When Colin Powell announced Wednesday he would not run for president, the American dream dissolved for many, said Steffen Schmidt, Iowa State professor of political science.

“It was a great disappointment to about 53 percent of Americans in the polls who put their faith in Colin Powell,” Schmidt said. “The reasons they liked him were magical, intangible.”

Americans saw Powell as someone who was fresh — outside of politics and Washington. He was new, different and exciting, Schmidt said.

“He had the personality of someone people click with,” he said. “He didn’t seem to be negative or radical. He seemed to understand there are big problems in this country, and we can’t do things the same old way. People found that refreshing.”

Schmidt, considered a Midwestern expert on American politics, spoke with U.S. Today, the Omaha World-Herald and the Iowa News Network Wednesday about Powell’s announcement and the impact it will have on the 1996 presidential campaign.

Schmidt said he was surprised by Powell’s announcement. He said he thought Powell’s lengthy decision process was an indication that the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would seek the Republican nomination for president.

“He kept us in suspense, right up to the last minute,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said people are inspired by charismatic leaders like Powell not because of the issues, but because of the person.

“Powell definitely had that something,” he said. “There isn’t anybody else around on the political scene right now who has that combination of characteristics that attracted people to Powell. We’re back to the old standbys of President Clinton and [Bob] Dole.”

Schmidt said Clinton and Dole, the Republican front-runner, both will benefit with Powell out of the race.

“Clinton had been faced with the possibility of going against somebody who was very well liked. Bob Dole is back ahead in the polls now that he doesn’t have Powell’s shadow on him,” Schmidt said.

Amy Williamson, an ISU junior in political science, who has been active in the College Republicans, said she was glad Powell was not running for president. She is a Dole supporter.

“I think there was a good chance Powell was going to divide a lot of the vote in the Republican side and make it easier for Clinton to win.”

Schmidt said although Bob Dole is now ahead in the polls, “He is a traditional politician. I don’t think he inspires people the way Powell does.”

Brian Kennedy, head of Iowa’s Republican Party, said Powell helped other GOP candidates by finally making a decision.

“For the past two months, he has made it difficult for other candidates to get media attention. And he made it difficult for voters who did not know whether all the choices were before them,” Kennedy said. “Colin Powell would have been a very exciting candidate. But we’ve got 10 outstanding candidates, any 10 of which will be an outstanding president.”

Powell’s Republican alliance made the party a winner, too, Schmidt said. Powell will likely recruit more moderates and more African-Americans and other minorities into the GOP.

“This is not good news to Democrats,” Schmidt said. “Republicans have lacked that magnet for attracting these types of people.”

The real losers may be independent voters.

“They were looking for a leader. Powell was pretty clearly their favorite choice,” Schmidt said. “Those independent voters are going to be looking for somebody new. I don’t think they’re going to find anybody.”

“The news media are the biggest losers,” he added. “It was suspense, drama. Now that’s gone. We’re back to dirty politics again.”

Schmidt said Powell left himself open as a possible future candidate.

“He may never get there. If Republicans win the election, he could be nominated as Secretary of State or of Defense and get back into politics that way,” he said.

Though Powell said at a news conference Wednesday that he would not accept a vice presidential nomination, Kennedy said the offer will probably be made.

Schmidt said Powell doesn’t have the personality of a presidential candidate.

“There’s something about the personality of someone who runs for president that Powell didn’t have. [It takes] a lot of nerve, a lot of ego,” he said. “[Powell] hasn’t been involved in elected politics before. Running for president is a brutal job. You have to really love politics. He may have decided this is not something he really, really wanted to do.”

In the aftermath of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, Schmidt said Powell’s wife may have discouraged him from running out of fear for her husband’s safety.

“His wife was very worried about him running for president,” Schmidt said. “The assassination of Israel’s prime minister must have added a tiny bit of apprehension.”