I didn't realize that Obama "sought out" Powell to ask advice -twice

[donsu]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,280115,00.html


Colin Powell Advises Barack Obama on Foreign Policy

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has sought out former Secretary of State Colin Powell for advice on foreign policy matters.

-snip-

Powell said he has met twice with Obama, the Illinois senator. "I've been around this town a long time and I know everybody who is running for office. And I make myself available to talk about foreign policy matters and military matters with whoever wishes to chat with me," Powell said.
-snip-
-------------------


how Powell has the nerve to open his mouth and say things as if he wasn't one of the criminals.


why would Obama ask the advice of a man that has helped destroy america?

[libnnc]

1. What, Jimmy Carter wouldn't return his calls?

Stupid, stupid, stupid...

If he wanted sage advice, I'm sure Carter would have obliged. More than twice.

That seals it for me.

I mean, really.

[bullimiami]

2. that makes me question obamas judgement.

powell is a traitor to the constitution and the people of this country.
he belongs in jail with the rest of the liars.

[Tom Joad]

3. Clinton said he often talked to Richard Nixon. the criminality of

US foreign policy for the last 100 years means that there really is not much difference in their views, despite party changes.
Wars of aggression and for empire... it's the american way.

I do think we ought to think of another way, however. Before it kills us all.

[William769]

16. A thread about Obama & powell and you talk about Clinton.

How strange.

[Tom Joad]

17. the thread is about seeking out the opinion of warmongers by Dem leaders

Clinton was a Dem leader. Nixon was a warmonger. there you go...

[donsu]

29. this thread is not about "seeking out the opinion of warmongers by Dem leaders"

this thread is about surprise in Obama seeking out Powell for advice

don't change my thread topic

[sandnsea]

4. To figure out these right wingers ???

I don't know, but I don't think a President can make very good decisions if he doesn't get view points from outside his own political circle. That's why we're in this mess, Bush won't listen to anybody but his neocons.

[donsu]

6. a criminal circle should be asked for advice?

since when do we ask criminals for advice on their crimes.

[sandnsea]

12. Well, actually we do

ask criminals how they commit crimes, it helps prevent future crimes.

Which might well be what Obama is asking Powell - how and why do these criminals in the White House think and operate. What's their objective. How does he keep from getting caught in their noose.

People ASSUME having meetings means he's listening to Powell's world view, which isn't necessarily true at all.

[snappyturtle]

27. No, not in this case. Powell has in the days past in infamous UN speech

admitted that the intelligence was dicey and after he had read what the administration wanted him to say at the UN Colin insisted that Tenet sit behind him. Powell's world view had nothing to do with the lying he committed at the UN and for that reason alone I would think that Obama would distance himself from Powell. Obama can wait for another day to satiate his curiousity, maybe after the election? There's no doubt how this criminal, Powell, committed his crime,he lied.

[sandnsea]

28. Way to miss the point

If Obama needs to know inside info on who said what at that time - like even what the Clinton's were saying - well then he can't wait, now can he.

[donsu]

30. and criminal Powell is going to tell the truth to Obama?

nt

[Catherine Vincent]

5. Okay, hold on.

Maybe Obama wanted info from the other side of the aisle. And for all we know, he may have received info from both Clinton and Carter, it just wasn't reported. Let's not jump to conclusions.

[Connie_Corleone]

8. Jumping to conclusions is what we do best around here.

[elocs]

10. It's the preferred form of exercise. n/t

[jobycom]

7. Powell would have been a better American if he had listened to himself.

He sold out his conscience to do Bush's dirty deeds, either because he liked the power or because he tricked himself into believing he could do more good by compromising enough to stay in power than by abandoning the nation to an unfettered Bush. Unfortunately, Bush played him, taking his support then using Powell as a scapegoat when the BushCo lies were finally made an issue.

Powell's initial statements about terrorism were about the poverty and inequality of the Middle East that helped drive people to such desperation. Powell's initial assessment of the Iraq invasion was that we shouldn't go in without a plan for what to do when we were there, and he, like many others, understood that it would not be as simple as killing Hussein and accepting the worship of grateful citizens. But he sold Bush's war, anyway, and told the most egregious lies to do so.

I've got no problem with Obama learning from Powell about foreign policy, as long as he learns humanity and decency from someone else, and as long as he gets someone else's advice on foreign policy, too. Clark's, Richardson's, Carter's, Clinton's... All of them would advise him to do some of what Powell said, and none of what Powell did.

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Powell sold out when he coordinated the My Lai coverup.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Powell clearly screwed up, and betrayed his country, his reputation and

conscience to be a loyal soldier to Chimpy. That doesn't mean he doesn't have valuable knowledge and insight on foreign policy--he's on the right side of the fence now, for what it's worth, and if he can impart some nuggets of wisdom to Obama, I'm OK with it.

[spanone]

11. Cause obama wants to be president reeeeel bad. Gotta play the game.

my cynicism even amazes me.

[ComerPerro]

13. fair assessment

[Lerkfish]

15. bigger question: why are you trusting Fox news as a source?

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?

I picture Obama slapping Powell's forehead saying, "What were you thinking, bro?"

[mopinko]

19. sounds like barack to me.

i would love to have barack as my neighbor, brother-in-law, lawyer, maybe even my alderman. he is a great guy, a really smart guy, a man of amazing accomplishment. but he is just not what i am looking for in a candidate. i think he is the classic- 'so open minded his brains are falling out.' i want spine and principles. i dunno, maybe that is not even the best thing in a pres. but it is what i think we need, and barack is not it.
he would be a fabulous secretary of state. un president. lots of things. but i want a spine in the white house.

[julialnyc]

20. I think it is a very wise move

In order to move forward it is important to know exactly how we got where we are. Powell was privy to many conversations not known by anyone else and I think it is smart for Obama to ask. It doesn't mean that he is going to let Powell tell him what to do, but out of all of the crooks up close and personal at the lead up to war, I think he is best one to ask.

Also (and I don't blame him because it's just what you have to do when you run for office) Powell has lots of cross over appeal and many people still find him trustworthy, so the linking of names can't hurt him (particularly in a general election). I have strong feelings about Powell, but I still can see why Obama would strategically use him.................. and I'm sure he's talked to Carter too.

[Horse with no Name]

21. It's a no-win discussion here

The Obama supporters think it's a good idea because...well, it's Obama. It can be justified.
The non-Obama supporters think it's not a good idea because...well Powell is a traitor.
Make your own observation.

[IndyOp]

22. Yep.

See sig line:

[Hamlette]

23. I guess none of you voted for Kerry?

don't you think it is worse to vote for someone for president who VOTED for the war than it is to TALK to someone who made a presentation (with no legal force or effect) to the UN?

You think it's going to turn him into Cheney? You think Powell did nothing else his whole life that might be interesting?

As to a post higher up, I'm not an Obama supporter. I just don't see the harm in talking.

[Shipwack]

24. This came up yesterday...

Here's what I said then:

While I don't favor Obama myself, let's consider the source...

Do you all realize that you are taking Powell's word for something? Not only that, but the referenced article doesn't necessarily support its headline. One sentence says that Powell has met Obama twice. Where? In private, at charity fund raiser? Then it mentions that Powell "... (makes himself) available to talk about foreign policy matters and military matters with whoever wishes to chat with me." Unless there are other parts of that transcript (of the "Meet the Press" show where he was being interviewed)that make it more clear, the two aren't necessarily related.

Even if Powell did mean that he was giving Obama advice, we should believe him because...? The man (I use the term loosely) is known to put his loyalty to the neocons over everything. I'm sure if Rove or someone else asked him to cause hate and discontent, he'd immediately jump off his porch and do so.

Or... maybe Obama is doing what we say Bush I, Bush II, Reagan, Gingrich should have done; get opinions and advice from all sides. Hopefully he's employing the rule of thumb that you listen to a neocon plan, then do exactly the opposite of what they think.

[hedgehog]

25. On the other hand, does anyone else living have a better handle

on why the "experts" shouldn't be trusted? Think of JFK the day before and the day after the Bay of Pigs. had he listened to the "experts" during the Cuban Missile Crisis, we'd all glow in the dark!

[huskerlaw]

26. My first reaction to this was negative...

but then I stepped back from my knee-jerk "Oh dear god, if he thinks POWELL is someone he should take advice from, then I'm not voting for him" reaction and thought...

We don't know what they talked about. Since Obama wasn't in the Senate in 2001-2004, perhaps he wanted to get information from someone who actually does know what was going on.

You know, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it and all that...

All I'm saying is that yes, it raises red flags, but we don't know enough to pass a judgment at this point.