Samantha Power confirmed as Obama’s UN ambassador

The Senate confirmed President Obama’s nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

On an 87-10 vote Wednesday, the Senate approved the nomination of Samantha Power. Nearly 30 GOP senators voted with Democrats to approve her nomination.

“Having a strong voice in the United Nations is imperative,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) said ahead of the vote. “Power possesses the type of character, type of strong background, is a person of intellect and has the right kind of way to communicate to represent us at the United Nations.”

{mosads}GOP Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Rand Paul (Ky.), David Vitter (La.), Mike Lee (Utah), Ted Cruz (Texas), Tim Scott (S.C.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.), Dean Heller (Nev.), Richard Shelby (Ala.) and John Barrasso (Wyo.) voted against Power’s nomination.

Power, who serves on Obama’s National Security Council, came under criticism for remarks she made during her academic career about Israel and “crimes” the United States has committed. She has since recanted those remarks.

Obama said he was pleased that the Senate had confirmed “one of our country’s leading foreign policy thinkers” for the UN role.

“As a long-time champion of human rights and dignity, she will be a fierce advocate for universal rights, fundamental freedoms and U.S. national interests,” Obama said in a statement.

“I’m grateful that Samantha will continue to be a vital member of my national security team, and I know that under her leadership our UN Mission in New York will continue to represent American diplomacy at its best.”

Rubio said ahead of the vote that he wouldn’t support Powers’ nomination because Power failed to answer his questions during her confirmation hearing. Rubio also said he doesn’t support the president’s foreign policy decisions, saying the world is “more dangerous and uncertain” since Obama took office.

“We need a clear and strategic strategy and this president doesn’t have one,” Rubio said. “We cannot pretend that if we ignore our enemies they will ignore us.”

Rubio said the U.N. was “broken” and “irrelevant,” but Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) strongly disagreed.

“We cannot lead if we do not have a United Nations representative raising their voice on some of the most critical issues before us today,” Menendez said. “I have every confidence in Samantha Power in doing just that.”

Last month, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced her nomination on a bipartisan vote.

— This story was updated at 5:35 p.m.