Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed President Obama for re-election on Thursday.

“I voted for him in 2008, and I plan to stick with him in 2012,” Powell said on CBS’s This Morning, adding that he'd made his decision "as a citizen."

Powell, who caused a stir in the Republican Party when he backed Obama over the GOP nominee Sen. John McCain in 2008, said that Mitt Romney seemed to shift positions during this week's foreign policy debate.

"So I am not quite sure which Gov. Romney we would be getting with respect to foreign policy," Powell said.

The general praised Obama's handling of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the fact that he's not engaged the U.S. in any new wars and said that his efforts to protect the nation against terrorism have been "very, very solid."

"I signed on for a long patrol with President Obama, and I don't think this is the time to make such a sudden change," said Powell, who served under President George W. Bush.
He also said that while the president faces difficult choices on the economy and the unemployment rate is still too high, "I think we've begun to come out of the dive and we're gaining altitude."

BET Politics - Your source for the latest news, photos and videos illuminating key issues and personalities in African-American political life, plus commentary from some of our liveliest voices. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 

(Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images)