Editing Colin Powell (section)

===Endorsement of Barack Obama===
Powell donated the maximum allowable amount to [[John McCain]]'s campaign in the summer of 2007<ref name=CNN_Henry_20070809>{{Cite news  |last = Henry  |first = Ed  |title = Powell donates to McCain  |publisher = CNN  |date = August 9, 2007 |url = http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/09/powell-donates-to-mccain/  |access-date = August 9, 2007 |url-status = dead  |archive-date = October 20, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211020123808/https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/09/powell-donates-to-mccain/  }}</ref> and in early 2008, his name was listed as a possible [[running mate]] for Republican nominee McCain's bid during the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 U.S. presidential election]].<ref name=Reuters_Holland_20080305>{{cite news |access-date=April 14, 2008
|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/05/mccain_now_has_to_pick_a_vice_presidential_nominee/  |last = Holland  |first = Steve  |title = McCain now has to pick a vice presidential nominee  |agency=Reuters |work=[[The Boston Globe]]  |date = March 5, 2008 }}</ref>

McCain won the Republican presidential nomination, but the Democrats nominated the first black candidate, Senator [[Barack Obama]] of Illinois. On 19 October 2008, Powell announced his endorsement of Obama during a ''[[Meet the Press]]'' interview, citing "his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities", in addition to his "style and substance". He additionally referred to Obama as a "transformational figure".<ref name=obamaendorse/><ref name=transcript/> Powell further questioned McCain's judgment in appointing [[Sarah Palin]] as the vice presidential candidate, stating that despite the fact that she is admired, "now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president". He said that Obama's choice for vice president, [[Joe Biden]], was ready to be president. He also added that he was "troubled" by the "false intimations that Obama was Muslim". Powell stated that "[Obama] is a Christian{{snd}}he's always been a Christian... But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America". Powell then mentioned [[Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan]], a [[List of North American Muslims|Muslim American]] soldier in the [[U.S. Army]] who served and died in the Iraq War. He later stated, "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower [...] I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me".<ref name=obamaendorse>{{Cite news |title = Powell endorses Obama for president; Republican ex-Secretary of State calls Democrat 'transformational figure' |series = Meet the Press |publisher = NBC News |date = October 19, 2008 |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27265369 |access-date = October 19, 2008 |archive-date = October 30, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131030040508/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/27265369/ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=transcript>{{Cite news  |title =Meet the Press' transcript for October&nbsp;19, 2008  |publisher =NBC News  |date =October 19, 2008 |url =https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27266223  |access-date =October 19, 2008 |archive-date =September 10, 2013 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130910011917/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/27266223/  |url-status =live  }}</ref> Powell concluded his [[Sunday morning talk show]] comments with "It isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen. McCain in the way that I have this morning, and I regret that [...] I think we need a [[transformational figure]]. I think we need a president who is a [[generational change]] and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Sen. John McCain".<ref>{{cite news |last=Ohlemacher |first=Stephen |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-10-19-1007802625_x.htm |title=Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama for president |work=USA Today |date=October 20, 2008 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201192906/http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-10-19-1007802625_x.htm }}</ref> Later in a 12 December 2008, [[CNN]] interview with [[Fareed Zakaria]], Powell reiterated his belief that during the last few months of the campaign, Palin pushed the Republican party further to the [[political right|right]] and had a polarizing impact on it.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/12/12/gps.powell.limbaugh.cnn |title=Powell on Rush Limbaugh |publisher=CNN |date=July 16, 2010 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230111923/http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/12/12/gps.powell.limbaugh.cnn }}</ref>

When asked why he was still a Republican on ''Meet the Press'' he said, "I'm still a Republican. And I think the Republican Party needs me more than the Democratic Party needs me. And you can be a Republican and still feel strongly about issues such as immigration, and improving our education system, and doing something about some of the social problems that exist in our society and our country. I don't think there's anything inconsistent with this".<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://lonelyconservative.com/2014/02/colin-powell-republican-party-needs-me-more-than-the-democratic-party-needs-me/
 |title        = Colin Powell: Republican Party Needs Me More Than The Democratic Party Needs Me
 |date         = February 7, 2014
|website      = TheLonelyConservative.com
 |access-date   = February 7, 2014
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140303223201/http://lonelyconservative.com/2014/02/colin-powell-republican-party-needs-me-more-than-the-democratic-party-needs-me/
 |archive-date = March 3, 2014
|url-status   = dead
}}</ref>