How significant is Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama? It probably won't sway big numbers of voters, according to UW political scientist David Canon. But he says it could reassure some "undecideds" who are concerned about Obama's lack of foreign policy experience. "For him to come out and endorse Barack Obama, clearly has to help," says Canon. "It's not clear how many people will shift, but it's definability a pretty big deal."
"There might be some military minded people who might be affected by it," says UW political scientist Charles Franklin, who calls the Powell endorsement "one more boulder in the avalanche coming down the mountain, favoring Obama."