Such an in-teresting monster, my stars!
Samantha Power's "monster" gaffe probably won't turn Barack Obama's primary setback into a full retreat, but it's still great fun. Read the full quotation, with the Pulitzer winner's attempt at an instant backpedal:
"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.
"You just look at her and think, 'Ergh'. But if you are poor and she is telling you some story about how Obama is going to take your job away, maybe it will be more effective. The amount of deceit she has put forward is really unattractive."
You can practically hear the wrong-buzzer "EEEHHHH!" sound coming from the interviewer for The Scotsman (which by the way is my second-favorite name for a newspaper, after The Hindu), who not only declined to grant the request to keep the comment off the record but made it the lead and headline of the story. Well played!
Power has written for the Op-Ed page periodically. Here's her piece "How to stop genocide in Iraq," from a year ago. Another piece, "Democrats: Get Loud, Get Angry!" cowritten with Morton Abramowitz, has been disappeared from our site but you can still check it out at Common Dreams.
I take a more liberal view of what sorts of language are haram and halal than many of my colleagues, so it's probably not a surprise that I don't see what all the fuss is about. Why shouldn't you be allowed to call your opponent a monster in a no-holds-barred political campaign? It's a completely generic put-down, falling far short of the intricate jibes that some parliamentary systems consider standard. Besides, as Bugs Bunny understood, monsters are the most interesting people.
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When it comes to choosing between McCain and the Dem candidate, this will be long forgotten. In fact, when the Dem candidate is chosen, McCain's name will be forgotten. He doesn't stand a chance no matter, and that is why this primary means so much. The winner will be the president, period. And I am an old school Nixonian Republican....
Posted by: farnk | March 07, 2008 at 05:25 PM
It is always terrible when someone is forced to resign for telling the unvarnished truth.
Hillary is a wretched, grasping, vomitous creature.
Posted by: daffodil | March 07, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Power was RIGHT ON! The Hildebeest must be stopped at nearly any cost.
This country hasn't ever seen the likes of a power mongering, back stabbing monster like the Hildebeest.
I am a Republican that doesn't like McCain due to his personality and amnesty fight, and I've donated the max to Obama.
ANYBODY but the Hildebeest America!
Posted by: Kevin Brown | March 07, 2008 at 05:35 PM
The problem for Obama is he wants to cry foul everytime Hillary's camp says something negative about him, but he has been slinging mud since the first debate when he brought up past accusations of corruption against Hillary, and what was that statement about Reagan bring about change but not Bill Clinton, and then pushing Hillary for her tax returns ahead of the IRS.
In basketball there is a term for what Obama is doing constantly crying foul, its call a flopper. Hey, if it is ok to call Hillary a monster to stir up the Hilary haters, than it should be alright for Hillary to start talking about Obama's Muslim roots and his church's award to Farrakhan. The repubs work will be done for them.
Posted by: poet1b | March 07, 2008 at 05:35 PM
"if the record " request of the speaker should haveben
respected. whoever didn't is an untrustworthy brat, not
to be trusted or be considered a journalist
Posted by: e. salaun | March 07, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Being polite does not hide the truth - it makes a person respectful and trustworthy.
Hillary 08!
Posted by: Meg | March 07, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Indeed, it is fine to call another person a monster if you believe it's the truth. But then again, why would one have to apologize for it later. Translation - hypocrites!
Posted by: Anthony | March 07, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Hillary is not a monster. She's a politician. We should be grateful to have the chance for 8 more "Clinton years." Despite the fact that the Clintons and the Bushes have been at the heart of the partisan attacks we have had to listen to for the last 20 years- Hillary can change politics like Obama only syas he can
Posted by: BRR | March 07, 2008 at 05:44 PM
at least someone tells the truth
Posted by: criss | March 07, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Daffodil -- Speak for yourself, dear. When it comes to being a "vomitous" & "wretched creature," you sound like an expert who'd take a back seat to no one.
Posted by: pat knif | March 07, 2008 at 05:48 PM
I ALWAYS LIKED AND SUPPORTED THE CLINTONS BEFORE THIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN,,,BUT THERE ACTIONS OF DOING ANYTHING TO WIN EVEN WHEN IT DAMAGES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE CHANGED MY FEELINGS ABOUT THEM. THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF SITING ON THE SIDELINES,THEY ARE HARMFUL TO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. I FIND IT HARD TO EVEN LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.....
Posted by: TIM DEMPSEY | March 07, 2008 at 05:53 PM
1. Today Barack Obama is running a presidential campaign based on hope and change. Yet with such undisputably good and lofty reasons to run for the presidency of the United States, he has been called a “hope monger”. About his uplifting speeches about hope, Clinton accused him of plagiarizing his speeches.
When Obama offered his public service credentials while working in Chicago instead of as a high priced lawyer, Clinton accused him of having ties to a 'slumlord'.
2. When Obama asks for transparancy and public release of tax returns he is called a member of the infamous Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy by the Clinton campaign. You sorry americans allow this. After all, transparancy if for us, the citizens of the United States. We must have information to make a decisioin on the candidates.
3. When asked about releasing her white house itineries to allow the public to determine if she has the experience she claims – she refuses or equivocates. and calles Obama “ill-prepared to be president."
4. When asked to release her tax returns to the public as Obama has requested and has done, she has refused and now equivocate by saying maybe by April 15th.
5. When asked about fairness and if Michigan and Florida’s banned votes should count (Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan) she could care less about rules and fairness. Clinton wants to change the rules and count those delegates. It’s all about her, if it means the absence of rules – so what. Rules don’t apply to her – like the rules that all citizens must abide by. Yes, including you. Why???
6, While Obama states he will abide by the decision of the Democratic Party, when asked to work out a fair resolution to the banned Michigan and Florida primaries Clinton has told U.S. News and World Report that she opposes any sort of do-over for Florida and she would not accept it if Michigan were to hold a caucus. So much for her ability to resolve issues.
7. Clinton will stop of nothing, do anything, will observe no limits to what she will do win the presidential election. See how long you stay out of jail if you rob a bank to feed your family. Any 12 year old knows you can’t justify means for ends. And she readily admits it. If this means destroying her opponent, or destroying what he stands for and in the process destroy what may be America’s only hope at decency and humanity in this presidential campaign– she will do it.
4. Now I ask you, does Hillary Clinton deserve, no – cry out – to be called “a monster” or better yet “A Hitler.”
5. Samantha Power is the founding executive director of the Harvard University Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. She won a 2003 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction for "A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide." With credentials like this has Samantha Paul crossed over the line by describing Clinton “a monster” or doing all American citizens a great service by bearing witness to the truth and at the same time calling to attention to the pathetic state of America, land of the free and home to political monsters. The fact is that if a Clinton can exist in our society it is because of you. All of us citizens. It is something all americans should be ashamed of. You deserve a Clinton.
Posted by: doc1400 | March 07, 2008 at 05:55 PM
Obama and his whole campain need on the job training.
Posted by: rachel | March 07, 2008 at 05:57 PM
Tim, it's an ad hominem, a far cry from a "put down". It's uncivil to boot. Shame on you for condoning this sort of rhetoric.
Posted by: kathy gill | March 07, 2008 at 05:57 PM
I agree with Samantha Power all the way. The hildebeest is evil - god help us if she wins! The reporter who published this story should be sent back 'across the pond'.
Posted by: JRaye | March 07, 2008 at 05:57 PM
Monster...what a kind, generic word to describe her. I have it on good word from a source (military) who worked in the white house as part of the Clinton staff. The Clinton's literally abused the military. While my friend said that Bill wasn't as bad a Hillary though. Hillary was a true bitch. She would verbally abuse them and have them do demeaning chores. This kind of stuff you don't hear about in the media. My friend was sworn to secrecy, but I'm not. We may want to think hard about who we select as our next Commander in Chief. Obama or McCain...PLEASE>
Posted by: truth hurts | March 07, 2008 at 06:00 PM
Daffodil
Such venom, hiding behind such a cutsie name
Posted by: great balls of fire! | March 07, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Hilliary claims to have all this experiece from somewhere, until she was "misled" by none other than George Bush.
Her excuse- "if I only knew then what I know now" etc,etc
She voted for the Iraq war. If this doesn't tell you anything, then I guess nothing will.
So , maybe her plan is to try to mislead the voters, because if she could be misled, with all of her credentials, if woulkd be simple to mislead the " peasants.
Posted by: Herb Clark | March 07, 2008 at 06:10 PM
This is the type of person we can expect Obama to bring into the White House with him. I thought Bush had a corner on the idiots. Well, what can you expect with Obama's experience or lack there of.
Posted by: JR | March 07, 2008 at 06:13 PM
Obama's campaign slogan is CHANGE. Not once has he defined it. In his two years in the Senate, what changes did he do? Voting PRESENT? Not scheduling COMMITTEE HEARING that he chairs? Well, firing Power is one. Duh!
Posted by: Melvyn M. Rosales | March 07, 2008 at 06:15 PM
We call her a WITCH in our house! My impression of her has gotten worse and worse as her campaign goes on.
Posted by: Teresa | March 07, 2008 at 06:23 PM
What has happened to ones personal pride? Remember that each one of us will live though this period and we, collectively, made these choices. Stop! Remember that America is the best country in the whole wide world.
We are being challenged because there is jealousy, evil - pay attention- there is more to this story than American politics. Wake Up America!! I love my country. Pay Attention to World Events and each of you who understand this, Pray For America!
Posted by: k.miller | March 07, 2008 at 06:23 PM
The "Hildebeest?" Haven't heard that one before, though Newsday has her "pouncing" on the monster comment.
Posted by: naz | March 07, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Listen up, youse guys: You're ALL wrong!! Only I am right!
Posted by: KING TUT | March 07, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Tim, I have serached the net and have not found any quote from Hillary saying that Obama was part of a vast right-wing conspiracy. Where did you find that quote? As for Rezko, I live in Illinois and strongly supported Obama for Senator. His ties to Rezko are disconcerting to say the least and have caused me to shift to Hillary.
Posted by: cobre | March 07, 2008 at 06:39 PM
If Obama is whining already about Hillary 2.0. How can Obama handle McCain 3.0? Please, anyone with a GED knows that you can not run for the US presidency with just nice speeches, and looking good.
Obama has be monster of his own if he wants to be the President of the US. Stop whining, like loser John Kerry.
We do not need whiner for President. We need a fighter--Clearly, Hillary Clinton has demonstrated tha she is the fighter---could be a strong candidate to beat McCain 3.0
joe
Posted by: joe M | March 07, 2008 at 06:46 PM
Listen up, youse guys. You're ALL wrong. Only I am right
Posted by: king tut | March 07, 2008 at 06:48 PM
It's too bad that newspapers are putting Samantha Power's "monster" gaffe in their headlines -- instead of her far more important slip where she told the BBC that Obama's position is that withdrawing all U.S. troops within 16 months is a "best-case scenario" that he will "revisit" if he becomes president.
Power added: "He will, of course, not rely on some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or a U.S. senator."
Posted by: bobbiewick | March 07, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Really, I am 44 and the thought of 16 Clinton years and 12 or more Bush years turns my stomach. The Clintons and especially Bush 2 are a large part of the divisive politics we have had and have today. Hillary is an intrinsic part of that- she can't be separated from her past. Really- think about it 16 year of your lfe hearing "President Clinton" or 12 or more years hearing "President Bush." Isn't it time for a change? (other than President McCain) I am a man and while I would be proud to see a woman president, its hard to see Hillary as anything but an "old style" politician. She has confirmed that by her behavior in this campaign.
Posted by: BRR | March 07, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Ref: Post by TIM DEMPSEY
AWESOME AND RIGHT ON!
Posted by: Lone Star Stater | March 07, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Welll, Clinton is a sort of monster if you consider the lust for power which prevades her being and translates into "do anything or say anything to win politics" which defines her. I am afraid that years from now we will all be regreting the chance Obama afforded the democrats to retake the White House with an overwhelming majority in the House and Senate before the Wicked Witch of Rodham burned the Party down. Well, let us toast four more years of Republicans.
Posted by: Jane Thomas | March 07, 2008 at 07:05 PM
And more . . . No matter what, Hillary will never be a "Uniter." She's too tied to past Partisan politics - Hillary can only be a divider- isn't it time for a change. Hillary has experience, but in part some, some of this experience is the kind of experience that we should be moving away from.
Posted by: BRR | March 07, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Hillary is just glad that this woman didn't work for her campaign. Bill would have totally been hitting that.
Posted by: GG | March 07, 2008 at 07:12 PM
I'm only used to hearing Hillary called "The Wicked Witch," and "The Anti-Christ." I like "Hildebeast" much better. In any case, she was nothing but an albatross around her husband's neck when he was President.
Posted by: UrbanHillbilly | March 07, 2008 at 07:49 PM
My sympathies are with Power -- I don't know if that's how I would characterize Clinton privately -- I might actually be more strongly negative, I think she's run a despicable campaign, pandering to the worse in her supporters -- but Power was wrong to say it in front of reporters.
She was right to submit her resignation. Obama was right to accept it.
But maybe someone did have to say it.
Posted by: TK Major | March 07, 2008 at 07:56 PM
I would choose everything I DON'T know about Barack Obama, over everything I DO know about Hillary Clinton. Nothing in his history could be as bad as everything in hers.
Hillary, has forgotten that she and Barack are ON THE SAME TEAM!!!! Why would anyone choose a candidate who would take down her own teammate? Don’t you wonder why she would be so willing throw the game? How can you trust someone who would do that? (The excuse that the repubs will do it to him anyway is ridiculous. They are the other team and it is to be expected from them. )
It is this type of attitude – self-centered, arrogant, and power hungry - which the rest of the world finds so disgusting about America and why no one out there likes us, and some even want to destroy us. Obama is a political candidate who actually wants to be positive about America, but America has forgotten how to be positive.
As for Michelle, I knew exactly what she meant when she said she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life. I was too, for a moment there. But now I have gone from hopeful about the political process (which I haven't felt since before RFK was assassinated) to feeling sick to my stomach. I know Barack must defend himself, and yet I am so sorry that it has come to this and he is being forced to behave against his better instincts.
From a 60-year old White Female who supports Barack Obama
Posted by: Sue | March 07, 2008 at 09:36 PM
Truth hurts but it's Samantha Power who proved herself to be the Monster. I am surprised that Obama's campaign didn't say that they have been "MISQUOTED"! That has been their usual stand whenever someone points a finger. It's Obama's campaign which is devious, running on a pack of lies. Wonder why Obama has been scrutinized enough! Maybe the media is just scared of being dubbed as racist!
Posted by: Paula | March 07, 2008 at 10:33 PM
You want action vs. words? How about trying this on for size:
In her first 6 years in the US Senate (her first DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED POSITION as opposed to appointment or corporate job), Sen. Clinton introduced a grand total of 20 bills. Four of those bills were for naming various buildings after dead people, two of them were directly related to the attacks of 9/11/2001 and several others were things like congradulating sports teams.
In Barack Obama's FIRST year in the US Senate, he introduced 152 bills. MORE THAN 7 TIMES AS MANY "DEEDS" IN 1/6TH THE TIME!
Add to that, if you include the time Obama spent as a DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Illinois State Senator, he has introduced MORE bills JUST on the topic fo Ethics Reform than Sen. Clinton has introduced in her first term as Senate, which represents the TOTALITY of her ELECTED and DEMOCRATICALLY ACCOUNTABLE experience, as opposed to her time on the corporate board of Wal-Mart.
Speaking of her time on Wal-Mart's board, which candidate do you think REALLY has a history of supporting the outsourcing of American factory jobs?
Please, voters, use your brains, do your own analysis instead of just accepting whatever is fed to you from one campaign or another. The information I've listed here is PUBLIC DOMAIN INFORMATION (thanks, in part, to Sen. Barack Obama's ethics reform, by the way).
Posted by: DragonMama | March 08, 2008 at 11:03 AM
And please, people - get it straight. Powers *resigned*, Barack didn't fire her.
And 152 bills in 12 months.... I'd say that's someone working for real change as opposed to someone just saying "yeah, me too" when asked to vote for against the WAR and only bothering to introduce 20 bills in 6 years... no wonder she didn't get much of a landslide in the state she represents. Barack has lead her by a MUCH wider margin in most of the states he's won than the pathetic 10% lead she managed to get in NY. Like the 30% lead he swept her by in Illinois.
Posted by: DragonMama | March 08, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Even more than Bush, Hillary has made it clear that she believes she is above the law and no rules should apply to her. Like Bush, she refuses to acknowledge her mistakes and thus can never learn from them. Her actions and words, both as a First Lady and now as a candidate for President, have made it abundantly clear that she has neither the morals or character so desperately needed in the next President.
Posted by: Joan | March 08, 2008 at 02:10 PM