Colin Powell Is the POTUS We Need (But Don't Deserve)

Besides the whole "weapons of mass destruction" thing, Colin Powell seems like he'd make a pretty good president.

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Complex Original

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With neither major party's presidential candidate very popular with the American people, it's only natural to wonder if there's anyone else out there better suited for the job. Enter Colin Powell. The former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State was back in the news recently after his hacked email server produced a series of frank emails unlike anything we've read from a major political figure in recent years. In fact, in messages to friends and colleagues, Powell was so open, fair, and downright relatable that #Powell2016 was born on Twitter. On Change.org, users even petitioned the senior statesman to run. 

"We aren't worthy of your service in this incredibly difficult job, but we need you desperately," wrote Siobhan Stack, who created one petition, "Please consider running as an Independent. Your government and military experience, unquestionable integrity, and rational engagement would save our country from what will surely be a disaster should any of the current candidates succeed."

Stack's petition has less than 100 signees so far, so it  probably won't sway Powell to hop in the race. Still, she has a point. Powell is an incredibly well-respected and popular politician with the potential to bridge divides between Republicans and Democrats.

At nearly 80 years old and with some obvious contempt for politics, Powell will probably never run for president, but here are some reasons he should.


He's got your back

You really can’t begin to talk about Colin Powell without mentioning his extensive and impressive military background. Powell joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps in college and would go on to rise the ranks of the U.S. military all the way to the rank of general.Along the wayhe served tours in Korea and Vietnam. For his service, Powell has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Soldier's Medal, and two Purple Hearts. He’s also received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom—twice. In addition, Powell was the first black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first black Secretary of State.

Powell's selfie game is strong

The retired general’s Facebook page was on fire in 2014 after he shared a “Throwback Thursday” image of himself as a young man taking a mirror selfie. The photo has more than 100,000 likes to date.

He can work across the aisle

As a career serviceman, Powell has said that he never felt squarely in one political party and that he has always considered each vote case by case. That instinct has continued through his life and career. Powell has served in the administrations of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. and George W. Bush, but was also Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Clinton administration.

In 2008, Powell shook up the two political parties when he endorsed Barack Obama for the presidency over John McCain. He supported Obama again in 2012 when the president ran against Mitt Romney.

Colin loves the kids

In 1997, Powell and his wife Alma founded America's Promise Alliance, an organization to promote volunteerism to improve the lives of at-risk kids. The couple has been vocal about the importance of mentoring. “It doesn’t mean that you become their parent; it just means you’re there for them,” Powell once said. “You check on them, see how they’re doing, you encourage them, you give them your experience, you take them places.  You just enter their life and help them, help them deal with life.”

Powell can admit when he's wrong

Months ago, Powell was a guest on Meet the Press and fessed up to his mistakes as a member of the George W. Bush administration, in particular with the invasion of Iraq. "My own personal belief was, after taking Baghdad, we made terrible strategic mistakes," he said. "I think the execution of the operation was flawed, badly flawed."

He gives good advice

You don’t get the be one of the most respected people in Washington without picking up some sage wisdom along the way. The four-star general shared his major keys in his book "It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership.” In it, Powell sums up his advice in 13 rules to live by. They are: It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning; Get mad, then get over it; Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it; It can be done!; Be careful what you choose. You may get it; Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision; You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours; Check small things; Share credit; Remain calm. Be kind; Have a vision. Be demanding; Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers; Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

He knows how to have a good time

“Blurred Lines” was the song of the summer in 2013 and, not one to be left out of a movement, Colin Powell surprised a crowd one night in the Hamptons when he joined Pharrell, Jamie Foxx, and The Roots onstage for a very special performance on the song. What resulted was enough grandpa dancing to prove that Powell is someone with whom you’d want to grab a drink.

Colin Powell and Jamie Foxx Dancing

Like you probably do, Powell has concerns about Clinton

"I would rather not have to vote for her, although she is a friend I respect," Powell told a Democratic donor in an email that was recently hacked and released to the media. He added that Clinton was a “70-year person with a long track record, unbridled ambition, greedy, not transformational, with a husband still dicking bimbos at home.”

And he has concerns about Trump

Never one to work on just one side of the aisle, Powell’s emails also revealed that he’s not a big fan of the Republican nominee. In messages sent in July and July of 2015, he called Donald Trump, "a national disgrace and an international pariah," and a "disaster.”

He keeps it 100

After the email scandal, one might expect Powell to be contrite, to apologize for publicly airing out other political figures— some of whom are his friends. He wasn’t, though. "We have confirmed that the general has been hacked and that these are his emails,” was all he offered through his spokeswoman, Peggy Cifrino, in response to the email scandal. "We have no other comment at this time." When a BuzzFeed reporter finally got him on the phone to ask for further comment, he replied, "OK, bye bye."


Colin Powell was floated as a presidential candidate in the late '90s and gracefully ruled out running in the 1996 election. When announcing that he would not run in 1995, Powell said, “To offer myself as a candidate for President requires a commitment and a passion to run the race and to succeed in the quest the kind of passion and the kind of commitment that I felt every day of my 35 years as a soldier, a passion and commitment that despite my every effort I do not have for political life, because such a life requires a calling that I do not yet hear,” 

Ultimately, despite his many personal and professional qualifications (and artful email shade), it doesn’t seem Colin Powell is interested in being President of the United States— even if the majority of Americans like him a whole lot and think he'd be great at the job.

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