Did Obama Steal Powell's Show? Powell Took a Pass in 1996, Paving the Way for Obama

Illinois U.S. Senator Barack Obama made history this month when he won the presumptive Democratic Party nomination for president, becoming the first African-American to do so for a major political party in the United States. The campaign has caught the attention of people worldwide.

Another question is starting to be asked: Did Colin Powell blow his opportunity to have that part of history when he declined to run in 1996 and 2000?

Much like Obama, Powell's story is uniquely American. He was born poor to Jamaican immigrant parents in Harlem and was an average student. He joined the Reserved Officers Training Corps while attended the City College of New York and blossomed, rising through the ranks to become a general, National Security Advisor and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He eventually earned his bachelor's degree in geology from City College of New York and then his MBA from George Washington University.

Powell, now 71, who George W. Bush chose as the first black to serve as Secretary of State in his first administration, was asked to resign in 2004 after helping sell the Iraq War and then becoming disenchanted with it.

Despite the criticism he has taken for his speech in front of the United Nations pushing for the Iraq War when he was secretary, he is still held in high regard my many Americans. He has even been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate for Republican John McCain and an advisor to Obama.

But did Powell, a declared Republican, really miss out on history?

Many people know Powell for his leadership in the first Gulf War during George H.W. Bush's administration while serving as the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1991. But very few people know Powell, the politician. Considered a moderate Republican, many believe that he would have had a difficult time even receiving that party's nomination if he would have run for the highest office in the land.

First of all, Powell is pro-choice in a party where its base is pro-life. That alone would have made it very difficult for Powell to win over the Republican base. Such high-powered Republicans like Rudolph Guliani found out this year how difficult it is for a pro-choice Republican to win the party's nomination. According to the web site OnTheIssues.org, Powell's 1996 speech at the Republican National Convention exposed his position on abortion and affirmation action that he continues to hold.

"You all know that I believe in a woman's right to choose and I strongly support affirmative action," Powell said at the convention, according to the OnTheIssues. "I was invited here by my party to share my views with you because we are a big enough party -- and big enough people -- to disagree on individual issues and still work together for our common goal: restoring the American Dream."

Powell's support of affirmation action, which also runs counter to the base of the Republican Party, was something that he trumpeted during his time as Secretary of State and often made the Bush White House uncomfortable.

During the 2000 Republican National Convention, Powell said affirmative action gives minorities "a competitive choice," and he didn't seen it a reverse discrimination.

"(Minoriities) deserve that choice," Powell said, according to OnTheIssues.org. "If we give them that choice, it will be good for our party. But above all, it will be good for America, and we need to work to give them that choice. Good for America -- that must be the measure for all that we do -- whether it's economic policy or military strategy or seeing what we can do to make our American family more inclusive."

Some might ask why wouldn't Powell then switch parties and run as a Democrat? But Powell doesn't quite fit there either. For example, he is a solid supporter of charter schools, vouchers and home schooling, something that the Democratic Party has fought against. He is also a proponent of prayer in schools and believes the Republican Party is the party that supports family values more.

Powell, whether as a strong military leader, or a politician, offers a little something for everyone. That bodes well for him in a general election, but not for a primary election.