This one:

And, that's why Colin Powell breaching this issue, from a position of strength and legitimacy, was so important this Sunday. We can only hope that his strong words shake even more reasonable Republicans from their electoral daze, and cause them to speak up and object to the damage the far-right smear campaign is doing to America.

Never mind "breaching" for "broaching" (the writing is the first thing to go); it's the "reasonable Republican" formulation that gets me. "Reasonable" means, then, to the right of the Blue Dogs but not barking mad? Good news for Progressives! And keep those cocktail wienies coming...

[ ] Very tepidly voting for Obama [ ] ?????. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

there -- the Village picked Powell to "break the surface" and 'spyhop' the reaction, nationwide, to having a "loyal soldier" endorse Obama.

We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill today! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/arch...

"Powell is a culturally individuated African American hero"

Could someone explain to me if that means something other than "He's black, but he's not one of the scary ones (plus he's a general)"?

"live oak" to, one day, on deadline.

Okay. (BTW, I can definitely eliminate Prairie Phantoms, What's In A Name, and Cow Country as the Tanner Laine books that recounted the story of the Seven Bald Steers. The story of Stampede Mesa is in Cow Country, though. I'll have to keep looking for the other books.)

"Skillet shot" = a sure thing. Picture several birds under a bush, or a deer with its head through the gate, grazing.

Spy Hop:

We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill today! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18

Just read that Michael Powell will not be endorsing Obama.

Ah, politics. He still must feel he has a future in the Republican Party.

What you said.

Here is a perfect precedent. Powell went from the despised sell-out and puppet of evil regime to a shining beacon of Democracy and Wisdom in one easy step. I wonder, will MoveOn.org hold a fund raiser for Gen. Petraeus if he endorses Obama?

in American slavery or the American civil rights movement. At least in politics.

Powell--son of Jamaican immigrants
Obama---son of white Kansan and black Kenyan

Hope that changes.

all it takes? To cover up the stain of the blood of hundreds of thousands? The immeasurable number of broken lives and mauled bodies?

I think we're messed up Big Time.

"My Generals don't want Gays in the military". Somehow in my mind that was one of the motivating forces subconsciously (at best) behind the death of Matthew Shepherd. So how is Obama going to handle the problem Powell has with Presidents, like the 'loyalty' thing? He's damage goods in my mind, before we even get to the UN lies. There are AA people I look up to but he isn't one of them.

for beating me to my comment (19:35). that's exactly what i was thinking about this whole affair.

anyway, feh. i bet they're friends; at that level i'd be surprised if they weren't, and not for nefarious reasons. i'm glad to see that at least some progressives and liberals have remembered our values; there was some stimulating discussion about this on some boards and not a few were as disgusted with the war criminal's attempt to redeem himself as i was. yeah! bloody hands reach across the aisle!

i guess i'm cynical to agree with one thing i read earlier. obama's only response should've been a muted "thanks" kept private and away from the media. let those who love invasion and war crimes be swayed by this, but no more. of course, obama went all the way and practically hugged powell by the time this media Event was done, and i'm so surprised, not, that "advisor" is being tossed around for the future. at this point, obama is as reliable as bush. think he'll dispappoint and surprise you? just wait for it, he always manages to do worse.

You got to something I've brought up with others, and that's the media's lover affair (at least in politics) with Black Americans who don't have roots in American slavery. I've gotten all kinds of negative reactions when I bring this up with white individuals.

I've also been hurt and disappointed to see so many folks so quickly malign the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton on both sides of the racial and ideological spectrum. I remember one of the first times I got really mad during the primaries was when Obama won Iowa and I heard George Will say something to the effect that Obama's win was a repudiation of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. It was the the first of what turned out to be many times I found myself yelling at the television.

from a New Republic piece on Axelrod--
The Message Keeper -- http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?i...

"... Axelrod believed the other crucial vehicle for winning his candidate the votes of Cleveland's white residents was what he's called "third-party authentication"--in other words, endorsements from respected individuals or institutions that whites put a lot of stock in. ..."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/... -- "... But somewhat less well known has been his endorsement of a somewhat more controversial senator -- Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who is currently on trial in federal court for alleged corruption.

Powell was a key defense witness in the month-long trial that is expected to go the jury tomorrow. Powell called Stevens' character "sterling" and said that "If you made a deal with Ted Stevens you knew it was good… [He] never would do anything that was improper." ..."