Colin Powell unofficially began his run for the Presidency this week when his book-signing tour kicked off in Washington, D.C. Don’t be mistaken; the man is running.

He has shown all of the signs of a candidacy, one which is reminiscent of Perot’s independent run in 1992. The slow, careful approach, the petitions being signed — it all looks too familiar.

And that is a good thing. Powell would be a spectacular choice for president, combining the necessary administrative, diplomatic and political skills to do an effective job.

Powell is not a Washington outsider. He has been working in the Army’s upper echelons for years, and anyone who makes it to full (four-star) general must have at least a bit of the politician in him or her. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, the panel of the highest-ranking officers in each of the armed services, is a very political body. Powell was the chairman of the JCS for four years, and during that time he had to officiate the early battles over mission reassignment for each service following the end of the Cold War. The ability to negotiate and compromise are key skills in the JCS and the Pentagon, skills which will transfer well into the sometimes difficult relationship between Congress and the president. Handling that situation isn’t much worse than working with a Congress that may or may not be aligned with him.

In international affairs, Powell could be a titan. Respected for his work during the Gulf War, Powell is well-connected in international political circles. His position as JCS Chairman also allowed him to forge relationships with a number of foreign leaders, and those personal relationships will allow him to be even more effective in his international dealings. The respect Powell commands in international affairs can be seen in the fact that he played a major role in bringing the elected Haitian government back to power after attempts by the Clinton administration officials had repeatedly failed.

No one is successful as a officer in the military without being an effective administrator. Generals typically have prodigious staffs, and the management of them is key for success for them. This is one area where Powell would clearly outstrip every president going back to Carter.

All have had major staff problems, ranging from Reagan’s overzealous team running rampant with little supervision, to Clinton’s inexperienced staff bumbling every major policy move.

Contrary to popular perception, a military staff will present options to its commander, and any good commander will listen to them before making a decision. A sort of “authoritarian democracy” develops, one which allows debate before a decision is made but where everyone falls in line when the decision comes down. This is just what is needed in the White House, a president who will make measured, considered decisions and a staff willing to support him or her when it is time to do so.

One big complaint is that Powell is vague on his issue positions. So what?

No politician, in particular the lot of Republican senators running for the office, are going to be that frank on what they really think. They have taken positions they think will be popular and gain votes, or they have made a big splash on a side issue and claimed that they are focusing on the issues. The worst example is Bob Dole’s anti-Hollywood tirade.

That less-than-impressive display on a minor issue cannot be considered a serious attempt at focusing on a prime issue more than it was an attempt at gaining popularity with the Republican Party’s arch-conservatives.

If Powell is more concerned with practicality and problem-solving rather than ideology and political grandstanding, then he can only be good for this country.

Powell will have problems with his campaign. He won’t run as a Democrat, and gaining the Republican nomination will be difficult due to his moderate stance on social issues such as abortion. The pro-life lobby is already hounding him on his book tour, and they have promised attempt to push the issue to the front of his campaign.

One issue that may hurt Powell is his race. This is unfortunate, as the man is completely capable of doing the job effectively and the subject of his heritage, or any candidate’s, should be completely ignored. As distasteful as it is, the issue is bound to come up at some point. A sort of quiet racism may keep his vote down among whites, an awful possibility when his qualifications are considered.

Some African-Americans may not feel a connection to a man who has not made his presence known in the community, but remember this: he made it to the very top of a strict meritocracy, and no one gets to be the JCS Chairman without having the skills for the job.

Even if he turns out to be only a minor player in the ’96 election, Powell will at least make the campaign interesting. And that in itself will be a good thing.

Kevin Kirby is a senior in journalism mass communication from Louisville, Ky. He has a B.A. in political science from the University of Wyoming.