Musical Chairs: Now Power and Sunstein Can Carpool To Work
Back in July, when we covered the nuptials of celebrity professors / Obama advisers Cass Sunstein and Samantha Power, we wrote: “We look forward to seeing the heights to which they will ascend, together, in the administration of President Obama.”
Well, now we know. Both have snagged important positions in the White House. As previously reported, Sunstein, a former colleague of Obama’s from the University of Chicago Law School faculty, was tapped to serve as “regulatory czar” — a big deal in an administration that will be cranking out lots of regulations.
And last night we learned that Samantha Power will be joining hubby Cass at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. From the Associated Press:
Samantha Power, the Harvard University professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author who earned notoriety for calling Hillary Rodham Clinton a ”monster” while working to elect Barack Obama president, will take a senior foreign policy job at the White House….Officials familiar with the decision say Obama has tapped Power to be senior director for multilateral affairs at the National Security Council, a job that will require close contact and potential travel with Clinton, who is now secretary of state. NSC staffers often accompany the secretary of state on foreign trips.
See, Obama does have a sense of humor! Or, more likely, Obama always planned to give Power a plum position, despite “Monstergate.” Sure, it wasn’t her finest hour; but as a Harvard Law School grad, Power is entitled to a few undiplomatic moments. Speculates Gawker: “If someone really wants to hire you, he’ll make your future boss promise to be nice to you, in exchange for her job.”
Update: More good news for Samantha Power and Cass Sunstein. A tipster tells us: “They’re creating a super-child of the 21st century. She’s pregnant!”
A little more about the Power couple, after the jump.
If you’ve missed our copious coverage of them and aren’t sure why Sunstein and Power are such a big deal, read this Esquire article, from the magazine’s 75th anniversary issue. The theme of the issue is “The 21st Century starts now,” and the magazine lists the 75 people expected to have the most influence in the next century. There are lots of lawyers — Barack Obama, John Roberts, the Clintons, Noah Feldman — and Sunstein and Power are profiled in a separate piece: “Fun Couple of the 21st Century.”
It’s a fun read (although a bit reminiscent of the 02138 profile of Sunstein and his ex-lover Martha Nussbaum, which came out not long before they broke up). We were envious of Esquire’s access — Sunstein and Power have never responded to our inquiries — until we found out that the reporter is Sunstein’s cousin. Check out the article here.
Adviser Who Made Clinton ‘Monster’ Comment May Become Obama Aide [AP via Gawker]
Fun Couple of the 21st Century [Esquire]
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Comments
Given their prominence as advisers, aren't Sunstein and Power's positions a little underwhelming?
Yeah, super fun couple. Look at those racquetball outfits. Interesting, brilliant, powerful -- sure. Fun....not so much.
The outfits make them look like characters straight out of a Woody Allen movie.
I'm just annoyed that my class with Sunstein got canceled. I was looking forward to being exposed to his brilliance.
Could Sunstein wind up getting appointed to the D.C. Circuit? Or would his experience as "regulatory czar" just conflict him out of too much?
Which one is Samantha Power?
Smantha Power's hair is too long. She has split ends.
By the way, I really like the new comments policy. There seem to be fewer comments, but they are of higher average quality. When comments are "hidden," people don't feel the same urge to act out.
If Esquire were a lawyer, it'd be disbarred for the incredible conflict of interest of having his cousin write the puff-piece profile. An amazing lack of standards.
9 - But I think the piece was meant to be an essay-ish, first-person piece, not an objective news article. He fully disclosed the conflict:
"Let me take this break to make a confession. Since much of their work deals with irrational biases of human beings, I should admit I have my own bias: Sunstein is my cousin. First cousin once removed, to be precise."
"I didn't see him much growing up, but I heard about him constantly. "Cass is advising the Ukraine on its new constitution." "Cass is testifying before the Senate." Every so often, he'd send me an encouraging note about my career. I remember he complimented me on a story about circumcised men who were trying to restore their foreskins--one of the few topics I believe he hasn't written about, though I can't swear to it."
5, I don't think he would be conflicted out of too much. Look at how high-ranking DOJ officials often get appointed to the federal bench (despite how often the federal government is a litigant).
There is no such thing as a celebrity professor.
#8's opinion is offensive, intolerant and unprofessional. Please moderate.
12 - Alan Dershowitz?
14 --- hahahha....i thought u'd at least give me Einstein
14 -- more people know paris hilton
Power's the real monster. As extreme a multilateralist as Cheney is a unilateralist. She has advocated cutting off aid to Israel and her Israel bashing is well documented. I'm disappointed that Hillary didn't get to nix this monster's appointment but I'm confident she won't last long against a Clinton.
13 - You're supposed to submit moderation requests by email, not by posting in the comments.
(I realize that you are trying to make a joke, but it is a lame one for this reason.)
Their child is going to have an IQ of 200.
17 - who cares about Israel? Isn't it paradoxical that there are a lot of hot Israeli women but a ton of ugly jewish american women. You'd think....
I agree with 18. Please remove jokes from the comments. This board is for intelligent discussion of Biglaw issues.
14 -- How a conversation would go if you asked a random person who's Alan Dershowitz?
Interviewer: Who's Alan Dershowitz
Random Person: A Jew Lawyer?
Interviewer: Shit, how'd you know that?
Random Person: I guessed.
12, our nation is now run by two celebrity law professors: Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
I took a winter short term course with Sunstein a few years ago at HLS, and though I was never under the impression that I was of the most elite intellectuals at HLS, Sunstein's depth of critical thought with respect to the course topics was nothing short of astounding. He destroyed me every time he called my name. Needless to say, I did not do great in that class.
23....hahaha...Joe Biden? And Obama's not a celebrity because of his professorship, which is what a celebrity professor is. That's like saying Brad Pitt is a celebrity assistant soap opera writer.
24 -- who cares?
Had he (obama) remained a law professor, no one would know his name, except the losers on this blog.
These comments are not intelligent enough. Please moderate.
Offended in Texas
Is Samantha Power related to Max Power?
*Max Power, he's the man who's name you'd love to touch! But you mustn't touch! His name sounds good in your ear, but when you say it, you mustn't fear! 'Cause his name can be said by anyone!*
21, stop being a snob. Your life must be boring.
21 = white guy who plays World of Warcraft
Please moderate these comments. I am trying to have an intelligent discussion with like minded colleagues.
i love how the article said that cass is "slightly" older than power
Please delete this comment.
Comment removed by moderator.
I was first introduced to Samatha Power through this article she wrote for the Nation, which left me with the distinct impression that she was a bit of an idiot, as well as living proof that HLS is wasted on some of its admittees:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060605/power/single
"My ethics professor asked me whether Zimmerman's lawyer had a duty to disclose what he knew of Spaulding's perilous medical condition, when nondisclosure could result in severe harm. I was confused by the question. I looked around at my classmates, assuming that they too would be surprised by the professor's line of inquiry. But they seemed unflustered.
"We're talking about an aneurism," I said simply. "Yes, I'm aware of that Ms. Power, but what should the defendant's lawyer do?" the professor asked. "Pardon me?" I asked, wondering whether it was a trick question. "It's an aneurism!" I said again. "Yes, we've all read the case," the professor continued. "But what should the defendant's lawyer do?" I was totally confused: "Um, if Zimmerman's lawyer doesn't tell Spaulding, Spaulding might die!" I said.
By this time the only hands that had not shot up to the sky were those belonging to me and my professor. Even those who had not done their homework understood the grave fallacy of my thinking. If Zimmerman's lawyer disclosed Spaulding's medical condition, think of the spillover effects! What defendant would ever trust his lawyer again? How would the system of justice fare if a defense lawyer privileged the needs of the plaintiff over those of the defendant, who, after all, was not necessarily responsible for the aneurism? What I had long suspected to be true was now official: I was structurally incapable of thinking like a lawyer. And thank God for that!"
This is not a humor blog. Only cogent commentary discussing relevant Biglaw issues please.
I was first introduced to Samatha Power through this article she wrote for the Nation, which left me with the distinct impression that she was a bit of an idiot, as well as living proof that HLS is wasted on some of its admittees:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060605/power/single
"My ethics professor asked me whether Zimmerman's lawyer had a duty to disclose what he knew of Spaulding's perilous medical condition, when nondisclosure could result in severe harm. I was confused by the question. I looked around at my classmates, assuming that they too would be surprised by the professor's line of inquiry. But they seemed unflustered.
"We're talking about an aneurism," I said simply. "Yes, I'm aware of that Ms. Power, but what should the defendant's lawyer do?" the professor asked. "Pardon me?" I asked, wondering whether it was a trick question. "It's an aneurism!" I said again. "Yes, we've all read the case," the professor continued. "But what should the defendant's lawyer do?" I was totally confused: "Um, if Zimmerman's lawyer doesn't tell Spaulding, Spaulding might die!" I said.
By this time the only hands that had not shot up to the sky were those belonging to me and my professor. Even those who had not done their homework understood the grave fallacy of my thinking. If Zimmerman's lawyer disclosed Spaulding's medical condition, think of the spillover effects! What defendant would ever trust his lawyer again? How would the system of justice fare if a defense lawyer privileged the needs of the plaintiff over those of the defendant, who, after all, was not necessarily responsible for the aneurism? What I had long suspected to be true was now official: I was structurally incapable of thinking like a lawyer. And thank God for that!"
"as a Harvard Law School grad, Power is entitled to a few undiplomatic moments. "
What the hell do you guys think harvard is? the holy grail or something? get a grip!
Note that in the article she also misspells
"aneurysm" and refers to Orwell's "Politics and the English Language" as "Politics of the English Language."
Now, all Powers has to do is try to not use the F-word every three seconds and make sure HRC's shoes are shined to mirrors and out in the hallway every morning.... (Under my thumb…The girl who once had me down…Under my thumb…. The squirmin' dog who's just had her day…..).
It is a strange and wondrous world….a happppy day for Puma’s everywhere. (Samantha, you missed a spot.)
BTW, Powers was not fired from the campaign for calling HRC a monster, but for telling the foreign press that Obama would not be held to his campaign promise of getting out of Iraq in 16 months which she dismissed as electioneering right after Obama’s economic advisor said the same thing to the Canadians about Obama’s public criticism of NAFTA
Samantha Power is the monster -- she calls herself the "genocide chick" but completely sold-out her forceful ideals on genocide for the power of the Obama campaign. In 2005 she wanted U.S. or NATO intervention in Darfur to set up a no-fly zone and compared it to the failure of the West in Rwanda. In 2008 she was mute as Obama backed-off a similar position and called for more dithering diplomacy at the U.N.
I know we don't think of Africans as fully human (unless they're dads are from Kenya) like we do someone in Bosnia or Kosovo or Israel, but we can at least pretend to.
39 - I don't think the original poster (Lat) is any awe of HLS, since he's a Yale Law School graduate himself.
Also, click on the link for "undiplomatic moments" - it goes to a post from yesterday about a Harvard law student who allegedly went on a drunken tirade against cops. It's making fun of HLS.
"...creating a super [weird and unattractive] child of the 21st century."
They're like 100 years old... how are they supposed to reproduce?
Does anyone else feel bad for Martha Nussbaum? Cass + Martha were partners for years and years and then he dumps her within a month of meeting someone 16 years his junior?
I just can't get behind the public celebration of their lovie-dovie-ness. Impressive credentials, to be sure. They will do a great job in the Obama administration. And it is nice that they are happy. But even Esquire's spin can't get me to buy into theirs being the romantic fairytale of academia.
~Team Aniston
46, why should we feel sorry for Martha Nussbaum? She stole CS from his former wife, and now she is surprised that a younger woman stole CS from her.
Cass Sunstein is the kind of guy who might not permanently commit to a woman, who knew!
"the heights to which they will ascend"
WTF, they are a couple of human beings like everyone else
More BS idolatry....
No YOU'RE Schmoopie!!
Yuk.