Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says he’s voting for Hillary Clinton for president.
Powell had been at odds with Clinton in recent months, over her handling of a private email server, but that was nothing like the criticism he leveled at Donald Trump, calling him a “national disgrace” and “international pariah.”
“She was a good secretary of state,” said of Clinton. “She is balanced, she has temperament and no matter what anyone says she has stamina.”
On Trump, Powell told a New York group today, “He has insulted America in one way almost every day. He has insulted Latino Americans. He has insulted African Americans. He has insulted women. He has insulted his own party. He has insulted our allies around the world one by one. He has insulted veterans.”
Powell, a retired four-star general, had considered running for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996, until his wife made it clear she was opposed to a White House run. He had previously served in the Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations.
Clinton is not the first Democrat he’s endorsed. He strongly backed Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012.
Former President George H. W. Bush, and over 100 past GOP administration officials, have also endorsed Clinton for president.