Editing Colin Powell (section)

==Potential presidential candidate==
[[File:DA-SD-05-00599.jpg|thumb|upright|Powell, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, waves from his motorcade during the Persian Gulf War Welcome Home Parade in New York City]]
Powell's experience in military matters made him a very popular figure with both American political parties. Many [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] admired his moderate stance on military matters, while many [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] saw him as a great asset associated with the successes of past Republican administrations. Put forth as a potential Democratic vice presidential nominee in the [[1992 United States presidential election|1992 U.S. presidential election]]<ref name=PowellasDemVP>{{cite news | last = Schram | first = Martin | title = Don't Count Out Colin Powell | work = The Seattle Times | date = January 21, 1995 | url = https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920121/1471329/dont-count-out-colin-powell | access-date = October 24, 2008 | archive-date = September 30, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120930004223/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19920121&slug=1471329 | url-status = live }}</ref> or even potentially replacing Vice President [[Dan Quayle]] as the Republican vice presidential nominee,<ref name=PowellasRepVP>{{cite news | last = Van Dyk | first = Ted | title = Will Powell Run With Bush in '92? | work = The New York Times | date = September 6, 1990 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/06/opinion/will-powell-run-with-bush-in-92.html | access-date = October 24, 2008 | archive-date = November 11, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121111114222/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/06/opinion/will-powell-run-with-bush-in-92.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Powell eventually declared himself a Republican and began to campaign for Republican candidates in 1995.<ref>Lusane, Clarence (2006). ''Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice: Foreign Policy, Race and the New American Century''. Westport, CT: Praeger, {{ISBN|978-0275983093}}, {{OCLC|238778470}}, p. 46.</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = O'Reilly | first = Bill | title = Bill O'Reilly: A 'No Spin' interview with Colin Powell | publisher = Fox News | date = January 29, 2013 | url = https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/bill-oreilly-a-no-spin-interview-with-colin-powell/ | access-date = July 3, 2018 | archive-date = July 3, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180703075716/http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2013/01/30/bill-oreilly-no-spin-interview-colin-powell.html | url-status = live }}</ref> He was touted as a possible opponent of [[Bill Clinton]] in the [[1996 United States presidential election|1996 U.S. presidential election]], possibly capitalizing on a split conservative vote in Iowa<ref name=PowellinIowa>{{cite news | last = Apple | first = R. W. | title = Life in Iowa May Not Have Changed, But the Political Turf Is Another Story | work = The New York Times | date = October 28, 1995 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/28/us/life-in-iowa-may-not-have-changed-but-the-political-turf-is-anotherstory.html | access-date = October 20, 2008 | archive-date = July 3, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180703104009/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/28/us/life-in-iowa-may-not-have-changed-but-the-political-turf-is-anotherstory.html?pagewanted=all | url-status = live }}</ref> and even leading New Hampshire polls for the GOP nomination,<ref name=primarypoll>{{cite news | last = Berke | first = Richard L. | date = October 19, 1995 | title = New Hampshire Poll Finds Powell With an Edge | work = The New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/19/us/new-hampshire-poll-finds-powell-with-an-edge.html | access-date = October 19, 2008 | archive-date = November 11, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121111114240/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/19/us/new-hampshire-poll-finds-powell-with-an-edge.html | url-status = live }}</ref> but Powell declined, citing a lack of passion for politics.<ref name=declinepresidency>{{cite news | last = Clines | first = Francis X. | title = The Powell Decision: The Announcement | work = The New York Times | date = November 9, 1995 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/09/us/powell-decision-announcement-powell-rules-96-race-cites-concerns-for-family-his.html | access-date = October 19, 2008 | archive-date = October 20, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211020123704/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/09/us/powell-decision-announcement-powell-rules-96-race-cites-concerns-for-family-his.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Powell defeated Clinton 50–38 in a hypothetical match-up proposed to voters in the [[exit poll]]s conducted on Election Day.<ref name=PowellvsClinton>{{cite news | last = Plissner | first = Martin | title = Ready for Obama Already | work = The New York Times | date = February 7, 2007 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/opinion/07plissner.html | access-date = October 19, 2008 | archive-date = April 17, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090417074506/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/opinion/07plissner.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Despite not standing in the race, Powell won the Republican [[New Hampshire primary#Vice-Presidential results|New Hampshire Vice-Presidential primary]] on write-in votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=330851 |title=NH US Vice President – R Primary Race |date=February 20, 1996 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=August 29, 2010 |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615051343/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=330851 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1997, Powell founded [[America's Promise]] with the objective of helping children from all [[socioeconomic]] sectors. That same year saw the establishment of The [[Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service]]. The mission of the center is to "prepare new generations of publicly engaged leaders from populations previously underrepresented in public service and policy circles, to build a strong culture of civic engagement at City College, and to mobilize campus resources to meet pressing community needs and serve the public good".<ref>{{cite web|title=Colin L. Powell Center for Public Policy|url=http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/ci/powell/about/index.cfm|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126052454/http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/ci/powell/about/index.cfm|archive-date=January 26, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Powell was mentioned as a potential candidate in the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 U.S. presidential election]], but again decided against running.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/how-mccain-does-it-156687?tid=relatedcl|title=How Mccain Does It|website=[[Newsweek]]|date=March 6, 2000|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=October 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020123705/https://www.newsweek.com/how-mccain-does-it-156687?tid=relatedcl|url-status=live}}</ref> Once Texas governor [[George W. Bush]] secured the Republican nomination, Powell endorsed him for president and spoke at the [[2000 Republican National Convention]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Denton|first=Robert E. Jr.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rku89El_5sQC|title=The 2000 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective|year=2002|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|isbn=978-0-275-97107-6|language=en|page=109|access-date=October 19, 2021|archive-date=October 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020123704/https://books.google.com/books?id=rku89El_5sQC|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|O'Sullivan|2010|p=xi}} Bush won the general election and appointed Powell as secretary of state in 2001.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 19, 2021|title=Colin Powell: Former US secretary of state dies of Covid complications|language=en-GB|work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58957273|access-date=October 19, 2021|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018234145/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58957273|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral college]] vote count of [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]], Powell received three votes for president from [[faithless elector]]s from the state of Washington.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wheeler|first=Russell|date=October 21, 2020|title=Can the Electoral College be subverted by 'faithless electors'?|url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/10/21/can-the-electoral-college-be-subverted-by-faithless-electors/|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Brookings|language=en-US|archive-date=June 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616180954/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/10/21/can-the-electoral-college-be-subverted-by-faithless-electors/|url-status=live}}</ref>