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By Caren BohanDemocrat Barack         military's chiefs of staff, to
Obama announced on Sunday he          support his opponent but pointed
raised a record $150 million (87      out that he was endorsed by four
million pound) last month and he      other Republican secretaries
won the support of former             of state.LOVES THE
Republican Secretary of State         UNDERDOG ROLEMcCain, 72, said he
Colin Powell, dealing a double        did not mind being behind
blow to rival John McCain's U.S.      in polls."And I love being the
presidential campaign.McCain,         underdog. You know every time that
despite trailing in opinion polls     I've gotten ahead, somehow I've
and fundraising, said he still        messed it up," he said, referring
expects to win the November 4         to the times he has been written
election and could sense "things      off as a candidate.Obama's
are heading our way."Powell, who      fundraising announcement
served several Republican             highlighted his disproportionate
presidents including George W.        ability to spend money and blanket
Bush as his first secretary of        the air waves with advertisements,
state, said either candidate would    sometimes by a margin of 4-to-1
make a good president but he was      over McCain.By bringing in at
critical of McCain's uncertainty      least $150 million in September,
on how to deal with the               Obama more than doubled the $66
economic crisis.But Powell, who in    million he raised in August, which
the past was mentioned as possibly    had been a record. McCain has
the first black U.S. president,       accepted public financing and is
told NBC's "Meet the Press" he        limited to spending $84 million
backed Obama "because of his          for the entire campaign.Unlike
ability to inspire, because of the    McCain, Obama chose not to accept
inclusive nature of his campaign,     public funding for his campaign,
because he's reaching out all         freeing him to raise
across America, because of who        millions privately.The Obama
he is.""I think he is a               campaign said it had 632,000 new
transformational figure," Powell      donors in September to bring its
said of the man who could become      total to 3.1 million. It said the
the first black president. "He's      average donation for the month was
is a new generation coming ...        less than $100.McCain again chided
onto the world stage,                 Obama for not living up to his
American stage."Powell's backing      pledge to accept public funds and
of Obama, 47, could give a boost      warned of the damages of
to the foreign policy and national    unlimited spending."I'm saying
security credentials of the           that history shows us where
first-term Illinois senator.But       unlimited amounts of money are in
the impact of endorsements on         political campaigns, it leads to
voters is questionable and            scandal," he said. When asked
Powell's reputation was somewhat      whether Obama was buying the
tarnished by making the case for      election as his campaign spokesman
invading Iraq to the United           claimed, McCain said, "I think you
Nations on the false claims that      could make that argument."McCain
it possessed weapons of               was spending the day in Ohio, a
mass destruction.In the midst of      state he must win if he is to be
economic turmoil and with just        president. No Republican has won
over two weeks to go until the        the White House without winning
election, Obama leads in national     Ohio and it was the state that put
polls and in many battleground        Bush over the top in 2004.Obama
states but McCain said he sees        was also in a battleground state
some movement in                      with a heavy military presence,
his direction.Obama's lead over       North Carolina, which had been
McCain has dropped to 3 points,       expected to be an easy Republican
according to a                        win but is now in play
Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released    for Democrats.Obama called Powell
on Sunday. Obama leads McCain 48      after the endorsement, thanking
to 45 percent among likely U.S.       him and saying he looked forward
voters, down 1 percentage point       to his advice.Powell said he has
from Saturday."We're very happy       no plans to campaign for Obama and
with the way the campaign is          was not looking for a job in his
going," McCain said on the "Fox       administration but he left the
News Sunday" program. "I've been      door open to
on enough campaigns, my friend, to    the possibility.(Additional
sense enthusiasm and momentum, and    reporting by Thomas Ferraro and
we've got it."The veteran Arizona     Jeff Mason; Writing by David
senator said he had expected          Wiessler; Editing by
Powell, a former head of the U.S.     John O'Callaghan)$