War hero yes, served his nation, yes. An idiot, yes.

“Speaking with reporters after his appearance on NBC, Powell said that part of the reason he is supporting Obama is because he did not like the negative tone of John McCain’s campaign, which has noted the links between Obama and domestic terrorist William Ayers.

“It troubled me. We have two wars. We have economic problems, we have health problems. … Those are the problems the American people want to hear about, not about Mr. Ayers, not about who’s a Muslim and not a Muslim. Those kind of images going out on Al Jazeera are killing us around the world,” he said.

“I thought it was over the top. It was beyond just good political fighting back and forth. … We can’t judge our people and we can’t hold our elections on that kind of basis,” he added.

Powell, who described himself as still a Republican, added that he also doesn’t like the McCain camp’s decision to call Obama a socialist because he wants to raise taxes on individuals and businesses making more than $250,000 a year.

“Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who pay it — in roads and airports and hospitals and schools — and taxes are necessary for the common good, and there’s nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is and who should be paying more, who should be paying less. And for us to say that makes you a socialist I think is an unfortunate characterization and is inaccurate,” he said.”

Taxes are NEVER a redistribution of money in the way that Obama has phrased it, and there is everything wrong – in conservatism – in determining who should pay more and who should pay less.

What an absolutely clueless view of the ideologies involved. Additionally, how does he square the dangers of Al Qaeda that will be fought by a Commander in Chief who was comfy with a domestic terrorist and that will somehow make us feel safe?

It’s a good thing we found this out about him now, as he was once touted to be a rising star in the Party. He was never such a thing in my eyes, and now he will be less so in the party at large.

I hope he enjoys his exile.