Thursday, March 13, 2008

Samantha Power on "The Monster"

samantha power speaks to a seattle newspaper. she's on a book tour. her book: "chasing the flame: sergio vieira de mello and the fight to save the world," a biography of the late united nations human rights commissioner.
she compares sergio and obama:
They are both into pragmatism, recognizing that in pursuing ideals, good intentions are not simply enough. And they both possess that legendary charisma. Barack is a family man to his core, which is different from Sergio. Barack would really rather be with his wife and kids at home; Sergio loved his family but, more often than not, was absent from them. He tended to care more about the needs of strangers than the needs of those around him.
on what she learned:
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in the aftermath of your controversial comments about Hillary Clinton?

Well (pauses) ... what is so abhorrent about my comments is not only are they hurtful and hateful; they don't reflect my real views of Senator Clinton. These are not thoughts I had been having alone in my own home, storing up to vent over these 14 months.

I really just had one of those bad moments when you lose your temper and you say something that sticks. It sticks out there as something associated with Senator Clinton and also with me -- all because of me.

What is the lesson? The lesson is that I wish somebody would invent a device that would allow me to go back in time. (Chuckles.) People keep saying to me that the lesson is: Don't say anything off the record. But I think the real lesson is don't say hateful and hurtful things anywhere. I know that sounds too ponderous. You got to keep control of your temper and not let the heat of the campaign ... cause those sentiments to bubble up in you.
read more.