Biden Endorsement by Former Secretary of State Powell... Cold Water for Trump's Reelection Bid (Summary)

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CNN Highlights Biden's 50% Approval Rating

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Colin Powell, who served as Secretary of State under the Republican administration, has declared his support for Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden. With both the Republican and Democratic candidates officially confirmed, this move dampens President Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

On the 7th (local time), Powell appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" and stated, "I definitely cannot support President Trump." Powell is a prominent figure from Republican administrations, having served as National Security Advisor during the Ronald Reagan administration, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H. Bush (Bush Sr.), and Secretary of State during the George W. Bush (Bush Jr.) administration. However, he previously supported former President Barack Obama and, in the 2016 election, supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton instead of President Trump, showing a bipartisan stance.

He said, "I am very close to Biden on social and political issues," adding, "I have worked with him for 35 to 40 years. He is now the (Democratic) candidate, and I will vote for him." He continued, "I did not vote for him (Trump) in 2016 either. After listening to what he says, it became clear that I could not vote for this person," and criticized, "The situation has worsened since (Trump's election)."

When asked about former Defense Secretary James Mattis publicly criticizing President Trump as "divisive," Powell responded, "We have to agree with that. Look at what he (Trump) has done to divide us," and said, "I stand with all my former colleagues."

Powell emphasized, "What we need to do now is reach out to all these people and watch these protests and resistance. Instead of cursing, we must embrace them to find out what we need to do to get out of this situation."

The New York Times (NYT), citing multiple sources, reported that former President Bush would not support President Trump. The NYT classified prominent anti-Trump Republicans such as Senator Mitt Romney, as well as former House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner, as individuals still considering their support for Trump.

President Trump harshly criticized former Secretary of State Powell, who declared support for Biden, via Twitter, calling him "the person who dragged us into disastrous Middle East wars."

After Biden secured the "magic number" of 1,991 delegates needed to officially clinch the Democratic nomination on the 5th, the mutual attacks between him and President Trump intensified. Trump claimed, "Biden and the Democrats are pushing to defund the police and military. The Democrats are controlled by the radical left." He also attacked Biden's visit to Houston to meet the family of George Floyd, who died from asphyxiation, emphasizing law and order. Biden responded, "Trump is the worst person to lead us at this moment."

The NBC-Wall Street Journal (WSJ) poll released that day showed Biden's approval rating at 49%, nearing half. In contrast, President Trump's approval rating was only 42%. In an earlier Monmouth University poll, Biden led significantly with 52% compared to Trump's 41%. Biden securing over 50% support is considered highly significant.

According to CNN, Hillary Clinton, who ran against Trump in the 2016 election, never surpassed 50% in any poll. CNN pessimistically predicted, "If Trump does not bring along the voters who support Biden, his path to reelection will be difficult."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.