Senate Easily Approves Obama’s U.N. Nominee

Source: New York Times

The Senate on Thursday approved the nomination of Samantha Power as the next ambassador to the United Nations, a relatively smooth and quiet process that lacked the partisan acrimony of other recent confirmations.

Only 10 senators voted against Ms. Power. Eighty-seven supported her, including 33 Republicans.

“I don’t believe anyone can question her considerable credentials,” said Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. “Certainly no one can question her willingness to speak her mind.”

Though her past comments on Israelis, Palestinians and “crimes” she once said the United States had committed might have indicated otherwise, her nomination was never particularly contentious. When the Foreign Relations Committee sent her name forward for a full vote in the Senate two weeks ago, only two Republicans opposed her.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/us/politics/senate-approves-un-nominee.html