An endorsement that might matter

Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama over the weekend isn't entirely unexpected, but it could be one of the more significant developments of this last month of the presidential campaign. Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former national security advisor, former secretary of state, was one of the most broadly respected men in America. His autobiography was a bestseller.

Had he run for president in 2000, he might have won. His support was that broad, and the public's respect for him was that strong. But Powell did not have the "fire in the belly" — the willingness to trudge tirelessly for two years or more, begging for money and pleading for votes. So instead, he signed on as George W. Bush's secretary of state. The most famous moment of his tenure came when the Bush administration sent him to the United Nations to argue that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction. Powell made the argument powerfully, and his credibility helped tip public opinion and world opinion on the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Only later did Powell discover that he had been hung out to dry by the war hawks in the White House. When troops found no weapons of mass destruction and later when secret intelligence was revealed that showed that Iraq had long ago abandoned its WMD program, Powell looked like an unethical sycophant and felt like an ignorant fool. The Bushies had stolen from Powell his most precious possessions — his good name, his integrity, his honor.

If Powell has been oddly quiet since 2003, it's likely because he feels embarrassed that he let himself be used by the White House to justify its invasion of Iraq. Unlike dozens of other retired generals, Powell has not spoken up about Iraq strategies or tactics. He has not written another book. He has not been a talking head on all the cable news shows. He has kept his own counsel and has avoided the spotlight.

That reticence makes his endorsement all the more powerful. By endorsing Obama, Powell is making amends for allowing himself and his good name to be used by the neo-conservatives in the Bush administration. Obama is the anti-Bush and, thereby, the anti-McCain.

Endorsements, as I said repeatedly during my three decades of endorsing candidates in newspaper editorials, rarely persuade anyone. But Powell's endorsement might be worth more than most. Although his integrity took a beating five years ago, many Americans still have great respect for Powell. The independent voters who urged his presidential candidacy a decade ago might still be willing to listen to what the general has to say.