Colin Powell and son, Michael, at odds over Obama, McCain

When Colin Powell announced his support of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy on Meet the Press Sunday, he was distancing himself not just from his party, but from his own son.

Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell is a technology adviser to John McCain’s presidential campaign and has represented the GOP nominee on the trail, according to The Hill.

Michael Powell endorsed McCain early in the Republican primary, saying in January that the Arizona senator was the best candidate to “calm the turbulent economic waters and to steer the new economy in a direction that will bring growth, opportunity and prosperity to all Americans.”

In August, he defended McCain on NPR against attacks that the candidate was not savvy about the Internet. Powell described McCain as someone who “understands technology very well” as a result of his experience as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology.

Michael Powell donated $2,000 to the McCain campaign in January, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. His father gave $2,300, or the maximum individual donation to McCain’s campaign back in August, 2007, apparently before having second thoughts about his choice.

Michael Powell, who is now senior adviser at Providence Equity Partners, served as chairman of the FCC from 2001 to 2005 under George W. Bush. During his tenure, he advocated for bigger fines to punish obscenity and indecent content. Among other things, his FCC levied a $550,000 fine on Viacom, owner of CBS, for Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl.

He was also a policy adviser to Dick Cheney in the administration of George H.W. Bush when Cheney was Secretary of Defense.

Colin Powell served as chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush and national security adviser to former President Ronald Reagan, in addition to secretary of state under George W. Bush.

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