Re: Electing a black man President of the US - would Colin Powell have had an easier time than Obama?

Question

I think that Colin Powell could have been elected President in 2000 if he'd wanted the job. He turned down all attempts to get him interested in being President. I found that very impressive as it showed that he was less a politician than he was a professional public servant. Read: NO politician would ever turn down the opportunity to become President when it was practically being handed to him.

Interesting fact: Kweisi Mfume, then head of the NAACP, said this about Powell, a Republican: "I expect every African-American to vote for him." Now, Powell is and was a middle-of-the-road Republican like John McCain but Mfume's statement spoke volumes about how easily Powell could have had the job if only he'd wanted it.

The contrasts between Powell and Obama run much deeper than that (on qualifications alone, one is best characterized as a super-heavyweight while the other is clearly a neophyte) but I think the issue of whether a black man can be elected President was answered in 2000.

? · Accepted Answer

Powell is a patriot. Obama is an anti-American socialist with a racist background.

Powell could have won easily. He would have had clear minded conservatives AND the loony libs because he is black.

EDIT: Your still Hot Lulu.

ArRo · Answer

Hypothetical questions get guesses for answers, but yes, I do think he would have had a good chance...not because of his political experience, but because he seems like a really nice man.  I'm surprised, however, that he is still a Republican after the abuse he suffered from the Bush bunch.  Powell was, justifiably angry that his speech to the United Nations about going to war in Iraq was nothing but propaganda.  Cheney and Rove used Powell to spread the lies about WMD's.  Even I fell for the lies, because I thought the government wouldn't lead us into an unjustified war!  I guess they were clever to use a military man, after all.

Cause For Alarm · Answer

Excellent question. Yes, Colin Powell would have beaten Al Gore in 2000 without the drama of the Florida recount. Unlike Obama, Colin Powell doesn't bring tons of radical connections with him. Powell would truly be a uniter while Obama is dividing an already torn country even more. Colin Powell is a patriot and a true gentleman.

Rockford · Answer

Powell couldn't have made it in 2000, because the Bushes
were in virtually complete control of the party machinery.

Also, the press on him turned out to be wrong. He became
a sychophant to GW et al, and allowed himself to be used,
lying to the UN about Iraq & WMD. Had he real integrity,
intelligence, and courage, he would have held the center
and not did Bush-Cheney bidding, leading this nation into
the stupidest war since Vietnam, also the most costly which
the Republicans refuse to pay for, just saddle the younger
generation and after them with paying interest on the debt
forever.

No, Powell's charater was revealed by events he allowed to
carry him along. He didn't measure up to the challenges of
the times, and he realized this too late, thus his resignation
after feeling used by his boss, etc.

I think he's a little like H. Clinton, in that he chose political
expediency, took the political temperature of the American
people, which is usually a bad course to follow when people
are all jagged up after 9-11 et al, and went with the popular
course at the time, which is almost always the wrong
course in more level headed analysis, and in the long view
as we all see now.

Michael · Answer

Since Powell is a Republican he would have been treated as all other black people who "dare" to be conservatives.. The media would  go after him  as they have Condaleeza Rice, Michael Steel,Allen Keyes, etc and the race pimps like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would call him an "Uncle Tom".Racism only counts if you are insulting Democrats.
       I

james_thirteen · Answer

I personally believe that Powell refused because he knew politics too well and just wanted a quiet retirement.

If Powell did run for President and if he did not compromise his beliefs, I would have broken my long-standing tradition of not voting for the candidates of either major party and voted for him. Yes, I believe he would have been our next President if he had run for that office.

vocal coach · Answer

Obama Husein Barrack is the Voice of Americas conscience its  even in the way his name sounds very similar to the international terrorists.The very same  terrorists that the United States is so desperate to rid the world of is So Sorry that they acted in favor of a War the the United Nations voted down to get rid of .. that they [ and this is the clincher] are willing to vote on the name which sounds 180 degrees` the opposite of Americas vote to go to war last presidency.

Reverse Psychology.

jim h · Answer

Colin Powell would have been elected in the biggest landslide this country has ever seen. Both parties loved him.

Charles C · Answer

Yes he would have. I have said on YA many times in answer to suggestions that it is racist not to support Obama. It is racist to vote for him because he is black.
Powell on the other hand is highly respected and even some who may have some rcist tendency would vote for him because of his qualifications and character. 
And if it comes down to a contest between race and gender as it has for the Democrats, Condi Rice would solve the issue.

firewomen · Answer

I have more respect for Powell than I could ever muster for obama. I would have voted for Mr. Powell.

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Re: Electing a black man President of the US - would Colin Powell have had an easier time than Obama?

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