Goodbye Powell
 

Colin Powell has officially resigned. The last sane member of the Bush adminiatration has left the building. We are all screwed. Anyway, how do you think this will affect the current administration? What do you think Powell's going to do now?

Edit: Bush has nominated Conda-Liza Rice as the new secretary of state. Do you think this was a good descision?

I think it will be a good decision. Rice is intelligent knows what needs to be done internationally, and is uptodate on the issues. the only bad side i see, is that she must be awfully tired from working so hard the last 4 years.

Powell was a good guy, but he was clearly the odd man out in the Bush Administration, often being on the losing side of intra-cabinat disagreements. But he had said he was planning on a 1 term stay.

True, Powell was one of the only moderates in Bush's inner circle, and therefore got out-voted in most descisions by the less moderate members of the Bush administration. I thought he might actually be going for prez in '08, but this move looks like he's getting out of politics altogether. He'd make a grand if he went on the lecture circuit like Clinton...

As for him saying that he'd only stay with Bush for one term when he was hired, I think he just said that because he didn't actually think Bush was going to get re-elected at all. When he did get re-elected, he might have been too honorable to break his word...

As for Condi, I think she'll make a fine secratary of state. If they could just get Guliani as Atourney General or to fill the opening in the supreme court, I might actually be content with the Bush administration...

Powell was a good man in a position he was well suited for and I am sorry to see him leave. As for Powell potentially running for Prez., I don't think it ever would have happened. VP maybe, but not Prez.

As for Rice, she is very good at what she does and I think she will be just as good if not better than Powell. I think that Rice stands a decent chance of running for Prez. in '08 and has a good chance of snatching up the nomination. She was involved with the Bush campaign this go around and, IMHO, I think it was to prep her for '08.

Guliani? He was a freaking mayor of a city during a time of crisis. This national heroism placed on him isn't befitting. Anyone would have said the same thing about the mayor of LA had it been hit, or anywhere for that matter. I'd rather have someone who has experience in Capitol Hill be Attorney General than Guliani.

Anything beats Gonzales.

I'd be put off by Powell leaving, but by all evidence he never got the administration to rethink so much as a single position, and was all too willing to play the good soldier in public, using such reputation as he had in order to put the moderate face on whatever they decided to do, so on the whole he probably did more harm than good.

I wouldn't knock Giuliani. That bastard took on the mob and won. Besides, he really is an excellent administrator. And that’s really what the AG does. administrates.

Although he does have a bit of a reputation as a Nazi. less of a Nazi then Bloomberg is. but still.

So, I mean, he’d be effective. Depending on whether or not you’ll agree with his goals depends on whether or not you WANT him to be effective.

I am worried about Rice in Powell's role, insofar from my perspective, she defer's to Bush far too often, and foreign policy is certainly not Bush's strong suit. Also, Powell was able to get a certain amount of respect from foreign leaders & countries, and I doubt that Rice will gander nearly as much clout.

Plus, I am very nervous about the manner in which she'll attempt to deal with North Korea & Iran. As it is her job to listen to the proposed plans & submit them to the President for approval, in both these matters (as I understand them).

Personally, even thought I disagree with Bush's policies, I would've thought he could have done better than just gotten someone from within his inner circle. Plus, considering the importance of Powell's job, Bush should have at least given it a week to ponder possible replacements.

After all, Powell isn't leaving until January.

SW

I'm just gonna add an european point of view here. And this is the general opinion atleast as far as I have gathered watching the news, reading the paper and just discussing it with some people.

People don't think that Rice is a good choice. And one reason is that people don't think she will be the best to help improve EU and USA relations.

Yeah, that's the one thing that worries me is that she might be too much of a, er, "yes-woman" than Powell.

But, I do have to admit, if Powell ran for president, I would so vote for him.