Colin Powell for Vice President?
By RP Staff | July 22, 2008
We here at RP do not quite understand the obsession with turning Colin Powell, and other military officers such as Wesley Clark into politicians. In spite of his failed 2004 presidential bid, Clark for the most part has managed to keep his golden boy image intact, and in some ways has emerged as the anti-Guiliani, a party operativethat makes fans weak in the knees for his military prowess without Guiliani’s penchant for cross-dressing, race baiting and divorces.
Colin Powell on the other hand, eh, has their been a more tortured political figure in the past 20 years? Powell’s prominence has meant to represent everything from America’s post-race possibilities to a Churchill-esque approach to diplomacy. Unfortunately, neither of these has materialized and the latter seemed to disintegrate during this one-term tenure as US Secretary of State where he helped orchestrate the US’s entry into Iraq. Many have vindicated Powell on the basis that he was simply carrying out orders, thereby bringing the time-honored tradition of the military into his job as Secretary of State. Then again, isn’t this the very reason that we try to keep the military and other branches of government separate? Military officers follow the will of their bosses, while politicians are expected to follow the will and be attuned to the best interests of the people.
If there was a silver lining to Powell’s maligned tenure as Secretary of State, it’s that his shortcomings paved the way for him to step away from politics and be something that he hadn’t been since he was in his late teens, an average citizen. Now four years later, amidst another presidential cycle, the internet(s) are once ablaze with innuendos, polls, and rumors touting Powell as a viable vice-presidential candidate. Blogger Kevin Tracy directs our attention to one poll from zogby in which Powell outpaces virtually all of Obama’s other prospective vice-presidential nominees, and miraculously manages to almost break even with Hilary Clinton among democratic voters.
Again, why the fascination with Colin Powell, more precisely, what does this peculiar fascination with an Obama-Powell tell us about ourselves as voters? Does it suggest that we are forgiving? Does it suggest that we believe our aspirations for a candidate can trump an individuals own desire to serve?
Were you a candidate in this year’s election, would you choose Colin Powell as your running mate?
Topics: Elections |
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