The tortured Sports metaphor describing Colin Powell’s endorsement

Barack Obama leads by two touch-downs with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, and is on offense at the fifty yard line.  It is third and 13 — first down saw a run for no gain, second down saw a three yard sack.  (Or, in real world parlance, McCain just edged up in the polls slightly and the conversation had been focused on the 15 minutes of fame of Joe Plumber.)

Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama.  This is a twenty yard pick-up, and a new set of first downs, and another chance to just kill a couple minutes off the clock, and if nothing else is in field goal range.  Thie endorsement fills the air of the media landscape for a couple days, which is the most important factor in this sports’ race.  Sure, sure: Powell attracts independents and wavering Republicans, provides the same “gravitas” he lent to Bush in 2000, in the game of Racial politics provides a counter to Wright, lends foreign policy and veteran credibility and everything else is true.  But mostly he just kills two day off the calendar in the tedious slog toward Election Day.

That is the meaning of the Colin Powell endorsement.  What can be said about Colin Powell himself?  Well, he waved around that vial at the UN, but never mind — I don’t much matter in this equation.

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