Bolton: Not In A New York State of Mind
Bolton: Not In A New York State of Mind
New UN Ambassador John Bolton might be damaged goods, but that isn’t stopping him from asking for ritzier digs. Apparently the hard-driving, mustachioed Bolton wasn’t satisfied with his standard Washington office space. Thus does the Washington Post report (in what shows that Bolton himself had no real doubts about his confirmation) on an odd request:
Two months ago, while his confirmation was in trouble, Bolton began efforts to double the office space reserved within the State Department for the ambassador to the United Nations, according to three senior department officials who were involved in handling the request.
Previous ambassadors have kept a small staff in Washington in a modest suite. Bolton told several colleagues he needed more space and a larger staff in Washington because, if confirmed, he intended to spend more time here than his predecessors did.
But perhaps one of the reasons Bolton’s predecessors spent so much time away from Washington is that the United Nations is actually located in New York. Maybe Bolton is just more interested in reforming his standard of living than in reforming the UN?
– Conor Clarke
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I wonder if Bolton’s office in NY is on one of the top 10 floors?
August 1st, 2005 at 4:47 pmAllright, I’ll be the one. He needs it for funky sex parties. There, I said it.
August 1st, 2005 at 4:50 pmThe Cheneys have always struck me as the wife swapping types – it would explain the NeoCon cabal to discover they’re one big bundle of sex perverts…
August 1st, 2005 at 4:53 pmHe needs the extra room for his ego.
August 1st, 2005 at 4:54 pmMaybe he knows there are “plans” for NY, if you know what I mean.
August 1st, 2005 at 5:05 pmWow, this guy is scary. He admonishes the UN for being ineffective, he refuses to even go to NY to deal with issues there… And after all this he’s still recess appointed into the position. Really, why do people feel any inkling or need to vote for this guy?
August 1st, 2005 at 5:23 pmI think he knows he is not really welcome at the UN, despite the polite responses UN members have made, and is going to spend his time trying to bully them from the safety of DC, where his BushCo buddies will assist him in destroying the UN.
August 1st, 2005 at 5:38 pmEver wonder how the ReichWingNuts would have reacted had Clinton done something like this?
Worse, ever wonder how many pairs of cowboy boots Bush packed as he left on vacation for some much needed rest on his ranch in Texass?
I just got back from Canada. People there feel there is no opposition in the US to Bush. They were surprised to learn some of us don’t like Bush very much.
August 1st, 2005 at 5:41 pmI quess Mr. Bolton is going to NY after all. Time will tell whether or not he is a good ambassador or not. After all the US UN Ambassador is not a dictator and cannot make he UN do anything it doesn’t want to do. I think he will be more of a problem for the US and it’s policies than the administration needs right now. His creditability has been called into question and he will not speak with authority because of it. Our creditability is already in question because the administation mislead the world about WMD when Gen Powell spoke at the UN. He repeated the lies he had been told by the CIA and others and it will be very difficult for us to get others to follow on important issues.
With Iran’s nuclear situation unclear at best and North Korea’s on again off again negoiation tactics, we needed someone at the UN with unquestioned creditability. Mr Bolton’s appointment is like putting an over eater in charge of a diet program. Iran and North Korea present real dangerous challenges for the US and we will need others to follow or side with us to reign them in. Mr Bolton will probably be insulting other counties rather than try to work to build concensus and join in a united front. Even the so called “war on terror” will be negatively affected by his presence at the UN. China is another challenge we may be facing a military threat from. If you can’t trust what he says because he tries to make the facts fit his way of thinking rather than the facts as they really are, then we’re in real trouble.
It is Mr Bush’s right to appoint Bolton because other Presidents have done the same thing before. I just don’t believe he is the best man for the job. Bolton will soon discover those who do not work well with others will have a hard time at the UN. After all the UN is just a bunch of hired mouth pieces who talk until the cows come home and then some. As for any fool who thinks he can make the UN do anything, I’ve got a job for him herding cats.
August 1st, 2005 at 5:47 pmI need to PhotoShop a liesure suit on Bolton. That is exactly what he reminds me of, a lounge lizard.
Nice ’stache.
August 1st, 2005 at 6:19 pmThe arrogance of these fascists is remarkable. They have completely turned every tradition of diplomacy on it’s ear. Franklin and Jefferson would be appalled. In 5 short years we are the laughing stock of the entire world.
August 1st, 2005 at 6:28 pmIf my recent trip to Canada is any indication, the US is indeed the laughing stock of the world.
In fact, one newspaper in Calgary was running a contest of who the worse world leader was. It was all tongue in cheek. Still, if it weren’t so serious it would have been a wonderfully funny read. Bush swept all catagories for the worse leader, by a long ways too!
I’ll get a good sense of how the people of South Asia feel when I travel there next month. And I’ll get a feel for how the Europeans feel in October. I’m sure they remain appalled at BushCo’s behaviour.
August 1st, 2005 at 6:49 pmI agree that Zookeeper has it right — the extra space is for his ego. It also gives him more room to throw things when he really gets hot.
August 1st, 2005 at 7:34 pm[...] Think Progess talks about Bolton’s living situation… [...]
August 1st, 2005 at 7:35 pmDouble doors for his bloated skull.
August 1st, 2005 at 8:15 pmMy first guess is that Bolton is sure to try his temper tantrum tactics on the delegates asap.
August 1st, 2005 at 8:40 pmMy second guess is that with the diplomatic immunity provisions in place for, diplomats, I’ll bet it won’t be too long before he pisses someone off to the point where they haul off and deck the ever lovin’ shit out of his crusty face and there won’t be a thing he will be able to do about it.
We need C-Span at the U.N. for the impending debacle!
A psychiatric profile of John Bolton has points of similarity to George W. Bush’s. Although it is difficult to obtain a full picture of just how abnormal they were as children, available information shows that both were bed wetters, fire setters, bullies and class troublemakers. On reaching puberty, their sexual behavior was aggressive, predatory, and often perverse. These traits are known to be symptomatic of sociopathic inclinations, and persons exhibiting them are often extremely dangerous.
August 1st, 2005 at 9:10 pmIn addition to what Mack#7 says, it shows where and what Bolton thinks his real business will be—and that ain’t good.
August 2nd, 2005 at 3:57 amI hate to break it to the thumb suckers here but Bolton has significant UN experience under his belt. He was instrumental in reversing the “zionism is racism” canard that the UN passed in the early ’70s. Everybody said it couldn’t be done but Bolton wouldn’t let the issue go and eventually got that resolution repudiated. You can like him or not on policy but it’s clear that he’s going to be good at the job from a technical standpoint. That, in itself, is good for our country.
The policy stuff you fix by winning elections, something that the left has had problems doing lately.
August 2nd, 2005 at 4:02 am#12
And I’ll get a feel for how the Europeans feel in October. I’m sure they remain appalled at BushCo’s behaviour.
comment by Jesus Christ God of WAR
you’re right about that *g*.
I am European (and though there are some who actually support Bush’s politics) the majority of us are just shaking our heads in DISBELIEF of what this administration has done and is continuously doing to America (and the world). (one example it’s a FACT that he lied the American people into an unjustified war … and this guy is STILL IN THE WHITE HOUSE??????????!!!!!!!)
And not only that – the reason why we (non-Americans) are so interested in what is going on in the Bush Admin. (or any other American Admin. for that matter) is the unfortunate fact that whatever they’re doing (in foreign politics) effects not only the American people but the rest of the world as well if not more so.
If their blunder and mindless distruction of democracy in America was “all” the damage they did, one could argue that it is none of our (non-American’s) business whom you elect as your president. (on a personal note: I don’t believe the majority voted for Bush…) But as I already said, unfortunately the actions of the “Leader of the free world” (whoever came up with that bs) effects us all….
But it is encouraging to see how many Americans there are who see through this whole bs that’s been going on since the past 5 years *g*
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:52 amrgds
Sylvia
Another dumb ambassadorial appointment. I mean seriously, after appointing an Ambassador to Germany that doesn’t even speak German, Bolton at least speaks the same language of the city/nation he’ll be in.
August 2nd, 2005 at 8:52 amI’m surprised that as a Civil servant, Bolton hasn’t had a harrasment case filed against him. How this guy continues to be on the public dole is amazing to me. As someone in the Senate said, if he were in private business he’d have been fired.
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:25 amWell, well, well…
A sparkling, witty headline…
A jab at a prominent Administration official…
A gratuitous Wikipedia link…
…All the earmarks of a singular young auteur.
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:41 amYes, the diplomats’ responses to Bolton’s appointment have been very… errr… diplomatic.
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:56 amFunny thing happened to Bush’s SCOTUS philosophy on his way to recess appoint Bolton to the UN.
He forgot that he has promised to appoint judges and justices in the mode of Scalia and Thomas.
Scalia and Thomas believe in the original intent argument for interpreting the US Constitution.
What I wonder was the original intent of the power for a recess appointment?
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Not being a constitutional scholar I can only rely on the words that I read…THE POWER TO FILL UP ALL VACANCIES THAT MAY HAPPEN DURING THE RECESS OF THE SENATE…
I can’t imagine either Scalia or Thomas interpreting that to mean anything other than to fill a vacancy in an emergency.
Now some might argue that Clinton also used the recess appointment to circumvent the will of the Senate. I agree. However Clinton never stated a judicial philosophy based on original intent.
Bush has either changed his philosophy, flip flopper; or he has made a craven political decision and lost ability to project himself as someone who is guided by a core belief system.
August 2nd, 2005 at 12:03 pm