Colin Powell has provided the most succinct commentary of the election so far. Putting aside the fact that he has endorsed Barrack Obama, which is neither here nor there in my mind, he makes some very pertinent points about the Republican campaign so far. I’m specifically interested in his opinion of the disconnect between John McCain’s character and the actions of the Republican presidential campaign.
It seems more and more evident that Senator McCain is not in control of his own party, his own campaign or his own message – and if he can’t lead his own campaign, it seems unlikely that he is capable of leading his country. This is in stark contrast to the impression I get from Senator Obama, who seems to be setting the direction of not just his campaign but the whole Democratic party – at least most of the time. Putting aside the issues, I think it is evident which of these two candidates is showing leadership at the moment.
I’m less convinced by Powell’s credentials as I am by the fact that he knows what it is like to be led up the river by the neo-conservative lobby. He provides an interesting perspective, and if you look past the actual endorsement and take his words in the context of his experience within the U.S. political machine it’s quite an enlightening assessment.
