Official State Department Portrait

A Short, But True Story About Colin Powell

And why he will be particularly missed by me

Years ago, at the White House Correspondents Dinner, I was waiting for an elevator down to the ballroom. Colin Powell and his wife Alma walk up, along with a security detail. An elevator opens up. The security guys jump on to check it out. Assuming he’s also going to the ballroom, I say: “that elevator doesn’t go to the ballroom”, which was true. Meanwhile, an elevator that does go to the ballroom opens up and I say “this one goes”. Colin Powell says to his wife: “This guy looks like he knows what he’s talking about”, and they jump on with me. The doors close. “Those security guys hate when I do that”, he says to me.

From that day on, that exchange always made me feel like there is at least one person out there who believes in me.