Texas political leaders are responding to the death of Colin Powell. Powell, 84, died from complications of COVID-19 Monday.
Powell served as George W. Bush's secretary of state during his first term.
"Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell," George W. Bush wrote in a statement. "He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. Many Presidents relied on General Powell’s counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my Administration. He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom – twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man."
"That's a very good way to put it," says UT-Arlington Political Science Professor Allan Saxe, in reference to the president's statement. "Both political parties wanted [Powell]. In politics, you pick one side and you uphold it, but that was not his personality. He was not easy with that. You could see it in his face, that sort of strain in regard to speaking about that."
Saxe says that unease was also evident when Powell made his speech to the United Nations in support of going to war in Iraq.
"He laid out all the facts about terrorism, what's happening there. It was a good speech, a very deliberate speech, but you could see his heart was not in it," Saxe says. "You could tell he was a military man and probably should have remained there instead of becoming secretary of state."
Saxe compared Powell to Dwight Eisenhower in trying to transition from military to politics.
"The world was very different in the 1940s and 50s and into the 60s," he says. "[Eisenhower] was very popular as president of the United States, but I think President Eisenhower is the only one I can think of, in modern times, who easily transitioned from military to political. President Truman said something about President Eisenhower that probably was correct. He said, 'Poor old Ike, he'll give an order and think it'll be carried out as president.'"
"General Powell served our country with dignity as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs & then as Secretary of State. May he rest in peace," Governor Greg Abbott wrote in a statement.
"Today our nation lost an exemplary leader and steadfast advocate in Colin Powell," Sen. John Cornyn wrote on Twitter. "General Powell served America bravely on the front lines, and thoughtfully as a senior military and diplomatic advisor to four U.S. Presidents."
Related
"Colin Powell was a giant. I have long admired him, and I was blessed to have the opportunity to spend some time with him before the pandemic in 2020," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted. "He was kind, thoughtful, and gracious.
I will always cherish that memory."
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD