Editorial: Colin Powell preached decency and integrity. And he was strong enough to admit he’d made mistakes

For its San Diego convention in the summer of 1996, the Republican Party was anxious to avoid the acrimonious tone of its gathering in Houston four years earlier. So the GOP turned to its most respected voice of moderation and reconciliation: Gen. Colin Powell. He did not disappoint.

“Yes, we Republicans have leaders and principles that are worthy of our aspirations,” he said. “Let us take our case to our fellow citizens with respect for their intelligence and fair-mindedness. Let us debate our differences with the Democrats strongly, but with the civility and absence of acrimony that the American people