![Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC in Washington October 19, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20081020/000cf1a487730a66768231.jpg "Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC in Washington October 19, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]") |
|
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks during a taping of "Meet the Press" at NBC in Washington October 19, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]
|
![U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks at a campaign rally in Kansas City, October 18, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20081020/000cf1a487730a66767730.jpg "U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks at a campaign rally in Kansas City, October 18, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]") |
|
U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks at a campaign rally in Kansas City, October 18, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]
|
Powell's announcement came on Sunday, sixteen days before 2008 presidential election. Powell, a critic of the Iraq war, told the NBC that he backs Obama over fellow Republican John McCain, a leading backer of the conflict.
Powell said America needs a new kind of leader with a new way of thinking and he will vote for Obama.
Powell called the Illinois senator a transformational figure and said Obama meets the standard of being an "exceptional" president.
(CCTV October 20, 2008)
