Ken Duberstein, a GOP lobbyist who was a major player and the final chief of staff during the Reagan administration, just announced that he's going to vote for Barack Obama, in part because Colin Powell's endorsement of the Democratic nominee was a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval." Duberstein, whose Reagan connection ought to prevent any questions of his conservative credentials, was known to be close to McCain and supported him during his 2000 run. Bossman Mark Schmitt flags this Newsweek article from that election, and in particular this paragraph dealing with Duberstein's role in the campaign and his work mediating Powell/McCain tension:
About two years ago McCain began talking to Ken Duberstein, Reagan's last White House chief of staff and a close friend of Gen. Colin Powell's. McCain wanted to know: was Powell thinking of running? Left unstated was the reality that there wasn't room for two American heroes in the presidential race. Duberstein assured McCain that Powell would stay out of the campaign, and the two men began talking about "upping McCain's profile," says Duberstein. McCain, who had a book coming out about his own military career, had watched with fascination as Powell ran a book tour in 1995 that resembled a coronation parade. "How did Colin do it?" McCain wanted to know. The senator also quizzed Duberstein about President Reagan. How had the Gipper won over so many Democrats as well as Republicans? Duberstein offered contacts (his corporate clients include Goldman Sachs and General Motors) as well as sage advice. He began to quietly expose McCain to corporate bigwigs (and potential campaign donors), hosting a breakfast for 25 business leaders with Henry Kissinger in New York that December.
That's gotta hurt.
-- Tim Fernholz
