If, though highly unlikely, Colin Powell decided to come out of retirement, would you vote, or at least consider voting, for him in the 2008 Presidential election?
If you are a Republican, would you vote, or consider voting, for him in the primary? The general election?
Democrats and others, would you vote, or consider voting, for him in the general election?
2007-01-26 09:19:06 · 31 answers · asked by Richardson '08 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
Thanks for all the great responses.
I don't care if you would vote for him or not, the vast majority of these answers have been serious.
I really appreciate those of you who would not vote for him, yet give reasons why.
I'm keeping this question open for 7 days, and I'm really interested in more answers, so of course stars are appreciated.
Smart *** answers are welcome, but not very helpful.
So thanks again for all the great answers.
2007-01-27 07:19:32 · update #1
No, I would not consider voting for him.
I would have considered it, even after his UN presentation. The thing that totally turned me off was his recent disclosures about how he felt about the UN presentation.
I'm sorry that I can't quote him precisely, but he said something like 'I felt personally humiliated to have presented such flawed information'. The thing that got me was that he was worried about how he, himself, would be perceived as a result of the testimony.
Well, to hell with him. What about the impact - negative impact - that has had on the image of the US abroad? What about how the US is hamstrung by the Iraq war when it attempts to deal with serious and dangerous issues like the nuclear programs in N. Korea and Iran? What about all the lives - American, and also so many from so many other countries - that have been lost, or irretrievably damaged, by this war?
The Powell doctrine, paraphrased, was to attack an enemy with overwhelming force in order to ensure not just a victory, but also a perception of a loss in the defeated so that an insurgency could not develop. I think it is obvious that if this administration had pursued such a course, then things might have been very different in Iraq.
But when Colin Powell said that these deep and difficult issues affected his legacy of himself, and he ignored their impact on both the USA and on the people who have suffered as a result of his UN presentation, well, then, he lost me forever!
Ok, so I found the quote:
"When asked if he feels it has tarnished his reputation, he said, "Of course it will. It's a blot. I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, and [it] will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now." "
The whole story is here:
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/powell-calls-un-speech-a-blot-on-his/20050908231709990004
2007-01-26 11:45:08 · answer #1 · answered by Bad Brain Punk 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Colin Powell against Obama might positioned me in a actual catch 22 situation, for specific. i admire Colin Powell immensely, I know him, yet i do no longer have faith the GOP. My vote casting Democratic for the previous couple of elections has been a vote against the GOP better than the rest. i might fairly vote for Colin Powell, the guy. Colin Powell as an arm of the GOP? i might ought to think of roughly that.
2016-09-28 00:51:29 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Democrat who once had a modicum of respect for Colin Powell, and would NOT vote for him.
He wh0red himself for the Bush Administration before the UN, showing 20 year old pictures of "active" WMD sites. Most of those sites no longer existed when he showed them, and the ones that were still around have been proven long unused, or had purposes completely different than weapons production.
He made himself into a joke!
2007-01-31 15:40:05 · answer #3 · answered by neooxyconservative 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Once upon a time I would have considered voting for Colin Powell although I am a Democrat, but his involvement with the current administration and the illegal war we are now engaged in caused Colin Powell to lose my support.
2007-02-02 01:09:57 · answer #4 · answered by Pamela B 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Can't say about the primaries, since I don't presently know if anyone more ideologically sound and/or better qualified will run yet. But if he were to win the party's nomination and run in the general then I'd absolutely vote for him. I am a Republican and I endorse this answer.
2007-01-31 08:51:56 · answer #5 · answered by theshipsgunner 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Up until his ridiculous statement to the UN, I always thought that, if he ran, I would vote for him. Being more democratically inclined, this would have been a great leap for me, but I prefer to judge the individual, not the party he/she is associated with.
In the case of Powell, I always felt that he was a trustworthy figure. He seemed to speak his mind and did not mince words when it came to expressing himself. I thought this would translate well into a world leader.
Sadly, after basically lying to the UN in order to help Bush in his goal to invade Iraq under false pretenses, I cannot even see myself voting for him to be a dog catcher, much less voting him into a political capacity.
2007-01-26 09:29:37 · answer #6 · answered by Fin 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I am a Democrat, but I would consider voting for him. The man seems to have good intentions, and for a Republican he acts very non-partisan. His distancing himself from the Bush administration long before the rest of the country began to open their eyes earns him mad props in my book. McCain and Powell are the two Republicans I would consider long and hard about voting for.
2007-01-26 09:34:41 · answer #7 · answered by john k 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No I would not. To help with your poll I am a Liberal who generally but not always votes Democrat or Independant.
When Gen. Powell went to the UN and presented what we later learned was a case for invading Iraq frought with false information and incorrect documents it changed my opinion of the man. While he certainly cannot be held responsible for the creation of the false case he presented I cannot believe he was that far in the dark.
2007-01-26 09:25:01 · answer #8 · answered by toff 6 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Colin Powell is an honorable person who has served the country very well as a soldier and as secretary of state. unfortunately -- for him and for us -- he was lied to and politically abused. i think his actions recently have bordered on being heroic, but, that said, i believe there is very little chance that he can mount any kind of campaign for election.
2007-01-26 09:26:01 · answer #9 · answered by westtexasboy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can consider me an extremist in that category if he reappeared. Registered Green to try and shake things up by forcing chaos into congress.
But I really admire the guy and would vote for him if he were running.
2007-01-26 09:38:19 · answer #10 · answered by jorluke 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋