Colin Powell dead at 84

[brucejoel99]

Say what you will about him when he was part of the Bush administration, but he had the humility and hindsight to admit what a devastating mistake he was part of and from there also recognized the same about his entire political party too. I personally appreciate that, and the loss of yet another unicorn-a sane Republican-is always bad for the country.

Was he even a Republican in recent years?

The last time he endorsed a Republican was W. in 2004, but he didn't stop considering himself a Republican 'til Jan. 6th.

[Santander]

Oh, Chuck...

https://twitter.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1450094346318012424?s=20

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Rumsfeld and Powell both gone this year.
I wonder if Dubya and Dick will go by the end of the year...

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Rumsfeld and Powell both gone this year.
I wonder if Dubya and Dick will go by the end of the year...

Bush W and Bushes have lived a long time, both of his Parents lived til 93 and died because of lung problems with their breathing, Mrs Bush was on oxygen

The Bushes and Daley's and Bidens aren't going anywhere and the Clinton, for a long time

Jeb is healthy too

People thought Richard M Daley retiring he would go quickly due to mourning his wife, he is still here

Some of them may even out love ya the Millineal generation but they're probably be gone by 2930 as we will be gone by 2o50;or later but there isn't a timeline on human lifespan like before, we don't have fatal heart attacks or strokes any longer, if we do we can make it back to life thru rehab's

[Inmate Trump]

Why are people acting like Colin Powell is singlehandedly responsible for the Iraq War?  I thought Hillary Clinton Joe Biden was singlehandedly responsible for it.

Also anyone acting like this is proof that vaccines don't work is an idiot.  Powell had Parkinson's and multiple myeloma and had specifically done treatments for multiple myeloma that trash your immune system.  It's an extremely abnormal case and almost any similar flu-like virus would probably have killed him.  Any journalistic outlet that says "he died of COVID, he was vaccinated" without including that he was also severely immunocompromised should be punished for spreading COVID misinformation and promoting vaccine hesitancy.

Wait. If those vaccinated who are in horrible health to begin with are dying of COVID, what is the point with a vax then if they are dying anyway? And then you combine that with the fact that those who are unvaccinated/good health have a 98-99% survival rate, you start to get some perspective if Democrats' lockdowns and economic decisions was really worth the cost.

Wait. If the vaccines were created and developed under the Trump administration, and the vaccines aren’t working, does that mean you’re going to blame Donald Trump?

Wait. If lockdowns largely occurred in Trump’s America more so than in Biden’s America, does that mean you’re going blame Trump?

[Woody]

Wait. If those vaccinated who are in horrible health to begin with are dying of COVID, what is the point with a vax then if they are dying anyway?

Because significantly fewer are dying than would have without vaccination you dead-eyed sociopathic goon. Greatly improving someone's odds doesn't mean certain survival, but it has given countless millions a better chance. Powell, of course, was vastly more vulnerable than the average clinically vulnerable person: he had blood cancer, he was immunocompromised due to his treatment for that, he was elderly, he was male and he was from an ethnic group associated with higher levels of Covid mortality.

You don't take into the account that lockdowns and economic shutdown (while waiting for a vaccine that even though over half of the US population has taken it, you still need to wear a mask and apparently take more shots??) decreases mental health and increases the suicide rate, which by statisical terms would by large affect the majority (99% healthy) and young people over a virus that has almost killed as many Americans who have died of HIV-related illnesses. And it's not like if restrictions had been lifted 100% would have been infected and the death rate would have gone up. Every state and governor should have followed Sweden. After a while Sweden developed herd immunity and the death rate was not increasing and infections remain at all time low.

Another example is the Amish.

[DaleCooper]

It's sad to see rightwingers exploit a man's death to push vaccine propaganda.

[Progressive Pessimist]

It's sad to see rightwingers exploit a man's death to push vaccine propaganda.

Sad? Sure. Surprising? Not at all.

[H. Ross Peron]

Rumsfeld and Powell both gone this year.
I wonder if Dubya and Dick will go by the end of the year...

Bush is a decade younger than either Powell or Rumsfeld, even putting his (by all reports) good health and family history of longevity aside.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

He was an interesting and somewhat paradoxical character. Lionising him is a bit odd as he was fundamentally a functionary rather than a primary political actor

Powell's experience in military matters made him a very popular figure with both American political parties. Many Democrats admired his moderate stance on military matters, while many 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 U.S. presidential election[52] or even potentially replacing Vice President Dan Quayle as the Republican vice presidential nominee,[53]

Reminds me of the courting of Eisenhower, lol.

Speaking of which, is Powell the most recent American General to have had such iconic status and damn-near universal respect? Seems like that would be impossible these days, and that was hard enough after Vietnam. In that respect Powell is a real outlier.

Does Petraeus count lol.

[Pres Mike]

It's sad to see rightwingers exploit a man's death to push vaccine propaganda.

The crazy thing is, nothing about Colin Powell's death disproves vaccines. Never did anyone say vaccines were 100% effective and they are less effective the older you are.

He was 84 and had cancer. Its doubful any vaccine would have done anything.

[All Along The Watchtower]

He was an interesting and somewhat paradoxical character. Lionising him is a bit odd as he was fundamentally a functionary rather than a primary political actor

Powell's experience in military matters made him a very popular figure with both American political parties. Many Democrats admired his moderate stance on military matters, while many 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 U.S. presidential election[52] or even potentially replacing Vice President Dan Quayle as the Republican vice presidential nominee,[53]

Reminds me of the courting of Eisenhower, lol.

Speaking of which, is Powell the most recent American General to have had such iconic status and damn-near universal respect? Seems like that would be impossible these days, and that was hard enough after Vietnam. In that respect Powell is a real outlier.

Does Petraeus count lol.

I guess for one or two years in the late 2000s before a hilarious fall from grace, so he's the exception that proves the rule!

[Bismarck]

He was an interesting and somewhat paradoxical character. Lionising him is a bit odd as he was fundamentally a functionary rather than a primary political actor

Powell's experience in military matters made him a very popular figure with both American political parties. Many Democrats admired his moderate stance on military matters, while many 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 U.S. presidential election[52] or even potentially replacing Vice President Dan Quayle as the Republican vice presidential nominee,[53]

Reminds me of the courting of Eisenhower, lol.

Speaking of which, is Powell the most recent American General to have had such iconic status and damn-near universal respect? Seems like that would be impossible these days, and that was hard enough after Vietnam. In that respect Powell is a real outlier.

Does Petraeus count lol.

How about Norman Schwartzkopf?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Everyone dies, to the dead, it's a dead paid back from sin or karma, but to living it's sad due to the loss

But, when we die all our problems are gone unless the4 is reincarnation or Rapture and those are theories haven't been proven, we won't know until we die

But, as far as we know, in order to get to other side you have to die there isn't any Rapture where you can enter Heaven without dying first

Our dreams, premonition are the Astral plane projection

[Fuzzy Bear]

Good man with a good heart.
He was used by others, because they knew how much he was respected.
Sad day.
RIP.

All on all, I agree with this.

He was a good man with a good heart.  That differentiates him from Mark Milley, as well as from the Lincoln Project filth that was much of the Bush 43 Administration.  RIP.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/jeffzeleny/status/1456653211167870985

[Calthrina950]

https://twitter.com/jeffzeleny/status/1456653211167870985

CBS is showing coverage of Powell's funeral right now.

[emailking]

His son's eulogy was very moving.