Colin Powell, Prominent Republican, Endorses Obama For A Second Term

Colin Powell, a prominent Republican and key figure in the Bush administration, has stepped forward to endorse President Barack Obama for a second term in the White House.

Colin Powell’s Obama endorsement isn’t the first of its kind among prominent Republicans in recent weeks in what has emerged as not only a tight race but one that has effectively revealed America’s current state as a house divided.

But Colin Powell has also broken ranks with Republicans in recent years after serving as Secretary of State and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff under former President Bush.

Speaking to CBS News, Powell confirmed he was endorsing Obama a second time, saying:

“You know, I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and will vote for him and Vice President Joe Biden next month … So that’s an endorsement for President Obama for reelection.”

Powell, who opined that moderate Republicans like himself and John McCain were a “dying breed,” pointed to the economy and foreign policies as two reasons he believes that Barack Obama is the right man for the job as America struggles to re-chart its course in 2012 and beyond.

Colin Powell explained:

“I saw over the next several years stabilization come back in the financial community, housing is now starting to pick up after four years, it’s starting to pick up … Consumer confidence is rising. So I think generally we’ve come out of the dive and [started] to gain altitude.”