Portrait of a dupe

Ben Smith at Politico has posted a video of Samantha Power, during the campaign, assuring the Armenian-American community that of Barack Obama’s “willingness as president to commemorate [the Armenian genocide] and certainly to call a spade a spade and to speak truth about it.” Powers urges Armenian-Americans to “take my word for it. . .he’s a person who can actually be trusted, which distinguishes him from some in the Washington culture.”

As president, Obama has not been willing to “commemorate the Armenian genocide.” Instead, in his typical weasel fashion, he tries to have it both ways. This, according to Smith, has infuriated the Armenian-American community, including those who strongly supported him. As one put it:

Perhaps what stings more is his clever, yet deceitful way to say that his views have “not changed.” And his use of “Mets Yegern.” It’s almost like he wants to appease both sides but can’t because of political pressures. I understand that. But I think his statement is really deplorable. You can’t in one breath say “my views haven’t changed” (e.g., I still consider it Genocide PERSONALLY), but then use the word “atrocity” and not genocide. It really is a dishonest way to talk about the genocide. Either have the balls to call it genocide, or have the balls to not. But weaseling isn’t respected, period.

Obama is fine with attacking his own country before any audience, but unwilling to keep his promise to “call a spade a spade” when it comes to Turkey.

Here is Samantha Power’s embarrassing performance:

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