Colin Powell Publicly Endorses Obama, but McCain Still Optimistic

Colin Powell, former secretary of state under George W. Bush, publicly endorsed Barack Obama on Sunday, in the process lending further credence to the front-runner’s campaign and dealing a blow to the McCain camp. Powell, who was in the past often mentioned as the first legitimate potential black contender for the U.S. presidency, noted that either candidate would make a good president, but was concerned with what he saw as McCain’s uncertainty over how to deal with the ailing economy in the U.S.

"I think he is a transformational figure," Powell said of Obama. He further noted that he supported Obama "because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he’s reaching out all across America, because of who he is." Obama, lacking greatly in foreign policy and national security credentials, should receive a boost from the endorsement, as Powell is a retired general, former secretary of state and former member of the joint chiefs of staff. Despite that, it is not quite certain what effect Powell’s endorsement will have on the voting populace, as his reputation has been somewhat sullied after his support for the Iraq war and his position in the unpopular Bush administration.

John McCain, for his part, seems to be relishing the role of underdog, even as he has seen Obama’s 4 point lead in the polls drop to 3 points in the past several days. Said McCain, "I love being the underdog. You know every time that I’ve gotten ahead, somehow I’ve messed it up." And, reacting to the Obama campaign’s announcement of an additional $150 Million raised in September, McCain again warned against such astronomical campaign spending. "I’m saying that history shows us where unlimited amounts of money are in political campaigns, it leads to scandal."