You have a point, but I still think my main argument stands - that a persons military record tends to cloud the fact that said person may not be a great politician. Take Wesley Clark. When it was announced that he'd seek the 2004 democratic nomination his numbers immediately soared. Not long after they plummeted again given that he turned out to not really be much of a politician. I have a feeling that the same thing could well have happened with Colin Powell if he had ever dared to seek the presidency - infact maybe Powell never sought it because he was well aware of this. Running an army and running for president are two very very different things.
You're right. Winning elections and actually governing are two different things. I missed that in your initial post.