He would have to be completely out of his gourd to endorse McCain. There seems to be a forgone conclusion that McCain really screwed up. Even the Washington Post endorsed Obama. Conservative David Brooks seemed to surrender to the idea of a President Obama.
McCain himself said he screwed up on Letterman. He screwed up most by choosing Sarah Palin. That gave the clear message that McCain doesn't think things through, that he doesn't put country first, and that he has the wrong temperament for what's needed in a president at this moment in time.
Perhaps Powell won't endorse anyone.
It would be a courageous act to go against his party.
Here's what a Powell endorsement could mean:
Here's what a Powell endorsement could mean:
The Fix: Here's several reasons why a Powell endorsement could matter:
1. Turnabout is Fair Play. Powell is best known for his most recent job in government -- as the secretary of State for President George W. Bush. The idea that a high-ranking cabinet official in a Republican administration would come out for the Democrat is simply too juicy a story for the media to ignore. That it would be someone as high profile as Powell would only add to the titillation.
2. The Most Popular Man in America? Powell, unlike almost no other official with ties to the Bush Administration, has retained remarkable popularity ratings. In an August Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, more than three-quarters (76 percent) of voters viewed Powell favorably while just 13 percent saw him in an unfavorable light. A large part of Powell's appeal is his perceived bipartisanship -- a direct result of his decision to repeatedly turn down overtures to run for president in his own right. For a certain (not insubstantial) portion of the electorate, when Powell speaks, they listen. The Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll reinforces that fact; more than one in three voters said a Powell endorsement of Obama would make them more likely to vote for the Democrat. (Hat tip to Jon "The Numbers Man" Cohen for the polling data.) Read more
Other Sunday shows:
Politico: Good Saturday morning. Gov. Palin plays herself on 'Saturday Night Live' tonight. Tomorrow, future presidential candidate Newt Gingrich (you heard it here first) on ABC's 'This Week.' Senator McCain does 'Fox News Sunday.' 'Morning' Joe Scarborough is part of the 'Meet' roundtable after General Powell's appearance (along with Chuck Todd, David Brooks, Andrea Mitchell and, welcome back Brother Meacham).
