Colin Powell was once one of the Republican Party's luminaries, one of the country's most respected men. Was, that is, until he was made to be dubya's good soldier and distort the facts about the threat of Iraq at the UN. This single egregious act basically destroyed his further political prospects.
The Republicans chose McCain as their nominee, obviously wanting a man with military experience. Powell could have done that - and offered the experience of a successful commander instead of the experience of a less than successful pilot.
Had he not been violated by his relationship with Dick and dubya, Powell might be running against Obama in November's general election. And think about how cool that would be - race as both the most notable feature of the campaign and a complete non-issue.
There was a time I thought Colin Powell would be a good president. I thought his experience in NATO, which required bringing together different factions to achieve a common goal, was uniquely relevant experience.
ReplyDeleteBut he ruined that with his UN escapades. I believe he knew exactly what he was doing- there's no way a man with his experience could have been misled by a lightweight like George Dubya. And there's no doubt he knew what he was doing when he took part in Dick Chaney's secret torture meetings that authorized waterboarding.
Overall, I'd say America dodged a bullet.
bookmakers
ReplyDeletei think Hillary would be VP
I don't know that you can really read much into the McCain nomination with regard to the Republican's intentions. It seems like he was selected more by default than design; most conservative voters were split by the other candidates. It does leave us with an interesting situation, though. It seems like we have an articulate and appealing left-of-anywhere-near-center candidate facing off with a less appealing and aging centrist.
ReplyDeleteFor someone who has been fascinated with the power of campaigns that aim low and for the middle, this appears to be shaping up into an interesting contest.
I felt a little poignant regret about Powell too...a sort of disappointment that he was not the man we needed him to be but then I think he was powerless within the administration, caught up in the eddy of dishonesty and corruption, savaged by association.
ReplyDeletehee hee.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this line: "caught up in the eddy of dishonesty and corruption, savaged by association."
I love how passion (hate or love) can really put out some great sentence structures and wonderful adjectives!
I keep the hate to a miniumum and let the love do the talkin in my music.