Exclusive Irish Interview With Samantha Power

Whether fighting for human rights or penning Pulitzer-worthy literature, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power is a force to be reckoned with. Rosaleen McMeel meets the Irish academic and mother-of-two to talk life after the White House.

The youngest-ever US Ambassador to the UN, Power became a leading voice internationally and the public face of US opposition to Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria, negotiated sanctions against North Korea, lobbied to secure the release of political prisoners, and helped mobilise global action against ISIL.

Obama describes her as “one of our foremost thinkers on foreign policy”.

After a resoundingly successful talk at the Abbey Theatre, the night before our interview, social media is abuzz, suggesting she run for office. She doesn’t balk at the idea. “I would, but I can’t now. I really have to be around for my kids. I’ve just spent eight years in the constant crunch of the National Security world and everything that entails.” Normal life has taken a back seat for long enough. “While I’ve always tried to put my children first, it was a very challenging time for my family. Wherever I was, outside of our apartment at least, we had a very sturdy security presence, and while that had some advantages – I didn’t have to find parking in New York – I didn’t want my kids to be raised believing that it was normal to live in the Waldorf Astoria and be driven around.”

To read the full interview, check out the Jan/Feb issue, on sale December 29.