Everett, Wash.
Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008

PRESIDENT

Powell's political move no suprise

 So the Obama campaign tried to pull off an "October surprise" by trotting out Colin Powell with an endorsement. Problem is, it's no surprise at all -- no more surprising than Joe Lieberman's endorsement of McCain. It was probably planned long ago. They timed the announcement 2 1/2 weeks before the election so it would make a maximum "splash." And the media giddily complied. Obama probably offered Powell a deal -- endorse me and I'll give you a Cabinet position.

Powell has never been a conservative, though he served in a couple of Republican administrations. He's also endorsing Obama out of political expediency, hoping to get back in the good graces of the media and the left, who've been mocking him ever since his famous presentation at the U.N. about WMDs, which everyone knows Saddam had. One of Saddam's generals admitted many of them were taken to Syria in the months before the U.S. invasion. Some may still be buried in the vast remote areas of Iraq.

Several years ago U.S. Air Force personnel, acting on a tip, found several Russian-made Iraqi Mig jets buried in the desert, covered and preserved for future use. Quite a coup for U.S. intelligence, but of course the mainstream media virtually ignored the story.

Wonder why Powell didn't show any public support after Obama's European tour, when the polls weren't so favorable for Obama? John McCain was endorsed by several other former secretaries of state and numerous current and former generals, including Norman Schwarzkopf. So Powell's endorsement of Obama really isn't that big a deal. And it's certainly no surprise, for obvious reasons.

Fred Hutchins
Lynnwood
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