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The Note: Powell Keeps McCain Off-Message
Email
ShareOctober 20, 2008 8:55 AM
ABC News' Rick Klein reports in Monday's Note:
All Sen. John McCain needs is one new storyline -- but Sen. Barack Obama went out and found three.
You could find one in the masses of humanity that greeted Obama in St. Louis and Kansas City over the weekend.
A second resided somewhere in the $150 million Obama collected in September. (Is there anywhere he can’t play now?)
A third burst through in the only endorsement still out there that carries any weight. (Is this the true Palin effect?)
(What better day for a fourth? With early voting starting in Florida, Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton hold their first joint rally since June Monday evening in Orlando. Remember when these events were going to mean endless drama? Neither does Team McCain.)
Read the rest of The Note -- and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day -- from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
(And it’s the swing-state Series -- question one for candidates: Rays or Phillies? Florida or Pennsylvania? Per ABC’s John Berman, Obama has already declared himself a Phillies fan for the month -- and they may know how to boo at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.)
Colin Powell’s endorsement stings McCain from a few different directions: with independent voters, with Republicans, with anyone thinking about Obama but harboring a final few doubts.
For several precious days, perhaps, it keeps McCain from changing the subject -- even Sarah Palin at 30 Rock (“laughing with her . . . or at her?” “Good Morning America” asks Monday) -- couldn’t trump this one.
The map continuing to slip, his opponent continuing to pour it on, party unity crumbling, McCain needs to break through the queasiness in GOP camps with a bold campaign message -- a final argument for the final stretch.
Yet Powell’s endorsement has the power to live for a few more news cycles in part because it was coupled with an indictment of McCain’s campaign -- on Bill Ayers, on the economy, and running through a running-mate selection “that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made.”
In its sweep, Powell’s lasting impact may be that he rendered McCain’s last best weapons ineffective.
Continue reading today's Note by clicking HERE.
ABC News' Hope Ditto contributed to this report.
October 20, 2008 in Ballotwatch, Biden, Joe, Clinton, Bill, Clinton, Hillary, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans, Washington, White House | Permalink | User Comments (107)
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Have you finished measuring those drapes President Obama???????
OBAMA 08
Posted by: Omentum | Oct 20, 2008 9:03:26 AM
Colin Powell gave his word to John McCain that he would not make an endorsement in this election. Powell stabbed McCain in the back. This is the same Powell who kept silent for TWO YEARS while Scooter Libby was falsely accused of leaking to Bob Novak when Powell knew his own deputy, Richard ARMITAGE, had spoken to Novak.
Posted by: Didn't the Left Call Powell a Bloodthirsty Warmonger? | Oct 20, 2008 9:05:30 AM
It's happening. You can feel it in the air. There is a surge but it's not in Iraq it's in the voting booths of America. Come on up for the rising...
Posted by: Mortimer Snerd | Oct 20, 2008 9:07:10 AM
Powell's endorsement will eat up today's news cycle.
Posted by: Sandy | Oct 20, 2008 9:12:38 AM
Colin Powell has only ONE vote. Just like everyone else.
(except for the people ACORN has registered to vote multiple times).
Posted by: Lee | Oct 20, 2008 9:18:10 AM
It is an honor to have a President who cares about the Middle Class and really will bring Luster to our Country once again!
Obama/Biden
Posted by: San | Oct 20, 2008 9:22:06 AM
This whole election is rigged. Obama, the Chosen One, will win irregardless of lack of any qualification, associations, and lack of real platform. He is a mouth piece of the left wing of the DNC party.... It makes you wonder where the 150 million dollars in October campaign contribution for Obama really came from. Follow that money trail.
Posted by: stan | Oct 20, 2008 9:29:56 AM
McCain needs to break through the queasiness in GOP camps with a bold campaign message -- a final argument for the final stretch.
****************************************
How many times are you guys going to tell us this? There is no final argument, there hasn't even been a first argument, all there has been is smear.
Posted by: Thinking | Oct 20, 2008 9:32:16 AM
The common theme seems to be that everyone is betraying John McCain...Could it be, Is it plausible, Maybe even possible that...
John McCain betrayed John McCain???
Actually, this is logical outcome when the rich upper crust elitist leadership of the GOP continues to count on inflaming/enraging the lower rungs/dregs of the party to remain in power.
If you make less than $250K and/or need health care Obama's the answer.
Posted by: Bob | Oct 20, 2008 9:38:38 AM
The guy who drug the American people along into Iraq goes for Obama. That's it, we'lll NEVER get out of there. Damn Democrats, they'll occupy the world saying "oh but we can't cut off funding for the troops" Enough excuses BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!
Posted by: hmn | Oct 20, 2008 9:41:49 AM
Barack Obama is in Florida today.
Perhaps he will talk about John McCain's history of voting AGAINST woman. There are a lot of retirees in Florida, and a disproportionate number of them are women.
Suppose a woman found out, after a working for a company for 30 years, that she had been intentionally discriminated against by her employer all that time.
That would be illegal.
Now suppose she went to court, which is where we settle our disputes instead of using a six-shooter, to ask for justice and she PROVED her case and PROVED that the discrimination was intentional and PROVED that this had been going on for 30 years. And she won her case.
BUT THAT same company, the one that intentionally discriminated against her for 30 years, takes it to the highly political U.S. Supreme Court. And that court ruled, 5-4, that this southern lady was NOT ENTITLED to sue.
Their reason? It had been 30 years since the FIRST discriminatory paycheck!
That's right, if she had somehow discovered within 6 MONTHS of her first discriminatory paycheck and sued, that would be fine. But having not been shown the SECRET list of salaries, she did not know and did not sue. SO CASE DISMISSED!
Democrats in the Congress know right from wrong. So they attempted to pass a law whose only purpose was to overturn the Supreme Court's erroneous decision and RETURN THE LAW to it's previous interpretation.
Barack Obama voted FOR the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
John McCain SUPPORTED the low life Republican filibuster.
UNDERSTAND, more that 50 of the 100 members of the Senate supported Lilly Ledbetter. But the Republicans WOULD NOT allow it to come to a vote.
This should be sufficient reason, by itself to throw every single Republican out of Congress. And of course, John McCain doesn't deserve to be either Senator or President. Period.
Posted by: John McCain's conscience | Oct 20, 2008 9:46:09 AM
Lee, those folks at ACORN only have one vote as well. People need to learn facts so they don't make themselves look stupid, but maybe they just can't help it. There have been over 270 million votes cast in the last few years. Guess how many VOTER (not registation) fraud cases have been prosecuted...24. Not 24 million, not 24 thousand, not 24 hundred...24. Get a clue.
Posted by: Craig | Oct 20, 2008 9:47:54 AM
McCain + Palin = TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!!! 'President-Elect Barack Obama'... sounds fantastic!
Posted by: Howard Gallas | Oct 20, 2008 9:53:43 AM
Colin Powell is shopping for a job. If he thought McCain was going to win, he would have endorsed McCain.
Posted by: Andrea | Oct 20, 2008 9:56:15 AM
Posted by: diarytech | Oct 20, 2008 10:03:59 AM
Posted by: diarytech | Oct 20, 2008 10:04:16 AM
Colin Powell gave his word to John McCain that he would not make an endorsement in this election. Powell stabbed McCain in the back. This is the same Powell who kept silent for TWO YEARS while Scooter Libby was falsely accused of leaking to Bob Novak when Powell knew his own deputy, Richard ARMITAGE, had spoken to Novak.
Posted by: Didn't the Left Call Powell a Bloodthirsty Warmonger? | Oct 20, 2008 9:05:30 AM
** Collin Powell does not owe the wack republican party anything! Just like Oprah if they don't like them, they don't like them. He was valid in the reason why he was supporting Obama. He said John McCain is old and wants to keep old things around... those old things don't work and Obama is offering something new! I think people want something new! thats why polls reflect people are ready for a change and Obama!
Obama Biden 08
Posted by: RepubsareSLOW | Oct 20, 2008 10:06:59 AM
Powell's endorsement comes as no surprise. 95% of blacks are voting for Obama; who says race isn't a factor when it comes to the black vote. Besides, Powell needs a job. It was so predictable.
McCain has the endorsement of FOUR Secretaries of State, and 200 Generals and Admirals. Score: 4 to 1 - McCain.
Posted by: FL Independent | Oct 20, 2008 10:08:05 AM
The guy who drug the American people along into Iraq goes for Obama. That's it, we'lll NEVER get out of there. Damn Democrats, they'll occupy the world saying "oh but we can't cut off funding for the troops" Enough excuses BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!
Posted by: hmn | Oct 20, 2008 9:41:49 AM
** But he wasn't the only republican that supported the war... Obama didn't support the war and his judgment was right!
Posted by: RepubsareSLOW | Oct 20, 2008 10:08:56 AM
The guy who drug the American people along into Iraq goes for Obama. That's it, we'lll NEVER get out of there. Damn Democrats, they'll occupy the world saying "oh but we can't cut off funding for the troops" Enough excuses BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!
Posted by: hmn | Oct 20, 2008 9:41:49 AM
** But he wasn't the only republican that supported the war... Obama didn't support the war and his judgment was right!
Posted by: RepubsareSLOW | Oct 20, 2008 10:08:57 AM
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