(CNN) - Former Barack Obama adviser Samantha Power – who resigned from his campaign earlier this month after calling Hillary Clinton a “monster” - said Tuesday night she was stunned by the “political mileage” the New York senator had gotten from her comments on the timing of any withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
"What I was saying is that you have to take into account what the generals on the ground are telling you," Power told a Columbia University audience Tuesday night, according to a report in the Huffington Post.
“Take for example that 3 a.m. phone call (a theme in a Clinton campaign ad)… 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."
Earlier this month, the Clinton campaign seized on remarks made by Power – who had already left the Illinois senator’s campaign – that Obama "will of course not rely upon some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or U.S. senator" to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
Clinton advisers said Obama's entire campaign was based on his attempts to contrast his early opposition to the Iraq war with Clinton's vote in favor of a resolution authorizing the use of force in that conflict — and fatally weakened by any suggestion that he might alter his current position.
"It turns out those attacks and speeches were just words. And if you can't trust Senator Obama's words, what's left?" said one Clinton campaign memo.
Despite her controversial exit from the campaign trail, Power seemed to suggest Tuesday night that she might be part of an Obama administration.
"Because of the kind of campaign that Senator Obama has run, it seemed appropriate for someone of my Irish temper to step aside, at least for a while,” Power told a Columbia University audience. “We will see what happens there."
–CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand
From CNN Politics
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Good for you, Samantha. Hopefully people will see that it's okay for a strong, educated woman to speak the truth and call another woman what many of us are now seeing her as...a monster!
"She is not going to answer the phone and play a voicemail she recorded in 2007."
LOL!
Here we go again. Another Obama supporter loudly lashing out at Hillary Clinton. If Obama had any record of achievement in the Senate or if he had any meaningful plans instead of mere vague campaign promises, then his staff and supporters wouldn't always have to resort to attacking Senator Clinton. Obama, you won't be able to win in November even if you do steal the nomination from the most qualified Democratic candidate.
Samantha Power is correct, you cant just blindly pull the troops out, there is strategy.
Again Clinton is taking things out of context.
Hillary is a liar, anything to win!
Why hasn't Hillary dropped out yet?
Doesn't her campaign know it's virtually mathematically impossible for her to get the delegates it needs to win? When the super delegates cast their votes, there is no way they are going to over ride the will of the people – if that happens, they know that the disenfranchised voters would rather make their statement by not voting in the general election at all.
mrs powers can do Obama a huge favour by staying away from his campaign.
After yesterday's Reverend Wright comment Hillary Clinton is fair game to just about anything.
Her supporters simply need to accept that their candidate has created this mess for herself. Now she can wallow in it.
Issue #1: ECONOMY!
HILLARY is the electable candidate! Vote for her!
Oh just shut up Powers you already cooked your goose with your big mouth. Go join Wright in retirement and keep out of politics.
You mean Hillary has a problem with a strong woman speaking her mind? Amazing, considering she is trying to shove herself down the throats of women as part of some kind of new feminism. Considering she decided to stay with Bill to advance her political career and then lied, repeatedly, about her foreign policy experience, she shouldn't speak out against anyone else.
First you and now Rev. Wright and then you come again. I don't believe you want Barack to win.
what Samantha said is the truth and Hillary knows it too. She was reacting to the "Monster" comment more than anything. She seems to be a very intelligent lady too. worth having on a team.
Who cares what she has to say. Let's hear some substance from Obama. We haven't yet!
Hillary is right. Obama says one thing to Americans and then says another behind closed doors. I am glad Samantha said this out loud so that America can see that Obama is lying.
Oh put a sock in it.
Why was this not left in?
Thanks for the heads up that you might be part of an Obama administration. One more reason not to vote for Obama!!!!
Samantha, You were and are right. She is a monster destroying Democratic party and the country. No wander she is related to camelia bowls who destroyed a family.
Samantha Power rocks. She is exactly the kind of new blood we need in US foreign policy: post cold war, hyper intelligent and well informed. A big reason to support Obama is the new culture of young, smart, tech savvy people he will bring to government. We desperately need the best and brightest of a new generation in Washington. Out with the old, in with the new!
Samantha, you had your day and your typical Obama supporter rant. Obama is finished and so are your hopes for a power position in an Obama administration.
Obama will never be president of the USA. He lacks judgment, truthfulness, credibility and trustworthiness. He is a fatally flawed candidate.
Hillary the HOPE of 08 and the smart choice or McCain!
Samantha Power is an incredibly intelligent woman. Her one off remark, a soundbite we like to judge an entire persons life with – shouldn't be what we remember about her.
HILLARY OR OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!
Republicans are liars. Think of the US Economy with 5 or 10 or 20 more years of the Iraq War. WHAT ECONOMY???
please , please,please can we move on!!!!!!!
stop bring up REV WRIGHT And the half done reporting , have anybody listen to the all of the message
The republican's are have a party !!
Hillary your husband has been to Rev. Wright's church before. Why did you not mention that yesterday? hmmm....
misspoke = lie
This news will help Obama or not?
Same old politics....
Did'nt Obama promise to pull out troops unconditionally?
Now he changed his stance to "Depends – What the generals says!"
Is this the CHANGE Obama is promising?
The headline of this article is so misleading. I beg each of you to read the article before crying foul on Sen. Obama. The article is actually well written and speaks about war policy and troop withdrawls. Can the democrats at least be united on one thing?
Obama '08