Politics and Culture

Colin Powell, the first black man with a chance to win the White House, could help McCain by supporting him or assure his defeat by endorsing Obama. Two reasons:

1. It would neutralize Obama's leader/patriotism issues. Not only do people still respect Powell, but a military endorsement is especially important for a "weak" leader like Obama. It effectively neutralizes McCain's possible Obama-himself, Zero-hero narrative.

2. Conversion story. Why is Whittaker Chambers' story so powerful? Why did the Pope publicly baptize a Muslim? Why do conservatives like conservative blacks like Powell or Liberals like liberal generals (Blacks aren't "traitors to their race-" they just don't follow the position associated with their group)? Why do Muslims wish to kill converts from Islam? Why did conservatives go gaga over David Mamet's repudiation of necrocephalism? Because, more than any single act, conversion demoralizes the apostate's former belief system. Powell, in whom conservatives have invested their praise- a leader within that movement, even -and one of the architects and primary supporters of the Iraq war can instantly give credibility to Obama's Iraq strategy as well as give the public the impression that something must be wrong with Republicans to drive such a person away.

Witness by Whittaker Chambers