Poll: Powell Best VP Choice For Both Parties

Ever wonder what it would be like if the vice presidential sweepstakes was conducted like "Survivor"?

Now we know -- thanks to the Massachusetts-based company Affinnova, which used "evolutionary optimization" to trim down a list of 100 potential veeps to the single strongest candidate for each party.

The winners?

There's just one: retired Gen. Colin Powell.

Powell, who has said countless times that he has no interest in running for office, wound up atop both the Democratic and Republican lists. "Likely voters for both parties in the study indicate Powell's strong leadership and dependability as factors for choosing him first," said a release on the findings.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[kjdwyer]

No one in history has ever squandered their political capital the way that Powell did.

Back when Bill Clinton was running for president, he wanted Powell (who was being intentionally coy about his party affiliation) on the Democratic ticket. Powell's popularity was through the roof, something like 80% if I remember correctly, and there was talk of him as the Republican presidential nominee, as well. He had unprecedented political options and unparalleled support across the political spectrum.

He willingly waltzed into Bush's hornet nest of neo-cons for the chance to be Secretary of State.
Clearly, he was tailor-made for Defense, but instead opted for State. Whatever his reasons, it was the worst case of political over-reach I've ever seen (with the notable exception of Bush as president) and, given his play in the run-up to the war, the most tragic fall of any political figure in my lifetime.

Had he come out publicly with the concerns he evidently was expressing privately, he could have effectively forestalled any attempt by the Bush administration to ram the war down our throats. He took the more politically advantageous route at the time, and now that the truth is out, he is branded forever as a moral coward, incapable of true leadership and deserving of his place in the trash bin of political shame.

Regarding his endorsement, I hope Obama will tell Mr. Powell, "Thanks, but no thanks. Do me a favor and keep your mouth shut."

[tcagle]

"Survivor" as a model for VP selection to match our "Miss America" pageant to choose presidents?

[AlP]

Wait a minute! Clinton voted for the war, based on fake intelligence that was presented to her and the rest of the Senate by Republicans. Powell goes to the UN, uses fake pictures and vials to sell the Iraq War, but he had nothing to do with the war? She did? He isn't worse? Much, much, worse?

What is wrong with you people?!

[lvogt]

Powell? I don't think so. His BS speech at the UN that convinced Americans to support the disaster in Iraq is enough to disqualify him.

It shocks me that people don't recall how on Dec. 20, 1989, Powell bombed a civilian neighborhood in Panama trying to kill Manuel Noriega. He missed Noriega but hundreds, perhaps thousand of innocent people were slaughtered. Call it collateral damage and it's OK I guess.

"The loss of innocent lives was tragic," Powell wrote, "but we had made every effort to hold down casualties on all sides." Some human rights organizations would disagree, however, condemning the application of indiscriminate force in civilian areas.

[rwe]

Powell as Dem VP would give the electin to McCain... The democrat racists would not tolerate a double AA ticket.

[riverhouse]

Powell fouled his own nest with his appearance before the UN spreading lies about Iraq's nonexistent WMDs. He doesn't have a life in politics.

[WasteNJ]

I still have a lot of respect for Powell. He did badly tarnish his reputation with the UN WMD address, he should have resigned. That's a tough call to make with the head of the CIA telling you it's bulletproof. But that's neither here nor there.

Powell is now tied to the Iraq war, he can't be de-tangled from it and that's 180 degrees counter to what Obama is about. Sure VP could be some kind of redemption situation, but now's not the time. In another universe he could have been a great SecState.

[marlainWA]

who are all these people on both sides who voted for Powell? They must be the same people who are ignorant about the war and why we got into it and let Bush win again. Powell lied at the UN, I could tell he way lying and I am just a normal citizen at the time not involved in politics at all other than voting every 2 years.

In the lead up to the war people had a choice, they could believe the propaganda being sold on the media and newspapers or they could believe their guts and the truth. i am very disappointed especially with people my age (50's) who lived through Viet Nam, we know better. We know what happened to our friends and husbands who fought in that war. We know how they were treated afterwards.

How could we let it happen again? 9-11 no matter what the truth is behind it was used to fear us into a illegal war. My heart goes out to all the soldiers trying to do the right thing and getting used and not treated right with lack of benefits. How many years did it take just to get them better protection on their vehicles?

I used to like Powell. I was one of the many who thought years ago he was a great guy. But he sold his soul to Bush & Co like so many others have.

[djelimon]

"who are all these people on both sides who voted for Powell? They must be the same people who are ignorant about the war and why we got into it and let Bush win again."

That would be the people you want voting for you though.

[SethBLiNK]

Cheney, Rumsfield and Rice got us into this mess, but they thought they were doing the right thing. Powell knew it was a mistake and had the personal prestige to actually stand up against it in some way, but chose not to.

In my mind, that make Colin Powell the most disappointing government official in recent memory. The Idea of making him Obama's VP is just so wrong.

By the way, look at the list that "voters" come up with. Talk about "usual suspects." There's a former VP, a former VP candidate and a bunch of perenials. No imagination and based on recent picks, no sense of history. Candidates rarely pick those usual suspects.

[djelimon]

Powell is a good soldier, that's the problem.

[texanna]

Actually, this could be very interesting. The Neonuts would be hard pressed to attack him as the stuff they would have to attack him for was their water he was carrying!

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Aside from the qualifications set out in the Constitution, there should be only one irrefutable qualification to be the Democratic Party candidate for VP - Being a member of the Democratic Party

[NotaBeliever]

No. No. No. His performance before the UN may qualify him on the Republican side, but Democrats are looking for someone a little more astute ... able to separate the fecal matter from the shinola ... able and willing to stand up for what he knows is right. I don't think Powell qualifies. He used to, but GWBush used him up.

[michelv]

Here is the funny thing about polls. They don't take into account what type of campaigning will take place after a candidacy is actually announced. People have very short memories, but there is nothing like a good campaign to freshen up their memories, say on the lies that Powell presented in his UN speech and elsewhere.

[pupbayer]

"Powell Best VP Choice For Both Parties" Let's hope not. How sad if it is true.

[justobserve]

Obama should not go with Powell however good he is. Too much change in one go will not be accepted by voters.