning on Meet the Press former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama. He stated that Obama was qualified to be president, showed strong leadership and ideas on the economy, and has electrified the nation in a way will dramatically change the United States’ position in the world. He called John McCain a friend but he lacks a strong economic response and his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate puts the United States in a dangerous position. It is also well know that Powell has disagreed with the Republican Party on foreign policy issues and domestic social issues.

Colin Power is considered one of the more respected men in the US political sphere. The vast majority of Americans have a favorable view of him and he has immense respect in the military community and among moderates. Yet, to some he has lost all credibility after being President Bush’s Secretary of State as the US invaded Iraq. Many see Powell’s speech before the United Nations making the case for war as an irreparable blunder that completely destroyed his credibility in the international community. Powell recognizes that that moment was a blot on his career and has since tried to distance himself from the Bush administration.

What does Powell’s endorsement mean? It gives more foreign policy credibility to Obama and the Democrats. Undoubtedly it will have the strongest effect on independents and moderate Republicans. Older Republicans especially those from the Reagan and Bush Sr. years respect Powell and his judgment. Veterans may feel more confident in Obama. More importantly, with only a few weeks until the election it could be powerful in the battleground states. If it motivates just a few groups of voters, Obama could pick up the key states such as Virginia and Ohio. Powell is now the biggest name Republican to endorse Obama. During the primaries it was important for Obama to get endorsements from Kennedy because Kennedy represented the old Democratic vanguard. Powell is similarly a prominent figure in the military establishment and among some Republicans. That being said endorsements are only so powerful. For anyone who had already decided to support McCain, Powell’s endorsement will have no or little effect.

Powell’s endorsement is powerful because it is symbolic. It represents a certain branch of Republicans throwing their support for Obama. The timing of the endorsement is very helpful for Obama since the effects of the endorsement should be felt for the next few weeks or so. Any earlier and it most likely would have been forgotten by election day. So now will Powell have a spot in the Obama administration? It doesn’t seem likely that he would be given the Secretary of State position, but Secretary of Defense? National Security Adviser?