Quote:
Powell downplays Obama 'inexperience'

4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Former US secretary of state Colin Powell Thursday downplayed Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama's inexperience in foreign affairs, a key line of attack used by the Illinois senator's rivals.

"He didn't have a lot of experience in running a presidential campaign, did he? But he seems to know how to organize the task," Powell said in an interview with ABC News.

"He doesn't have experience at the senior levels of national government. But I've seen other individuals who have come along that didn't have that breadth of experience," Powell said.

The extent of Powell's remaining influence among US voters is not clear, as he is one of the figures most associated with the decision to wage war in Iraq, despite his well known qualms about military action abroad.

But his foreign policy experience, as a former chairman of the joint chiefs of staffs and secretary of state, outweighs that of any candidate in the 2008 White House race.

He was also one of the highest ranking African American public officials ever in US history.

Powell, a Republican, said he knew all of Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain, and had not yet decided who to vote for, comments which will further fan speculation he may back Obama.

The former secretary of state also said he though Obama had handled the furore over incendiary comments by his former preacher Jeremiah Wright well.

"I thought gave a very, very thoughtful, direct speech. I agree with much of what he said."


 Quote:
Colin Powell echoes a Barack Obama talking point

Colin Powell on "Good Morning America" today sounded like he was giving Barack Obama's talking points when it comes to the experience question.

ABC News' Dianne Sawyer asked Powell what he made of the presidential candidate's "relative lack" of Colin Powell former secretary on state and Army general reflects on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of Illinois seasoning as a national and international figure.



"He doesn't have experience at the senior levels of national government. But I've seen other individuals come along who didn't have that breadth of experience and what they do is surround themselves with people who do bring that experience.

"With Sen. Obama, he didn't have a lot of experience running a presidential campaign, did he? But he seems to know how to organize a task and he seems to know how to apply resources to a problem at hand. So that gives me some indication that (with) his inexperience in foreign affairs or domestic affairs, he may be someone who can learn quickly."

This is a point Obama has made repeatedly -- that he should be judged by voters in large part on the presidential campaign he has put together, whose success can't be denied.

In references to Iraq, he has argued that experience does not trump judgment -- a bid to spotlight his early opposition, while an Illinois state senator, to the war there.

And, as the New York Times reported in this story, at a fundraiser Sunday in San Francisco he mocked what government officials really learn when going abroad on "fact-finding" trips while touting his own travels, such as a stop in Pakistan he made as a college student.

Powell, ever the diplomat and shrewd inside-the-Beltway navigator, this morning maintained the political stance that first drew attention almost a year ago, saying he liked all three presidential candidates and considered them good friends.

But he really sounded like an Obama man.