Bolton Out!

The new reality Bush faces now that he has lost both houses became apparent today when the White House announced that John Bolton will be stepping down when his temporary appointment ends in a few weeks.

Bolton, a man who had nothing but contempt for the UN, was one of Bush's most bizarre appointments - almost as if he wanted to send a signal to the world of how loathsome he found multilateralism.

Bush, the man who is going to avoid partisan politics, plunged straight into being... well, I suppose the only word is partisan.

President Bush, in a statement, said he was "deeply disappointed that a handful of United States senators prevented Ambassador Bolton from receiving the up or down vote he deserved in the Senate."

"They chose to obstruct his confirmation, even though he enjoys majority support in the Senate, and even though their tactics will disrupt our diplomatic work at a sensitive and important time," Bush said. "This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation."

Ah, let's forget the fact that Bush wants to confirm Bolton now while he still has a majority in the Senate, a majority that is about to vanish very shortly. However, I love the inference that the Democrats are somehow harming the nation's best interests "at this sensitive and important time." Because, of course, when you need sensitivity, Bolton's the man for the job.

A man who once said, “There's no such thing as the United Nations” is Bush's ideal candidate to represent the US at the UN "at this sensitive and important time". You couldn't make this stuff up.

Or how about this:

In an interview in 2000 on National Public Radio, Mr. Bolton told Juan Williams, "If I were redoing the Security Council today, I'd have one permanent member because that's the real reflection of the distribution of power in the world." ... "And that one member would be, John Bolton?" Mr. Williams queried. "The United States," Mr. Bolton replied. (New York Times, March 9, 2005)

Bush spoke the usual waffle about what a wonderful Ambassador Bolton had been and how well he had served the US. However, as always the hyperbole got slightly ridiculous when Bush found himself claiming that, "He made the case for United Nations reform because he cares about the institution, and wants it to become more credible and effective."

How can you care about an institution that you don't believe in? An institution that you think should be ruled solely by your own country?

I think Bush should expect more disappointments like this now that he has become a lame duck, and I think the Democrats should brace themselves for more charges that they are hurting the nation and enabling evildoers from this distinctly partisan President.

Bush has spent the past six years - when he's not behaving illegally behind everyone's backs - pushing any law he wanted through a disgraceful Republican-rubber-stamp-Congress.

Those days are over. And Bush is going to hate what comes next.

Investigations. Can't wait.

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tag: Bush, Republican Party, John Bolton, United Nations,