Appearing this week on NBC’s Meet the Press, which is the equivalent of slow-pitch softball for anyone who criticizes conservatives, former Secretary of State Colin Powell announced something that he apparently thought would surprise anyone with a pulse – that he supports Senator Barack Obama. To anyone outside the most remote areas of the Amazon, however, this was about as unanticipated as Madonna’s latest divorce.

To be sure, Colin Powell represents a classic American success story, and has served this nation admirably throughout his long military and diplomatic career. Unfortunately, his endorsement of Senator Obama was wholly transparent, convenient and cheap.

Why was the endorsement transparent? Because none of his pretextual reasons can withstand even the slightest scrutiny.

For instance, Powell alleged that the Republican Party “has moved even further to the right.” Come again? When one thinks of conservative icons within the Republican Party, Senator John McCain is probably the last person who comes to mind. From McCain/Feingold to waterboarding to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to groundless climate change theories, Senator McCain has routinely undermined and offended conservative ideology. Indeed, this is the main way in which McCain earned the “maverick” label that the mainstream media bestowed upon him, before he upset them by actually running against someone even more liberal.

If anything, therefore, Senator McCain stands as perhaps the most non-conservative nominee in recent Republican Party history. Had Powell alleged that the GOP “has moved even further to the left,” he might have passed the laugh test.

As another example, Powell suggested that the issue of judicial appointments steered him toward Obama, without a hint of giggling. Ponder that for a moment. As if Powell has spent the past eight years wringing his hands and thinking to himself, “if only we could place more liberal justices on the Supreme Court, so that we could achieve more decisions like the Kelo eminent domain ruling, America would be a much better place.”

The absurdity of that proposition is obvious.

Powell went on to claim that Senator McCain’s campaign has employed “inappropriate” tactics, hypocritically ignoring Obama supporters’ dishonest attacks against McCain. According to Powell, McCain should not question Senator Obama’s alliances with unrepentant domestic terrorists (Bill Ayers), anti-Semitic extremists (Reverend Jeremiah Wright), convicted Chicago felons (Tony Rezko) and disreputable organizations (ACORN). But Obama and his supporters are not “inappropriate” in lying about McCain’s record on equal pay for women, McCain’s health care plan, comparisons between McCain and segregationist George Wallace and mockery of McCain’s war injuries?

Powell also bizarrely labeled Senator Obama a “transformational” figure in justifying his endorsement. But what, exactly, has Senator Obama transformed in his career as a Chicago politician and “community organizer?” Did he ever challenge the powerful Chicago Machine, or did he merely ascend it like a ladder? Has he ever voted against his party on any substantive issue as a United States Senator?

When confronted with this question, Obama supporters commonly point to the Lugar non-proliferation bill and so-called “ethics reform” bill. But the Lugar legislation merely piggybacked on already-existing Nunn-Lugar law, and both bills passed with overwhelming or unanimous support. Neither even approaches a vote against his own party establishment, so the assertion that Obama is a “transformational” candidate is without merit.

In addition to its utter transparency, Powell’s endorsement was also convenient and cheap.

After all, does any serious person believe for a moment that Powell will forfeit his access to posh Washington cocktail parties by endorsing the fashionable Obama?

Consider the celebratory treatment that the liberal chattering class showered upon Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, Christopher Buckley, David Frum and Kathleen Parker, whom Tony Blankley recently labeled “me-too conservatives,” and that question answers itself. Powell predictably received the same embrace, and his social calendar probably tripled in its bookings.

Thus, Colin Powell’s endorsement was anything but bold, unanticipated or risky. To the contrary, it was regrettably transparent, predictable and safe.

Imagine for a moment that Powell had embraced Sarah Palin – now that would have been a bold move by the General.