What if Colin Powell had run and won?

[BR_Parkway]

I remember when there was big speculation about him running - now I'm watching all the teabagger/birther racist pukes and wondering what they'd have done if an African American Republican had been elected rather that one on the Democrats side

[Ian David]

1. They would have afforded him the same respect they give Michael Steele.

Meaning, NONE.

[Cleita]

2. He might have been okay as a President in a traditional Republican sort of

way. I bet he would be getting us out of the wars though because it seems he wasn't in favor of those invasions although he did nothing to stop them while part of the Bush/Cheney administration. I feel he ruined his career and political ambitions by throwing his hat in with those criminals. I'm sure the teabaggers would have walked in lockstep, with not a peep out of them, just because he wasn't a Democrat or a liberal. You know how the hypocrisy works. It's awful if we do it, but just fine when they do it.

[amandabeech]

4. Powell would have been a vast improvement over Bush II.

Cheney most probably would not have been VP, and even if he had been, Powell would probably have stood up to him since Powell would have been the decider, not the adviser.

We would probably not be in Iraq, but I believe that we would have gone into Afghanistan with "overwhelming force", which was the Powell doctrine.

Perhaps we would not have had that tax cut, either.

Certainly, some Republicans would have been upset voting for an African-Jamaican-American, but Republicans have a habit of falling into step like good zombies, so I think that the rebellion would have been muted.

The banks would have been totally bailed out, though.

Overall, a Powell presidency would have been wildly preferable to Shrub & Darth.

[stray cat]

3. If he were conservative enough I bet most would be fine with it - its the combination

of black and liberal they can't stand

[iceman66]

5. He never would have made it through the Republican primaries,

but if he did, the teabagger types would probably start an actual third party.

Thereby ensuring Democratic victories for a generation.