We have watched the debates.  We have heard the soundbites.  We have heard bits and pieces of the messages.  What we haven’t heard is who influences a candidates’ policy positions.

Last night on the Charlie Rose Show, we got a glimpse of Barack Obama’s foreign policy from a different perspective.  Samantha Power was a guest on the Rose show to discuss her new book.  The book had nothing to do with Barack Obama, but as the conversation drew to a close there was some discussion of Obama’s foreign policy.  Unfortunately, the interview ended before we got a deep look, but what impressed me was the hint of what a candidate does to prepare for the presidential race.

Most of us probably think that Obama just wants to pull our troops out of Iraq ASAP.  And, while that’s true, there is a lot more that goes into doing that than loading soldiers on a plane.  There is in depth consideration of the people of Iraq, the migration of citizens to safety, and the effect the withdrawal will have.

Maybe I’m naive or just unaware, but when Ms. Power briefly discussed the team Senator Obama put together before the campaign to discuss and determine his best policy I was totally impressed with the depth of the exploration. 

I’m sure every candidate must have a similar process.  That said, it’s worth the few minutes it takes to see and hear Ms. Power.  It reinforced the preparation our candidates go through before throwing their hats into the ring.