12 to 1 Colin Powell is the ideal candidate. Crowds of mostly white military retirees give him standing ovations. So do classrooms of inner-city kids. He radiates confidence, integrity, reassurance. His supporters are convinced he can transform American politics into something nobler and more productive.
Dreams are tricky things, tantalizing and nebulous.
The dream of a black retired general in the White House has been projected onto a man who belongs to no political party and has not, according to those who know him well, either decided to run or decided when he will decide. Many politicos view a Powell run for the White House as a mirage because it rests on a popularity that is broad but untested. Right now he is still the Desert Storm demigod, but once he has to answer attack ads and identify programs to ax, his stature will surely deflate. For now Powell's main passion seems to be his private life. Since leaving the Pentagon in September 1993, he has sought to make serious money for the first time.