Ouch, this's gotta hurt McCain

[Earthworm Jim]

This really sucks for McCain because the endorsement will be on the news for the next few days, which McCain desperately needed to change the narrative of "McCain is going to lose". Even if the endorsement itself doesn't sway anyone, it takes free time away from McCain that he can use to change the media narrative, and every second he can get is precious when the election is almost two weeks away.

That said, unless there's some serious election fraud or a huge Obama-related scandal, McCain is in deep doo-doo.

[Big D]

I respect General Powell, and it's almost a shame that he hasn't become a presidential candidate as well. If not for his involvement with the 2003 Iraq invasion and the false intelligence used to instigate it (even though he apparently opposed the war itself), he'd be a good man to lead the country. I'm also pleased to see him being so outspokenly critical of what he sees as the serious flaws in his own party, including this quote:

I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the Republican Party say... such things as 'Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim'. Well the correct answer is, 'He's not a Muslim, he's a Christian, he's always been a Christian'. But the really right answer is, 'What if he is?' Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is 'No', that's not America."

:edit: It's gonna be fun to see how the ultra-conservative hard-liners try to spin this. How to discredit Powell and his endorsement? The man's a Republican, after all. I guess they could brand him a "liberal" and a "traitor", or say he's racist. Pretty weak and shallow argument though. They could say he lacks credibility because of the Iraq intelligence scandal... but that goes against the Republican line that the war was entirely justified.

:edit2:

Fox News to the 'rescue'
"Well, I have always admired and respected General Powell. We are longtime friends. This doesn't come as a surprise. But I am also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of state ... and I am proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired army generals and admirals," McCain said, noting the support offered by Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger and Alexander Haig.

"My generals are bigger than your general, you evil liberal!!111"

[The Ceej]

I'd been telling my brother that this was going to be the biggest electoral ass-reaming since Reagan/Mondale.

Of course, that's why I'm going to owe him $40 if Obama doesn't win by 15 or more electoral college votes. I have faith that he will.

[Ouch!]

Interesting that Obama said he might be looking forward to Powell's advice in the next four years. Anyone else smelling cabinet appointment? I know I am.

Edit: Apparently Obama has been fairly explicit that such an offer is open, and I'm just a bit slow on the uptake.