As war clouds move to the Ukraine, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations delivered a well-received address April 24 at the Overseas Press Club’s 75th anniversary dinner.

But U.S. officials like Samantha Power are part of an administration that aggressively fights internal and external critics. Therefore, her celebration of bold reporting creates drama.

Her bio also illustrates the cross-pollination of government and journalism as she reflected on her transformation from foreign correspondent to an Obama advocate of intelligence, military and related intervention globally, including Syria and Africa.

Power’s remarks occurred at a press club awards ceremony in New York City conferring honors on 22 categories of international news coverage during the 2013 calendar year.

“It’s great to be here and more than a little scary – you’re an amazing group,” she said. “Among us tonight are award winners and icons, living legends and legendary curmudgeons, truth tellers, and trouble makers, one and all. So I know I have my work cut out for me and I’m really honored and truly humbled, especially having listened to those of you who came up and spoke, and read about those who were cited as well. The work that you do every day is an inspiration.”

Elite policymakers and influential thought-leadership groups use such events to create win-win outcomes that inevitably leave at least some outsiders wringing their hands, as we have reported frequently so far this year in columns excerpted below in an appendix.

Some critics claim that Obama, Power and their colleagues have not done more to fight enemies in the Ukraine, Russia, Syria, Iran and elsewhere.

But others report U.S. government abuses in domestic surveillance, propaganda, torture, crackdowns on federal whistleblowers and reporters, and cover-up. Alleged also are arms smuggling, regime change and other U.S. covert action theoretically improper in such high-profile arenas as Benghazi, Syria and the Ukraine.

U.S. officials like Power not only deny improper actions, but are part of an administration that aggressively fights internal and external critics, including government employees who speak to the media without receiving clearance.