Regarding the following parenthetical in this article:

(By usual journalistic rules, you can't say something and then take it off the record, you have to go off the record first.)

According to the story I heard on BBC radio this afternoon the Scotsman acknowledged that Ms. Power's remark was "off the record" which would indicate that it was the writer who violated "journalistic rules" by failing to honor Ms. Power's request to go off the record.

Was Ms. Power the victim of an unethical reporter? Or did she just blurt out the monster remark, realize it was a mistake and tried to take it "off the record?" Although Ms. Power has been acting as an advisor to Obama she is a former journalist - she knows she "can't say something and then take it off the record." So, either she intended to tell the world that she thinks Clinton is a monster which would be pretty dumb (and Samantha Power is about as far from dumb as someone can get) OR the reporter "outed" her.

Why does this matter? Because Samantha Power won the Pulitzer Prize for "A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide." She has been a strong and powerful voice in the fight against genocide in Darfur and other places around the globe. Now she has been forced to resign her position as an advisor to Obama on the issue of genocide and everything she has done to shine light on the horrors of genocide will be unimportant next to the fact that she committed the heinous crime of daring to say that HRC is a monster. And, of course, I see that HRC is using this incident to raise money for her campaign - "yet again, those nasty Obama-ites have victimized me, feel sorry for me, give me money." Well, folks before you write those checks to "HRC Victim" - I suggest you ask yourself a question - which would I rather have happen to me (a) be called a "monster" or (b) be victimized by monsters who rape, maim, mutilate, murder, etc., etc.? If your answer is (a) go ahead and write your check to "HRC Victim" and then go find an illustrated dictionary and look up the word "monster" -you just might find your picture right there alongside Hillary's.

Go to www.npr.org to listen to the following story (it is only 7 minutes):

All Things Considered, March 7, 2008 · The last few weeks have seen disturbing new violence in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. Michael Gaouette, leader of a U.N. team responsible for a new peacekeeping force in Darfur, speaks with Melissa Block.

To Sen. Obama: I'm a contributor - maxed out for the primary - intend to do same for the G/E. But here's a warning to you Mr. Barack Obama: I've read and memorized every word of "Blueprint for Change" and I will be watching - if you do not implement your plans for Iraq, healthcare, the economy, the environment, et cetera exactly as you have presented them in the Blueprint, I will DEMAND my $4600 back!!

And don't think that this kind of nonsense will fly:

"He will of course not rely upon some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or as a U.S. senator. He will rely upon a plan, an operational plan that he pulls together, in consultation with people who are on the ground, to whom he doesn't have daily access now, as a result of not being the president."

Do you think I was born yesterday? That you can pull a "bait and switch" on me? Nope - when you are President I expect you to implement, exactly, the plans you crafted as a candidate. And I don't want to hear any excuses about reality and having to adjust plans to fit cirumstances on the ground, etc., etc.

Go to www.npr.org to listen to the following story (it is only 7 minutes):

All Things Considered, March 7, 2008 · The last few weeks have seen disturbing new violence in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. Michael Gaouette, leader of a U.N. team responsible for a new peacekeeping force in Darfur, speaks with Melissa Block.

The reason I am linking the Darfur crisis and Clinton's "that nasty girl called me a monster" fundraising appeal is that Samantha Power won the Pulitzer Prize for "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide" and it is tragic that someone who has done so much to draw the world's attention to the atrocities of Darfur and other genocides is forced to resign, forced to step away from work THAT MATTERS because she called Saint Hillary a "monster." And on top of it the Clinton campaign is using this to raise money by, yet again, whining about being victimized. Listen to the NPR story, read Ms. Power's book, learn about REAL victims. Ms. Power was spot on Clinton, her advisors ARE monsters. And anyone who responds to this fundraising appeal is a monster. Go to savedarfur.org - write a check to that organization instead.

Remember that Obama wasn't in the Senate when Hillary voted to support the War, so his "opposition" was only theoretical; we just don't know what he would have done had he really been there.

WHAT WE DO KNOW: Hillary voted for the war.

Remember that Hillary was in the Senate when she voted to support the War, but she now says she would have voted against the war, so her "opposition" is only theoretical; but we do know what she did when she really was there.

WHAT WE DO KNOW: Hillary voted for the war.