Inside Condoleezza Rice And Colin Powell's Friendship

Since the death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, which was announced on October 18, friends and colleagues of the four-star general – who was 84 — have gone out of their way to publicly memorialize the career statesman. 

Powell — who died from COVID-19 complications related to a pre-existing diagnosis of multiple myeloma, cancer which rendered him immunocompromised — has been lauded by many as a groundbreaking figure who made history as the first Black U.S. secretary of state. He was indeed just that, under the administration of former President George W. Bush. Perhaps one of the few who has spoken specifically to his contributions to the American public in that regard is none other than Condoleezza Rice, his longtime friend who succeeded Powell during Bush's second presidential term.

Rice has said much about her conservative colleague since his passing, as their friendship began long before Bush was sworn into office. Most notably, Rice spoke of Powell on the daytime talk show "The View," where she appeared on October 20 as a guest host, sharing the ways in which he played an important part of her professional life. Clearly, he meant a lot to her.

On October 20, Condoleezza Rice shared her own feelings of grief while reminiscing about her late colleague. "We lost a great American patriot, we've lost a role model for all of us, but I think what we'll remember is that he was somebody who took full advantage of America's promise," Rice said during a segment on "The View". She added, "He will be remembered by me as just a really, really great friend."

She added that he, "first invited me to meet him when I was a 31-year-old professor and I got this call, 'General Powell would like to meet you.' And it was like a thunderbolt. 'You mean General Powell wants to meet me?' But he was inspiring, not intimidating." 

Rice expressed similar sentiments in an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post on October 18. Rice was a fellow in Ronald Reagan administration's Joint Chiefs of Staff — while Powell served as the national security advisor to Reagan. In her essay, Rice meditated on their shared heritage as Black Americans, and how that bonded them. She recalled in 2003 when both were at Buckingham Palace. Rice wrote, "Sitting in Buckingham Palace during President George W. Bush's state visit to Britain, Alma [Powell's wife], Colin and I drank a toast to our ancestors. 'They would never have believed it,' I said. 'No, but they are smiling now,' he said."