Samantha Power Unapologetic About Iraq Remarks, Hints At Return

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/26/samantha-power-unapologet_n_93493.html

Samantha Power Unapologetic About Iraq Remarks, Hints At Return
Sam Stein
March 26, 2008 11:18 AM


Former Obama aide Samantha Power may be repentant for calling Sen. Hillary Clinton a political monster, but on the other issue that marked her resignation, she is not conceding an inch.

Speaking at the Columbia University School of Law on Tuesday night, Power labeled herself "amazed" that Clinton had tried to get so much "political mileage" from comments Power made, in which she suggested that the next commander-in-chief would consider conditions on the ground when implementing his or her Iraq withdrawal plan.

"What I was saying is that you have to take into account what the generals on the ground are telling you," Power told the room of several hundred undergraduate and graduate students. "Take for example that 3 am phone call {from Clinton's campaign commercial}... She is not going to answer the phone and play a voicemail she recorded in 2007. That is crazy. She is going to judge the situation in 2009. Of course she is going to take into account what the generals have to say about the Iraq situation and what they are saying on the ground."

snip//

Power called Obama's willingness to meet, without preconditions, world leaders with whom America did not always see eye-to-eye, one of the turning points of the Democratic primary: "I can tell you about the conference call the day {after Obama made the proclamation}," she recalled. "People were like, 'Did you need to say that?' And he was like 'yeah, definitely.'"

She emphasized that, unlike President Bush, Obama would put greater focus on the general welfare of the Iraqi people (looking at population displacements, health conditions, economic insecurities), when considering U.S. policy in that country. She also drew a picture of an Obama administration that was filled with different viewpoints and congenial debate.

And, to the delight of many in the crowd, she even hinted that she could be part of that hypothetical cabinet. "Because of the kind of campaign that Senator Obama has run," Power said, "it seemed appropriate for someone of my Irish temper to step aside, at least for a while. We will see what happens there."

[ClassWarrior]

1. I hope she returns. She's one of the sharpest pencils in the FP box.

Or outside of it, in her case. B-)

NGU.

[billbuckhead]

2. Irish temper? Blaming poor judgement on your genetics?

[papau]

11. LOL - she spoke truth rather than repeating the lie Obama spoke in the debates

[Cant trust em]

15. I never understood what was controversial about these remarks

people make plans based on what they know right now. By the time we get to execute those plans, things may have changed. This is what we criticized George Bush for NOT doing.

[Cant trust em]

13. More cultural than genetic, I'd guess. nt

[LisaM]

3. Uhhh.......when did she say POLITICAL monster?

I read the quote, and it simply said, "monster".

[Fredda Weinberg]

6. I'll give her a break ... this is silly season and we can't waste great minds n/t

[Coexist]

4. !!!

:)

That is a nice thought for the day.

[DJ13]

5. I hope she returns, she's too smart to keep on the sidelines

:kick:

[here_is_to_hope]

9. Yep, after the remark I read up on her and she

is really gifted, no doubt she would be a great asset to Obama's administration.

[stellanoir]

7. Diplomacy is not comprised of bellicosity exclusively.

Here is a wonderful article she wrote in the week prior to the monster revelation.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15&pid=292522

[Pirate Smile]

8. When she left the campaign, I posted that she could still get a job in the Obama Administration.

I think she will.

[madrchsod]

10. i do have faith that barack would not have turned his head

while 800,000 people were slaughtered in rwanda. her essay on rwanda turned my respect for bill clinton into disgust.

she`s to intelligent not to ask for her advice

[MNDemNY]

12. Oh, goody! She and McPeak can hook up.

[Cant trust em]

14. Samantha Power, I love you!

I'd keep a lock of your hair. If you're reading this; call me.

[OhioChick]

16. K&R

:kick:

[applegrove]

17. I love her.

[Cha]

18. Sounds logical to me what she's

saying..who knows why hilary would try and make political mileage out of it. Except that hilary tries to get mileage outta anything and you have to watch her for lies.