More Right-Wing Attacks Against Colin Powell By Angry Conservative Republicans

As predicted here, conservatives are coming out from all angles to heap criticism of racism at retired General Colin Powell for his endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrat presidential candidate in this election. Cartoonist Gordon Campbell, following in the tradition of men like Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan (two men hardly known for their compassion relative to diversity), has inked a cartoon essentially accusing Gen. Powell of racism in endorsing Sen. Obama. Here is how Think Progress describes the cartoon, "(it) shows a picture of Revolutionary War general Benedict Arnold — who infamously committed one of U.S. history’s greatest acts of treason — in blackface, followed by the line: "Benedict Powell…Race Patriot." Now, the idea of some of these conservatives is that Gen. Powell is only voting for Sen. Obama because they are both black. The idea also is that Sen. Obama is less qualified than his opponent, Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate. Of course, these same people were probably less bothered when Gen. Powell endorsed then Gov. George W. Bush over the far more qualified Al Gore, who at the time was a former United States senator and the vice president of the U.S. at the time. It just goes to show you how much this endorsement hurts the Republicans who are now showing their lack of cultural and racial diversity by attacking any black Republican who endorses or admires Sen. Obama. Ethnic minorities have never had a problem voting for white candidates for all kinds of local, statewide and national offices. Now, a black man wants to endorse another black man he feels is better equipped to lead this nation with its new challenges and he is branded a racist. We increasingly see evidence of what Gen. Powell has been talking about in reference to the lack of diversity within the Republican party and the hard sprint to the far right of the political spectrum (look at the anti-Muslim, anti-Arab racism we're seeing increasingly at Republican rallies). This is part of what has troubled Gen. Powell and understandably so. Now, he makes an endorsement that cross the party lines (something that Republicans keep saying Sen. Obama does not do) and he is branded a racist and, in effect, a traitor.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/20/powell-arnold/