Headline RoundupOctober 19th, 2021

Perspectives: Colin Powell’s Death and Legacy

Summary from the AllSides News Team

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s death on Monday prompted an outpouring of opinion articles discussing his death and legacy. Powell, 84, died of complications from COVID-19, according to his family; he was fully vaccinated and suffering from multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that impairs the immune system. On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump made news by remembering Powell, a frequent Trump critic, as a “classic RINO” whom the media was covering “so beautifully” despite “big mistakes.” President Joe Biden and former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton each issued a statement praising Powell. 

Outlets big and small across the spectrum published opinion articles on Colin Powell following his death. Most voices praised Powell as a “reluctant warrior,” “a widely admired symbol of the American Dream,” or a “role model for all Americans.” Some voices in left-rated outlets criticized Powell’s “shameful” role in the Iraq War. Some voices spoke about Powell’s impact on black Americans. Some voices discussed Powell’s vaccination status, with some on the right arguing his death weakened the case for vaccines and other voices from the left and center pushing back on that idea. 

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