A summary of main points from the Republican General:

On McCain's handling of the economic crisis: "He was a little unsure as to how to deal with the economic problems that we were having, and almost every day there was a different approach to the problem.... He didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had."

On the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate: "I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of vice president... that raised some question in mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made."

On the McCain-Palin focus on William Ayers: "I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

On some senior Republican Party members who "drop the suggestion that [Obama] is a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists": "What if he is [a Muslim]? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no, that's not America." And then he eloquently told the story of Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan.

On the direction of the Republican Party: "It has moved more to the right than I would like to see it." "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower."

On the Supreme Court: "I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration."

Beyond the endorsement, Powell was extremely clear about his disapproval about the rightward direction his party and its ticket has taken. He also called poignant attention to the anti-Muslim sentiment unleashed by McCain-Palin and questions of who is an American or not.

Powell also spoke to reporters afterward and was quite impassioned about the tone of the campaign and the problems the nation is facing.