Informal Obama adviser steps aside over Hamas talks [View All]

Source: NBC News


Informal Obama adviser steps aside over Hamas talks

Posted: Friday, May 09, 2008 4:47 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell

One of the Obama campaign's informal Middle East advisers, Robert Malley, confirms to NBC NEWS that he has resigned from any role in the campaign because critics have tried to make an issue of his meetings with Hamas. The Times of London called him about it this morning, and has posted a story online. As a result, he called Obama's campaign today and took himself out of any future role.

Malley's paid job is with the International Crisis Group, which, he says, requires him to meet with Hamas and others. Malley worked for six and a half years at the Clinton National Security Council under Tony Lake and Sandy Berger. Lake is now one of Obama's top foreign policy advisors.

Speaking to NBC NEWS, Malley said, "I decided based on the fact that this was coming a distraction that it was best that I remove myself from any association with the campaign."

snip

McCain has brought up on more than one occasion that a Hamas spokesman had complimentary things to say about Obama.



Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/09/1005411.aspx