On Colin Powell's Death

 

On Monday, it was announced that four-star general and former secretary of state Colin Powell died at age 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He was fully vaccinated. Here is how a selection of media outlets covered his death.

Tends to skew right:

Fox News: Remembering Colin Powell upon his death: Former President Bush calls him 'a great public servant'

This headline is interesting in that it informs the reader that Colin Powell has died, but uses a comment from former President Bush to characterize Powell rather than simply stating that he was a general or former secretary of state. As two significant figures of the Republican party, putting Bush’s name in the headline with Powell’s was likely done on purpose to attract more readers. The article itself opens with President Bush’s quote that Powell was a highly respected man, using the credibility of Bush to vouch for the credibility of Powell. The author describes Powell as a “trailblazer” and includes statements of memorial from prominent figures like President Obama, the Clintons, and VP Cheney. It ends with a quote from Bush press secretary Ari Fletcher stating that Powell “treated everyone he met with respect and kindness.” Ultimately, the article is very respectful and reflects Powell’s legacy via the words of those who knew him. 

Trends toward the center:

Associated Press: Colin Powell dies, exemplary general stained by Iraq claims

This article begins with a straightforward statement about Powell’s death before veering into a description of him as he was commonly viewed by the American public. Personally, I don’t think it’s appropriate to bring up what is considered the biggest blunder of someone’s career in the headline of their obituary, particularly since Powell was openly remorseful about the Iraq decision. That said, the body of the article provides a thorough overview of Powell’s public life, including the accomplishments and the controversial aspects of his career. It also prominently features the statements of President Biden, the Bushes, Condelezza Rice, Lloyd Austin, and Vice President Harris’ on Powell’s great impact. It closes by acknowledging that although he gained prominence by serving Republican presidents, Powell endorsed Democratic candidates in recent years. In all, the article is very informative and does a strong job recounting Powell’s life story as it applies to his significance in American history.

Tends to skew left:

Washington Post: Colin L. Powell, former secretary of state and military leader, dies at 84

Of all the headlines, I think this is the most effective and appropriate. It is straightforward and quickly communicates Powell’s significance. The first sentence of the article is similar to the Associated Press headline in that it mentions Powell’s difficulties as secretary of state during the decision to invade Iraq. However, it balances the negative tone out by mentioning that he guided the US to victory in the Gulf War. This is the longest of the articles, featuring a summary of Powell’s career and numerous pictures. Overall, it takes a bipartisan approach and is successful at communicating Powell’s legacy.

My balanced take:

On Monday, October 18th, the family of Colin Powell announced his death via Facebook. Powell rose to prominence as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War and eventually went on to further serve his country as secretary of state during George W. Bush's first term.