Changes

==Obama endorsement==

==Obama endorsement==

On 19 October 2008, Powell endorsed Barack Obama for President. Powell said that Obama was a "transformational figure coming into the world stage" <ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/19/colin-powell-endorses-obama/</ref> and expressed disappointment in what he called the "negative tone" of McCain's campaign, as well as in McCain's choice of [[Sarah Palin]] as the Republican vice presidential nominee <ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/19/colin-powell-endorses-barack-obama-for-presiden-1/</ref> saying that she lacked experience even as he was supporting a candidate with one year of experience in the Senate before running for President. Powell went on to criticize other Republicans for what he claims is insistence on their part that Obama is a Muslim stating, "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."<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7678788.stm</ref>  Powell did not give examples of anyone within the Republican Party who had called Obama Muslim, instead choosing to make a general claim.  A month ago Powell had said that the thought of an African American President was 'electrifying'.  In his speech backing Obama, he also said he did not want to see the appointment of Conservative [[Supreme Court]] Justices.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27265369/</ref>

On 19 October 2008, Powell endorsed Barack Obama for President. Powell said that Obama was a "transformational figure coming into the world stage" <ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/19/colin-powell-endorses-obama/</ref> and expressed disappointment in what he called the "negative tone" of McCain's campaign, as well as in McCain's choice of [[Sarah Palin]] as the Republican vice presidential nominee <ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/19/colin-powell-endorses-barack-obama-for-presiden-1/</ref> saying that she lacked experience even as he was supporting a candidate with one year of experience in the Senate before running for President. Powell went on to criticize other Republicans for what he claims is insistence on their part that Obama is a Muslim stating, "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."<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7678788.stm</ref>  Powell did not give examples of anyone within the Republican Party who had called Obama Muslim, instead choosing to make a general claim.  A month prior, Powell had said that the thought of an African American President was 'electrifying'.  In his speech backing Obama, he also said he did not want to see the appointment of Conservative [[Supreme Court]] Justices.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27265369/</ref>

According to both [[Rush Limbaugh]] and [[Juan Williams]], Powell's endorsement of Obama was mainly influenced by the fact that Obama is black<ref>[http://voices.kansascity.com/node/2492]</ref>, however Powell argues that if it had been about race, he would have endorsed Obama earlier and never given money to the McCain campaign. <ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/limbaugh-implie.html]</ref>

According to both [[Rush Limbaugh]] and [[Juan Williams]], Powell's endorsement of Obama was mainly influenced by the fact that Obama is black<ref>[http://voices.kansascity.com/node/2492]</ref>, however Powell argues that if it had been about race, he would have endorsed Obama earlier and never given money to the McCain campaign. <ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/limbaugh-implie.html]</ref>