Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama came with a blistering critique of the Republican party, writes Politico.

“As a key reason, Powell said: ‘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.'”

Powell said that he is “troubled” by the direction of the Republican Party, and said he began to doubt McCain when he chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

“Not just small towns have values,” he said, responding to one of Palin’s signature lines.

Read the full story here.