Barack Obama gets crucial endorsement from Powell

WASHINGTON: Endorsing fellow black-American and Democrat Barack Obama as the next US President, former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday cited his ���ability to inspire��� the nation at a time of crisis for the decision.

���He has both style and substance. I think he is a transformational figure,��� Powell, a Republican, said on NBC���s ���Meet the Press.���

���Obama displayed a steadiness. Showed intellectual vigor. He has a definitive way of doing business that will do us well,��� Powell said ahead of the November 4 poll.

He said ���Obama reflected steadiness, intellectual curiosity and depth of knowledge��� and his willingness to cross ethnic and generational lines made him to endorse the Black-American.

Mr Powell, a retired US general and a Republican, was once seen as a possible presidential candidate himself.

���I will be voting for him (Obama),��� Mr Powell said, but ruled out campaigning for the Illinois Democrat.

Mr Powell questioned the 71-year-old Republican presidential nominee John McCain���s judgement in picking Sarah Palin, 44 as his running mate because he doesn���t think she is ready to be president.

He also said he was disappointed with some of McCain���s campaign tactics, such as bringing up Obama���s ties to former 1960s radical Bill Ayers, US media reports said.

Powell served as secretary of state under President George W Bush from 2001 to 2005.

The notion of a Mr Powell endorsement has been rumoured for several months.

Mr Powell has offered praise for Mr Obama, calling him an ���exciting person on the political stage.���

���He has energised a lot of people in America,��� said Mr Powell, who briefly weighed his own run for the White House in the mid-1990s. ���He has energised a lot of people around the world. And so I think he is worth listening to and seeing what he stands for.���

Mr Powell���s adviser has said that ���he likes and admires John McCain, and that would be a factor in anything he does if he decides to get more involved.���

Asked whether he had seen anything like what America is witnessing right now including the financial meltdown, Powell said: ���No... I have seen difficult times.���

He said one of the major challenges for the new President will be in reaching out to the world including to those nations that Washington has stayed away from.

���It is time for outreach,��� Mr Powell said.

Reacting to Mr Powell���s endorsement, Mr McCain said he will continue to respect and admire the former Secretary of State despite his decision to support his rival.

���I���ve always admired and respected Powell. We���re longtime friends. This doesn���t come as a surprise. But I���m also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of state Kissinger, Baker, Eagleburger and Haig.

���And I���m proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired Army generals and admirals. But I respect and continue to respect and admire Secretary Powell,��� McCain said.

���... we have a respectful disagreement, and I think the American people will pay close attention to our message for the future and keeping America secure,��� he said.