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Keep in mind that 40% of blacks didn't vote in the 2004 election. So when people are talking about 90% (or whatever the number), they are talking about 90% of the 60% of the total population that actually voted. It seems to me that 40% of blacks have continually helped Republicans out by not voting. So much for the black Democratic conspiracy.
US Census Press Releases (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html - broken link)
Now, all you that have wished to do so have had your shot at me. I am ok that you got your chance; however, my point was that Mr. Powell did diminish his otherwise excellent speech by bringing in the race issue. I will not attempt to quote him, but to the best of my memory, it doesn't really matter except to say that in the speech he made there was no reason to play the race card whatsoever. It was a wonderful speech otherwise.
I am so sorry that you who slandered me did so with such hatred. I just can't see how Mr. Powell or any other reasonable American would vote for Mr. Obama other than race. There are many black men, including Mr. Powell, which I would be happy to support, but to say that Mr. Powell never spoke of racism just isn't true.
You on the left, who may or may not be real estate people, just are not thinking this election through if you think America will be better off with Obama, Pelosi, Reed, Frank, & Dodd in charge. There is no reasonable person looking at the issues and the current (not former) candidates that would logically choose Obama over McCain when all the issues, such as Biden's test plot, taxes, governmental intrusion, Bill Ayers, and how Mr. Obama has succeeded using the American way. Gee, you poor folks need to see that just like Joe, Nikita, Leonid, and Fidel left their impoverished ways to control the folks left in the ditch after they were helped up first, BHO has already moved on up to the elite side of town. He'll forget you for sure if 1600 PA is his new home.
I am so sorry that you who slandered me did so with such hatred. I just can't see how Mr. Powell or any other reasonable American would vote for Mr. Obama other than race.
Then you are blind, deaf, and willfully stupid since Gen. Powell made his points clearly and succinctly.
As for your inability to quote, paraphrase, or even give a general description of Powell's remarks, I would add a few more slanderous descriptions.
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I am so sorry that you who slandered me did so with such hatred. I just can't see how Mr. Powell or any other reasonable American would vote for Mr. Obama other than race.
You can't see any reason to vote for Obama other than race, and yet you condemn Powell for an "otherwise excellent speech" in which he had the nerve to bring up race at all? Hmmm, who has the race problem again?
And Warren Buffett is for Obama, and Buffett seems pretty reasonable to me.
Well instead of slandering or waiting of a response, let me be of some assistance to the OP.
The transcript of Powell's endorsement:
I know both of these individuals very well now. I've known John for 25 years as your setup said. And I've gotten to know Mr. Obama quite well over the past two years. Both of them are distinguished Americans who are patriotic, who are dedicated to the welfare of our country. Either one of them, I think, would be a good president. I have said to Mr. McCain that I admire all he has done. I have some concerns about the direction that the party has taken in recent years. It has moved more to the right than I would like to see it, but that's a choice the party makes. And I've said to Mr. Obama, "You have to pass a test of do you have enough experience, and do you bring the judgment to the table that would give us confidence that you would be a good president."
And I've watched him over the past two years, frankly, and I've had this conversation with him. I have especially watched over the last six of seven weeks as both of them have really taken a final exam with respect to this economic crisis that we are in and coming out of the conventions. And I must say that I've gotten a good measure of both. In the case of Mr. McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as to deal with the economic problems that we were having and almost every day there was a different approach to the problem. And that concerned me, sensing that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had. And I was also concerned at the selection of Governor Palin. She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired; but at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made.
On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at problems like this and picking a vice president that, I think, is ready to be president on day one. And also, in not just jumping in and changing every day, but showing intellectual vigor. I think that he has a, a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well. I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines--ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values, not just small towns have values.
And I've also been disappointed, frankly, by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently, or his campaign ads, on issues that are not really central to the problems that the American people are worried about. This Bill Ayers situation that's been going on for weeks became something of a central point of the campaign. But Mr. McCain says that he's a washed-out terrorist. Well, then, why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have these robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that, because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow, Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate.
Now, I understand what politics is all about. I know how you can go after one another, and that's good. But I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for. And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign and they trouble me. And the party has moved even further to the right, and Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift. I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration. I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that, within the party, we have these kinds of expressions.
So, when I look at all of this and I think back to my Army career, we've got two individuals, either one of them could be a good president. But which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of hisability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities--and we have to take that into account--as well as his substance--he has both style and substance--he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the world--onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
tomocox, here are just a few reasons Powell gave for voting for Obama:
(haha, winterinamerica beat me to it)
On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge and an approach to looking at problems like this and picking a vice president that, I think, is ready to be president on day one. And also, in not just jumping in and changing every day, but showing intellectual vigor. I think that he has a, a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well....
...Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines--ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values, not just small towns have values.
....But which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities--and we have to take that into account--as well as his substance--he has both style and substance--he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the world--onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
....He speaks authoritatively. He speaks with great insight into the challenges we're facing of a military and political and economic nature. And he is surrounding himself, I'm confident, with people who'll be able to give him the expertise that he, at the moment, does not have. And so I have watched an individual who has intellectual vigor and who dives deeply into issues and approaches issues with a very, very steady hand. And so I'm confident that he will be ready to take on these challenges on January 21st.
....And I can't deny that it will be a historic event for an African-American to become president. And should that happen, all Americans should be proud--not just African-Americans, but all Americans--that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It will also not only electrify our country, I think it'll electrify the world.
So, in conclusion:
) Powell gave some very specific reasons why he is voting for Obama, and why other people who are still undecided should consider Obama, and
) Powell admitted that voting for the first African American President in history played at least some part in his decision
I just can't see how Mr. Powell or any other reasonable American would vote for Mr. Obama other than race.
What's a reasonable American? I think I'm a very reasonable American--gainfully employed, married, parent, home owner, church goer, college-educated, PTA volunteer, middle-aged--and I'm voting for Obama because I think he's the best candidate for the job.
Quote:
You on the left, who may or may not be real estate people, just are not thinking this election through
Not sure what that means...
Quote:
There is no reasonable person looking at the issues and the current (not former) candidates that would logically choose Obama over McCain when all the issues, such as Biden's test plot, taxes, governmental intrusion, Bill Ayers, and how Mr. Obama has succeeded using the American way.
Not sure what this means, either. Are you praising him or damning him?
Quote:
Gee, you poor folks need to see that just like Joe, Nikita, Leonid, and Fidel left their impoverished ways to control the folks left in the ditch after they were helped up first, BHO has already moved on up to the elite side of town. He'll forget you for sure if 1600 PA is his new home.
So you're not voting for Obama because....you don't think he'll look out for the little guy?
All of you who are claiming Colin Powell is a racist are nuts......it is just another lying bash for Obama that is all! Funny how you did not say that when he was a Bush supporter! Hippocrates! Everyone claiming these idiosyncrasies about him is the real racist! Look at yourselves in the mirror. No wonder this country is going to poop. All you racist people haters are getting out of control! No wonder this country is divided. You people never look for the good in a person! What the heck is wrong with an educated black man that worked his way up the ladder by himself to make something of himself. And his wife too! How many of you have accomplished things like they did and would ever get where they are? How many black people have the opportunity to be able to be so accomplished? I am proud of what Obama is as a person! He has compassion, something most Americans (Republicans) do not even know the definition of! Shame on all of you! Do your homework before you cast a vote! You people scare me! Shame on all of you!
One more thing....blacks can vote for white presidents which they all have in the past but when they vote for a black president all of a sudden the Repugs claim them to be racist! Again, your all nuts! Shame, shame, shame on you!
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