Posted on 08/10/2004 4:05:54 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican centrist who is popular with moderate voters, intends to skip the GOP convention in New York that will nominate President Bush for a second term.
“The secretary does not plan to attend,” State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said Tuesday. He drew attention to Powell’s remarks last week at a convention of minority journalists that he was obliged as secretary not to take part in “parochial debate.”
The Republicans gather for the four-day convention beginning Aug. 30.
With Bush in a close race against Democratic nominee John Kerry, Powell’s stature with both Republicans and Democrats who favor a cautious approach to world problems could be an asset to the president.
In fact, Powell has defended Bush’s foreign policy in interviews and speeches, dismissing Kerry’s assertions that the president is inclined to go it alone in dangerous overseas ventures and favors pre-emptive action.
Kerry has placed special emphasis on consulting with allies and other foreign governments. He has faulted Bush on the war with Iraq, saying the president’s approach alienated Arab and European governments.
In response, Powell told Unity: Journalists of Color Convention last Thursday that Bush took his advice to “not act unilaterally” and made the case against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein at the United Nations in September 2002.
Yet Powell also acknowledged, “The intelligence community apparently got it wrong on stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. I do not expect huge stockpiles to be found.”
He said Bush officials knew that if “the United Nations ultimately did not act, and we didn’t solve it diplomatically, we knew then that it might be necessary for us to solve it through the use of military force.”
Powell’s differences with Bush and his senior advisers who are more conservative occasionally is an issue. He favors abortion rights and affirmative action.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Did a search and found nothing on Poweell for this article.
Maybe he and McCain will hold their own convention.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1187095/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1188797/posts
This isn't a surprise at all. President Bush has asked Powell and Rumsfeld to stay out of domestic politics during the election. There's a tradition of cabinet secretaries, especially those in foreign policy positions, to try to stay out of partisan politics as much as possible. This is a non-story.
I can't blame him. Why put up with all the bs that will be going on in NY city? He can get face time on TV any time he chooses. More people will watch Meet the Press than the convention. Or he can write an Op Ed that could be published in any and all major papers and the web.
Perhaps he has been stung by the criticism caused by his endorsement of an insulting Demonrat plan to invite UN monitors to our 2004 elections.
Too bad, I was hoping to see him do his Village People routine.
Do you ever find yourself searching and nothing showing then posting and there are links. I am sorry for the duplicate. Thank you for the posts on the site.
This is SOP, and AP is trying to make it some kind of snub.
None of the cabinet ever attends the nominating convention, of either party.
"Traditionally, Cabinet officials do not speak at the conventions – or other campaign events. Secretary of State Colin Powell will not break the unwritten rule despite his status as the most popular Republican in the country, according to the Washington Post.
"As secretary of state, I am obliged not to participate in any way, shape, fashion or form in parochial, political debates; I have to take no sides in the matter," Powell told the Unity: Journalists of Color Convention last week."
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/8/7/180040.shtml
Thanks so much. Excellent post, good info.
He (Powell) said President Bush told both him and Rummy: NO POLITICING!
Colin Powell will be President if NYC has a really bad incident.
I appreciate the help. I will try it that way. I generally do the writer and then a word that isn't as common. But, always ready to learn a better way.
Probably not a good idea to have all of the top administration members in the same location anyway, in case something bad does happen.
Powell DON"T WANT W relected...he's a super RINO
Smart thing to do with regard to preserving the line of succession, should the worst happen.
This morning on Fox there was some weirdo with a bad gottee who was saying that there were 20 suitcase nukes in the country. This convention has got to be a security nightmare. OBL's last tape said that there would be an attack on a date certain which happens to be the night of Bush's acceptance speech. Someone has to be off site in case NY blows up. I think this is the true reason he's not going to be there... at least on that last night.
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