Changes

==Obama endorsement==

==Obama endorsement==

On 19 October 2008, Powell endorsed Barack Obama for President, saying 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 expressing 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 given examples of Republicans who had called Obama a Muslim, instead choosing to make a general claim.

On 19 October 2008, Powell endorsed Barack Obama for President, saying 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 expressing 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>

After endorsing Obama, he was offered a position in a hypothetical future Obama administration, in a possible case of [[quid pro quo]].<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081020/ts_alt_afp/usvoteobamapowell_081020141241</ref>

After endorsing Obama, he was offered a position in a hypothetical future Obama administration, in a possible case of [[quid pro quo]].<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081020/ts_alt_afp/usvoteobamapowell_081020141241</ref>