powel backs obama

Backing Mr Obama over John McCain, the Republican Party’s choice to succeed Mr Bush in November, he said the Democrat had the “ability to inspire”. “All Americans… not just African-Americans” would be proud of an Obama win, he argued. Mr McCain said he was not surprised at his “long-time friend’s” decision. He pointed out that other former secretaries of state had backed his own candidacy, naming them as Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger and Alexander Haig - all Republicans. Addressing a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Mr Obama said he was “deeply humbled” by Mr Powell’s support. “He knows, as we do, that this is a moment where we need to come together as one nation - young and old, rich and poor, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Republican and Democrat,” he added. His campaign said earlier that the two men had spoken for 10 minutes by telephone. The Obama campaign also announced it had raised a record monthly total of more than $150m (£86m) in September, reaching a total of $605m and dwarfing the total of Mr McCain, who chose to stay within the public campaign financing system