Always being taken someplace twice...
The second time, to apologize.
By Moe Lane Posted in 2008 | Obamafiles | Rooting For Injuries | Unforced Errors — Comments (18) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
(With my own apologies to Diane Duane for using the reference.)
Huh. Odd. I was under the general impression that the primary qualification you looked for in a foreign policy adviser was the elementary wisdom not to blurt out embarrassing statements abroad:
Earlier, clearly rattled by the Ohio defeat, Ms Power told The Scotsman Mrs Clinton was stopping at nothing to try to seize the lead from her candidate.
"We f***** up in Ohio," she admitted. "In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.
"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything," Ms Power said, hastily trying to withdraw her remark.
Ms Power said of the Clinton campaign: "Here, it looks like desperation. I hope it looks like desperation there, too.
(via the Corner, although I don't think that they salt their popcorn properly.)
The Senator's already had to apologize, which is both: funny; and no doubt a disappointment for his acolytes, who expect him to come out swinging against the lies and slimes of the Clinton Smear Machine (or whatever the phrase is). Ms. Powers has, too, saying that "These comments do not reflect my feelings about Sen. Clinton, whose leadership and public service I have long admired."
(pause)
This has just been a marvelous week, hasn't it?
Read on.
First off: isn't it just horrible the way that we evil, evil VRWC types aren't staying on message? I imagine that the Obama campaign is thoroughly peeved at us right now: we were supposed to not have the willpower to refrain from kicking the woman when she was down. Instead, we've actually managed to act in our long-term interest by doing our part* to extend the Democratic primary system beyond all rhyme or reason - even if it does mean beating up on a one-term Senator whose Chicago politics history becomes clearer every single day. That's probably why he hasn't gone negative before now, by the way - he was expecting us to, and it took him a little too much time to adapt**. Not that we mind how things are likely to go, in the future.
Second: wow. That was just really... stupid of Ms. Powers, wasn't it? Not only the "monster" bit - as Glenn noted, we tend to reserve that word for worse sorts these days - but for the first sentence in that quote. Bad enough for Senator Obama that this woman is flubbing her way across Europe right now***; now she's calling the basic competency of the campaign in question, not to mention offering a blanket insult to a State that is still technically Red on the map. Yes. That is very helpful. To the GOP.
And, lastly: this is just March 7th. Imagine what wonderful gaffes and sound-bites we'll have to play with on April 7th. From both sides...
Moe Lane
*You can argue that we haven't done much to help that scenario, but you can't really say that we've done anything really to hurt it.
**But we are taking notes for the general, so there's always vicarious revenge, Senator Obama.
***Hey, Europe! Remember: if Obama wins, you'll probably get stuck dealing with Ms. Powers on a regular basis for the next four years! Still hating on the unilateralist, simplisme cowboy? At least with him you don't have to pretend to be best chums.
« Dueling June Obama fundraising claims? — Comments (2) | 50 State Polling and Analysis — Comments (29) »
Always being taken someplace twice... 18 Comments (0 topical, 18 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Is how Hillary really considers her "wins" in TX and OH legit. I have seen no one break out numbers on how many registered Republicans voted "for" her in order to help a beatable candidate and have heard none of this sort of criticism uttered of her (what I believe to be) false positive win. I agree that they can both take each other out(and its certainly a more palatable strategy for McCain) but I suppose Bill & Hill are finally getting the free pass they've whined for.
...indirectly questions the narrative that the Democrats have devised for themselves about how the high participation in the primaries show how they're a shoo-in to win in November. Admit the existence of monkeywrenchers, and then you have to ask legitimate questions about the power of them...
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
he had numbers in the range of 9% Republicans voting in the TX Dem Primary with the majority voting for Obama. I don't attest to the accuracy of these numbers.
Actually, if anyone should be crabbing about independents and R's voting in a D primary, it should be Hillary. According to exit polls, Hillary has pretty consistently won those folks that call themselves Democrats. Obama has beaten her by pulling R's and Independents into his camp. In Texas, Obama still beat her 53-47 among Rs, so they didn't put her over the top. She won in spite of them.
apologize?
On one hand, if she did specify "off the record" then the quote shouldn't have been used. But, I don't know what arrangement Power and the report had before the interview started. Still, if the reporter/newspaper ever wants another interview, there is going to be some major making up to do in the future.
Power said what she said. And obviously meant it. She does think Clinton is a monster. Who are we to disagree? It shouldn't have been said, but now that it has, don't backtrack. Stick to it and ride it out. Make Clinton defend herself against such a charge.
This is a train wreck in slow motion, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
Simply put, the campaign has been masterful so far in shielding their candidate from anything the press could throw at him... until the campaign itself starts shooting its mouth off. No doubt the Obama fans will start clamoring for Ms. Powers to be fired, just like they wanted Austan Goolsbee fired.
Well, in a perfect world, perhaps... I think they're just smiling and nodding on this one.
"No matter how much lipstick you put on the taxation pig, it's still a pig... and it's currently snout-down in your wallet." - Michael Fisk
Honestly? I doubt Obama's supporters are involved enough to even know about this. It's the most superficial campaign I've ever seen.
I think this is just jolly.
And I am going to try that garlic, parmesan, stuff on my popcorn. Because I'm going to be eating just way too much for just plain ole salt and butter.
Yum, yum, delicious!
especially at 3AM.
Hey Moe,
Just saw your name up in a nice blue box with a quote from your post on MSNBC as they were talking about this story. It's fun to see Redstate contributors getting quoted in the old media. Times are a changin' for the better.
Stephanie Power is something of a heavyweight in democratic foreign policy circles, teaches at Harvard, and is the author of a quite well-regarded book, _A Problem from Hell_, about the Rwanda genocide. And she jokingly refers to herself as "the genocide chick".
So she, if anyone, should know evil; should know her monsters.
Perhaps she was joking when she called HRC a monster, similar to how we frequently use the Simpsons' line about Jimmy Carter.
But. She apparently didn't; I don't get that impression from the interview, and AFAIK, she hasn't claimed that it was a joke that the BBC interviewer didn't get.
Which leaves us with the understanding that she was serious.
Now, I dislike HRC as much as anyone here, but I don't consider her a monster; rather, she's a political opponent with considerable flaws.
I find it disturbing that Samantha Power apparently lacks the basic sense of proportion to see the difference between an opponent and a monster. And this is who OHB takes advice from and would likely want as his national security adviser?
No wonder then that OHB thinks genocide isn't a big deal, and that it's a grand idea to start trade wars with our allies while sucking up to our enemies.
If the D's nominate OHB, John McCain will have plenty of evidence calling OHB's judgment into question.
Her paper and her book on the genocide was really well-done and I respected her even if I didn't always agree with her.
Nevermind though. She lost me at "Obama".
------------------
Barack Obama. A Change for the Worse.
"I just meant she was a worthy opponent, a real hurdle we'll have to get past if we're ever going to ... [back on message]"
... or ...
"That was out of context. By 'monster' I meant '800 pound mutated carnivorous gorilla with cosmic halitosis and cankles'. Personally, I like her,"
--
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
- Our party is uniting behind our candidate
- The surge has taken hold, and Iraq is becoming a third rail for them
- Global What? Nobel laureate Al Who?
- We get to watch the Democrats implode while warning each other (and the indies) how great our guy is
Ever try garlic, black pepper, and parmesan on your popcorn? It's a nice change of pace from butter and salt.
--
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.