Obama Got No Advance Notice On Powell Endorsement

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President Obama and his campaign had no advanced warning that Colin Powell would be endorsing the president Thursday, Jen Psaki, traveling press secretary for the campaign, said during a press gaggle Thursday according to a White House pool report. The president learned of the endorsement just before an early event in Tampa, Fla., and called Powell to thank him. 

Here’s the description in the pool report:

The Obama team had no advance warning of Colin Powell endorsement and learned about it while holding before the event in Tampa. Before taking stage, [Obama] called Powell to thank him, though there was no discussion of any joint appearances. Psaki said they were “very excited” about the endorsement: “We think it sends a strong signal about why he should be sent back for another four years to be commander in chief.”

During his endorsement on “CBS This Morning,” Powell also said that he had not notified either the Romney or Obama camps of his endorsement prior to giving it. He also said that he had spoken to both Mitt Romney and the president recently and that neither had asked for his endorsement.

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