McCain Camp 'Winces,' Waits for Powell Defection

John McCain’s team is holding its breath for the “expected” endorsement of Barack Obama by the ever-popular Colin Powell, Robert Novak writes in a Washington Post tour of the “Obamacon” movement. Such Republicans-turned-blue are less energized by Obama's candidacy than they are in agreement with one of their number who called the GOP “a dead rotting carcass with a few decrepit old leaders.”

There’s little McCain can do to reverse the anti-elephant attitude built, brick by brick, by Geore W. Bush, Novak says. All he can do is grin and bear the headlines Powell’s defection will surely motivate—and hope that his old friend Chuck Hagel remains neutral instead of holding hands with Obama. DNC keynote, anyone? (More Colin Powell stories.)