Journo John Ridley today took on people's claims that Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama because they're both black. In debunking those arguments, Ridley points out that Powell has never endorsed previous - and less famous - black candidates in the past.

The commentator then provides this run down:

…A person of color has run for the White House in every presidential election over the last 24 years: Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988. Gov. Douglas Wilder of Virginia in 1992. Former ambassador and conservative activist Alan Keyes of Maryland in 1996 and 2000. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York in 2004.

Ridley's argument reminded us of something - there is another black man in this race: Keyes, who must be feeling pretty low right now. Because, you know, if Powell endorsed Obama because he's black, Keyes got the shaft.

(Also, don't forget Cynthia McKinney, the black Congresswoman who's currently running on the Green Party ticket.)

Colin Powell said a lot during his appearance on Meet the Press Sunday, and the primary takeaway is obviously his endorsement of Barack Obama for president.

But something else he said that may get lost in the shuffle is just as important, if not more so. He criticized the GOP for spreading the lie that Obama is a Muslim, but he also spoke at length about the harm that such accusations do to Muslim Americans in this country.

Powell specifically mentioned this photo of Elsheba Khan hugging the Arlington Cemetery gravestone of her son, a Muslim who died at the age of 20 while serving in Iraq.

Judging Americans like Khan or her dead son, Kareem, based solely on their religion "is not the way we should be doing it in America," he said.

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He may have worked for President Bush and has been friends with John McCain for over two decades, but Colin Powell lent his weight to Barack Obama this weekend, a move that's garnering him plenty of criticism from the right.

Appearing on NBC's Meet The Press yesterday, General Powell expressed his concern of McCain's economic ignorance and ever-changing, negative campaign direction before diving into full blown Obama adoration. Describing the Democrat as a "transformational figure," Powell went on to laud the Senator's "steadiness," "intellectual vigor" and "inclusiveness."

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Singer Kimya Dawson appeared on The View Monday. So did former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The graphics staff must have been as confused as Sherri Shepard is dumb.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell remains a stain on America's liberal democracy.

The discriminatory policy, however, was never meant to be used for nefarious purposes, says Bill Clinton. The former president delved into the pressing matter while campaigning for his wife, saying: "[Gay soldiers] would be free to live their lives; as long as they didn't go marching in gay rights parades or go to gay bars in uniform… In uniform… and talk about it on duty, they would be all right." It wasn't until after Secretary of State Colin Powell left office that anti-gay forces began using the policy to repress homo soldiers.

• Greg Scarnici - the adorable homo who brought us the now legendary Beyonce send-up - wrote the opening credits for Oscar Award-winning filmmaker Curt Johnson's animal-friendly doco, Your Mommy Kills Animals. MC Fashionista and BQE make the fur fly. Well, not really.

• Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chief, Colin Powell spoke about Don't Ask, Don't Tell on this weekend's Meet The Press. Here's what old Mr. P had to say about the plan he helped devise: "I think it's certainly moving in [away from DADT]. I think the, the country has changed in its attitudes quite a bit. 'Don't ask, don't tell' was an appropriate response to the situation back in 1993. And the country certainly has changed…" While he didn't rescind his historic endorsement of the law, The Front Lines points out he's been mulling the homos: I will not second-guess the commanders who are serving now, just as I didn't want to be second-guessed 12 or 13 years ago. But I think the country is changing. We may eventually reach that point."

• The Economist + New York + Dick = New Fag Rag.

• Massachusetts' gay marriage vote to be delayed?

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