In a move that didn't exactly surprise many observers, a staple of three Republican administrations has endorsed Barack Obama for president.



Colin Powell was national security advisor for Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush, and secretary of state under George W. Bush. He was the first African-American to hold each of those positions, and was also the first black four-star general. However, he said race had nothing to do with his endorsement.

"It was only in the last couple of months that I settled on this. And I can't deny that it will be a historic event for an African-American to become president," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "And should that happen, all Americans should be proud - not just African-Americans, but all Americans - that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It will also not only electrify our country; I think it'll electrify the world."

But conservative talk radio show host Rush Limbaugh quickly fired off an e-mail suggesting race indeed played a role. According to Politico, Limbaugh wrote, "I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I'll let you know what I come up with."

On the conservative Wizbang blog, Lorie Byrd writes, "I wonder if all those lefty bloggers who have referred to Colin Powell as an Uncle Tom for all these years will call him that anymore. Probably not. Count on this endorsement by a Republican In Name Only to receive much more media attention than that of former Democratic Party Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman or numerous high profile Hillary Clinton supporters of John McCain did."

"Republican In Name Only," or "RINO," is a disdainful title given to party members who don't support its key positions or candidates. However, Powell has been a faithful donor to Republican candidates and even gave the maximum $2,300 last year to John McCain's presidential campaign:

Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin is also downplaying the significance of the endorsement. She writes, "The orgy of Obamedia attention Powell will receive the next 24 hours is disproportionate to its importance. The press only loves maverick Republicans when they jump in bed with Democrats. Just ask John McCain."

But liberal bloggers say the endorsement only helps to erase doubts about their candidate.

"With eloquence and humility, former Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell just provided a ringing endosement of Barack Obama as President for the United States," writes DarkSyde at the Daily Kos.

At the Daily Shocker, Christopher DeAngelus writes, "Personally, I expected Powell to distance himself from the McCain tactics, praise Obama, but never explicitly say who he is voting for. I was surprised."

Powell is one of the rare U.S. political figures to command wide respect from the mainstream on both sides of the aisle. His reputation took a hit after he made the case for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq that were not verified after the invasion, something he himself called a "blot" on his record. (Read this 2005 interview)

In addition to Powell, Obama is racking up endorsements in the weeks leading up to the election. Many have been unsurprising, but some have made a little noise. Christopher Buckley, son of the late conservative thinker, writer and TV talk show host William F. Buckley Jr., last week came out in support of Obama. As a result of the controversy that followed, he resigned his position as a columnist at the right-leaning magazine founded by his father, the National Review.