So Colin Powell, pamperedprotégé of a series of naive Republican administrations from Reagan to the Bushes, has at the first opportunity abandoned his patrons and endorsed a fellow (more or less) black:

Powell move a bitter blow to McCain By Kevin Connolly BBC News, Washington Sunday, 19 October 2008

Adding injury to insult, he pretended to be doing so because

America needs the generational change which Mr Obama is in a position to offer

while at the time offering an Establishmentarian sneer at Sarah Palin, who is of Obama's generation and whose provincial background is in fact similar to Powell's.

Powell, of course, according to a Wikipedia entry (very likely to be revised given that entity's censorship habits), miraculously survived a very negative evaluation as a Brigadier General in the mid 1980s given by his extremely courageous commanding general

In the early 1980s, Powell served at Fort Carson, Colorado. It was there that he had a major clash with General John W. Hudachek, his commander. Hudachek said in an efficiency evaluation that Powell was a poor leader who should not be promoted. Powell's rising military career was unhindered by Hudachek's evaluation report

That would have finished the career of any white professional soldier, but instead Powell went straight to Washington to be "senior military assistant" to Caspar Weinberger, the Secretary of Defense. No doubt he suited the color scheme in the Secretary's office.

Powell's true measure appeared in the buildup to the Iraq invasion - which he supported in public, while allowing his media friends know he had doubts. Predictable in a courtier, perhaps, but given the amount of blood and treasure involved, despicable in a man - and impossible in a statesman.

That racial solidarity should prove dominant at the first opportunity, of course, will be absolutely no surprise to any ethnic group around the world - except WASPs. Similar behavior was seen amongst Hispanic "Republicans" earlier in the primary season: ethnic solidarity ruled.

Some in the VDARE.com coalition welcome the prospect of an Obama Presidency, anticipating that the abrasive ethnic favoritism inevitable in such an Administration will finally enlighten the traditional American people. This will make things awkward for what appears to be currently the dominant intellectual force in the current GOP leadership. The Democrats, by so openly appealing to ethnocentrism, could well be unleashing forces lethal to themselves.

A cheerful thought. Good riddance, Colin Powell.