Colin Powell for Ebola czar

President Obama should name former national security adviser, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Colin Powell as the lead coordinator or “czar” for the federal government’s fight against Ebola. Powell would be the ideal person for the job, bringing powerful organizational and leadership skills to the mission and possessing huge public credibility and popularity that will reassure the nation while he helps mobilize the government.

{mosads}Powell is a Republican, a general, a statesman and a man who embodies how leaders can reach across the aisle and make government work at a time of crisis. In fact, as The Hill has recently reported, the idea of Powell has been proposed by Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Republican Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia. Nothing would be better to appeal to Americans who are tired of government that is divided and dysfunctional than a Democratic president naming a Republican such as Powell, who was originally proposed by Republicans from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, to a post as important as spearheading the fight against Ebola.

Americans would applaud a dramatic action that would bring a good and respected man to an urgent and vital mission. Americans would applaud a Democratic president choosing a Republican such as Powell who was proposed by Republicans in Congress. The public would be reassured and the battle against Ebola would be escalated if President Obama named Powell as our Ebola czar.

Wouldn’t this be an exciting October suprise? And the politics would sure be great, right?

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was then chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. degree in international financial law from the London School of Economics. Contact him at brentbbi@webtv.net.