WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell declined Tuesday to renew the presidential endorsement he gave Barack Obama four years ago, saying he wasn't ready "to throw my weight behind someone" at this time.
The former chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Cabinet member under President George W. Bush demurred when asked if he was backing Obama again. A longtime GOP figure, Powell caused a stir in Republican political circles four years ago by endorsing Obama over war hero Sen. John McCain, calling Obama a "transformational figure."
Not so this time, Powell said on NBC's "Today" show. At least, not yet.
"It's not just a matter of whether you support Obama or (Mitt) Romney. It's who they have coming in with them," he said.
Pressed to say why he was holding back on giving Obama his blessing a second time, Powell said: "I always keep my powder dry, as they say in the military."
He said Obama had "stabilized the financial system" following the deep recession of 2008-2009 and had "fixed the auto industry." Powell also said he thought the country was on the right path toward ending the war in Afghanistan.
But he also said he thought Obama needed to work more on the economy and said he thought that he owed it to the Republican Party to listen to the proposals that likely nominee Romney will be offering, particularly on the economy.
Powell said he's "still listening" to Republican ideas, calling Romney "a good man" and saying he wasn't ready to make a commitment to Obama.
Powell has been an enigmatic figure in the Republican Party, and his name often has been mentioned in both presidential and vice presidential speculation. He was the first black head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.