Colin Powell Comes to Town

Analysis:

In many ways this article is written as journalistic stenography – the recoding of events without asking the important questions that journalism should ask. There is no indication if the GR Press reporter was able to ask questions, but even if they couldn’t they could at least look at the comments of Colin Powell and verify them with the public record. Powell is a man who has served in several administrations in numerous capacities. The GR Press article provides no background or contextual information on a man who has a military/foreign policy history that some might consider criminal.
The article has Powell telling stories of how generous America is, but the Press writer does not verify such statements. Powell even says “America needs to do more around the world to win hearts and minds.” Unfortunately, the Press does not attempt to clarify what that means. The Pew Research Center published in January of 2005 a lengthy report on the growing global anti-American sentiment.
Lastly, there is no mention of who was at the Grand Rapids Economic Club annual dinner, nor whom the Economic Club represents. A look at their website shows that their members are made up of area power brokers from finance, government, corporate and media. Two of the area TV station managers are on the board of directors and the Program Committee.

Story:

Powell: America still good friend By Steven Harmon The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS — As hostile as the world seems to the United States, it longs for America’s friendship and leadership. And all this country has to do is act on its best instincts.

That was former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s message Wednesday at the Grand Rapids Economic Club’s 18th annual dinner at DeVos Place, which quickly is becoming the host to major national political figures. Less than two weeks ago, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuiliani spoke at the downtown convention center’s ballroom.

“It’s important for America to get back to showing that image of an open, welcome nation,” Powell said. “When they come into our communities, they get a different impression of us than by watching a Michael Moore film or the news bulletins on TV.”

Honored at the dinner were George, John and Tom Jackoboice, of Monarch Hydraulics Inc., as Business Persons of the Year for 2005, and Peter Wege as winner of the Slykhouse Lifetime Achievement Award. In an hour-long speech, Powell, a retired four-star general, regaled a crowd of about 1,000 with stories of diplomatic triumphs.

He joked about taking apart a toilet in his family’s home as a first act of retirement. He boasted about his upcoming assignment of driving the pace car — a Corvette convertible — at Sunday’s Indy 500. And he gave a report card on the world’s hot spots.

He told the story of a dozen Brazilian students visiting Chicago who ordered a big meal at a fast-food restaurant before realizing they did not have the money to pay for it. The manager told them the meal was on him — the kind of act that can go a long way toward showing America’s true spirit, Powell said. “He said ‘he’s so happy you’re in America, that you’re in Chicago, that you came to his restaurant, consider this a gift from him,” Powell said. “The one thing they’ll never forget is the open arms and generosity. We can do that all day long all over America because that really is what America is all about. “If we want to change the anti-American attitude, we know how to do it — just be open and welcome.”

But he also warned that America needs to do more around the world to win hearts and minds. He noted the State Department’s budget for developing countries had doubled from $10 billion a year to $22 billion in his tenure as Secretary of State, but it still was far shy of what’s needed to combat HIV/AIDS and poverty and to promote development, clean water and good governance.

“America can do more and better, but no one can tell you we’re giving too much to developing countries,” he said. “We’ve got to do more if we want other countries to move in the direction of democracy and freedom.” Powell appeared unburdened by the freedom of retirement, though he told no kiss-and-tell stories on his four years in the Bush administration.

As National Security Adviser to President Reagan in the 1980s, Powell said he had a tough time letting go of the Soviet Union as a mortal enemy, even as its former president, Mikhail Gorbachev, was in the beginning stages of lowering the iron curtain.

At one point, as Gorbachev was complaining the United States was not paying attention to reforms under way, Powell said Gorbachev pounded on the table, leaned into him and said, “Oh, general, general, I’m so very sorry, but you’ll have to find a new enemy.” Powell, in his self-effacing way, said he thought to himself, “but I don’t want to! Slow down. Why do I have to change?”

But, as he said later, speaking of globalism that connects everyone, “we’re rapidly moving to a transactional world.”
“It means we have to be imaginative and creative — invest more in education so we don’t get left behind,” he said. “And I don’t think we’ll get left behind.”