In fact Colin Powell endorsing Obama may be exactly what Obama does not need. Powell has worked with several Republican administrations and has made his hawkish views well known. As one of the ‘brain trust’ that George W. used in deciding to get into Iraq, one can hardly view this endorsement as good news for Obama. His ‘crossover’ to the Democratic side is at best a non event. From a public relations viewpoint having Colin Powell on board is about as useful as having Charles Manson hosting a fund raising dinner from his jail cell.

On the bright side, the Obama camp were happy to crow about raising $150 million in the month of September. The big question is what does this $150 million do? Does it feed hungry people? Does it provide shelter to the needy? No, it buys attack ad’s on your local TV station. Now don’t get me wrong here, McCain is just as bad, he doesn’t have the same amount of loot to throw around though.

When I hear numbers like $150,000,000 my eyes glaze over. Much has been made over the CNN piece about Joe The Plumber making $250,000 a year. Well Joe would have to work 600 years just to make that $150 mil that Obama is squandering. I know a plumber, lets call him Joe, and he makes $40k a year if he is lucky. It would take my Joe well over 2000 years to earn what is being spent needlessly in one campaign.

Of course running for the rights to the most exclusive B&B in the world does not come cheap. You need staff, you need lobbyists, you need pr people, you need airplanes, limo’s, clothing coordinators, and a whole host of other hangers on.

While Obama and McCain revel in their $1000 a plate fund raising dinner, thousands of Americans are starving. $150 million will not fix the homeless and chronically poor problem, it could be a start. But no, lets squander all this cash on nothing!

Simon Barrett