Bunmi Oni With Agency Report
20 October 2008
Lagos — Asked last week at the THISDAY Africa Rising Festival in London to pick between John McCain and Barack Obama in the race for the White House, former US Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, refused to disclose his choice.
"I am close to both of them," he said. "I have known McCain for 25 years - we fought in the Vietnam War together. We're both in the Republican Party. I have not known Obama for that long, though. But I have told McCain, I won't support you simply because I've known you for so long. I told Obama, I won't endorse you simply because you're black. It would be a negation of my belief that we should all be judged by merit."
Yesterday, Powell - the first African-American to be appointed Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US military and the first African-American to be appointed Secretary of State - finally endorsed Democratic Party's Barack Obama - the first African-American presidential candidate in the history of US.
Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY, had, in introducing Powell to give a keynote at the event, extolled Powell as paving the way for the emergence of other African-Americans in the world's only Super Power.
"If not for Gen. Powell, there would not have been a Condolezza Rice, and there would not have been an Obama phenomenon today," Obaigbena said to an applauding audience.
Backing Obama over John McCain, the Republican Party's choice to succeed President George W. Bush in November, Powell broke his silence yesterday, saying Democrat had the "ability to inspire".
"All Americans... not just African-Americans" would be proud of an Obama win, he said.
McCain said he was not surprised at his "long-time friend's" decision, pointing out that other former secretaries of state had backed his own candidacy, naming them as Henry Kissinger, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger - all Republicans.
According to the BBC, Powell's endorsement carries weight. This is in part because, as a former chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff and former secretary of state, Powell's backing says to undecided American voters "I trust this man as the Commander-in-Chief and so you should too".
Doubts have been raised over Obama's ability as C-in-C because of his lack of experience in foreign affairs as well as his "soft" disposition to US military mission in Iraq.
Powell's support will be seen as a significant boost to the Obama campaign a little over two weeks before voting day.
In regard to the financial crisis, which Powell called the candidates' "final exam", Powell said McCain appeared unsteady in dealing with it, while Obama had excelled in handling the situation.
"Obama displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge," he told CNN. "He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president."
He has spoken to both McCain and Obama regularly and watched carefully and he has concluded, he said, that Obama has the style and substance to lead America in the future.
But it is perhaps the sharp criticism of the recent conduct of McCain's campaign, for being too negative and too narrow, that will do most damage to the Republican candidate, BBC adds.
That approach, Powell said, is not what the American people are looking for. "I think he [Barack Obama] would be a transformational president," Powell told NBC's Meet The Press. "For that reason, I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama."
An Obama victory should "not just electrify our country, it would electrify the world", he said.
Obama was better suited to handle America's economic problems, the former secretary of state said. "In the case of Mr McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as how to deal with the economic problems that we're having," he said. "Almost every day there was a different approach to the problem and that concerned me. You got the sense that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had."
Powell had also been "concerned at the selection of Governor [Sarah] Palin" for running mate. "She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired," he said. "At the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she is ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice-president."
Speaking on Fox News, McCain said he had "always admired and respected Gen Powell. We're long-time friends. This doesn't come as a surprise."
Powell served as Secretary of State under President Bush from 2001 to 2005.
Last Tuesday at the THISDAY Africa Rising Music and Fashion Festival held at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, London, United Kingdom, Powell spoke on his vision for the African contient.
He asked "the big men of Africa" to rise up to the challenge of lifting the continent out of its current state of abject poverty and underdevelopment.
"As Secretary of State, I pushed for support for the continent. Aid quadrupled during my tenure. We supported the fight against HIV/AIDS with over $15 billion," he said. "However, big Africans must rise and take the responsibility for the development of the continent. They must end the wars. They must fight corruption."
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This may also be an opportunity to speak directly to the Mugabes of Africa. What are these evil African so-called big men, who are essentially glorified tribal chiefs - going to accuse Obama or Collen Powell of: white racism ? Or "mulaato racism" ? This may provide an opportunity to tell the truth and shame the devils.
What a clown or, should I say buffoon - whichever one fits.
I also heard that Obama has opened the door for Powell to become an adviser in a new Democratic Party government. Talking about Africa, Powell is certainly making the right noises it terms of what is expected of African leaders. It is difficult to predict but maybe, just maybe, the AU might undergo a dramatic change if Obama becomes President of the USA and has advisers like Powell, also an Afro-American. The AU is as lethargic as an old snake without venom, scared of everything, and that crawls into the nearest hole in the face of a challenge… [Read Full Text]