Novak Grossly Distorts Dodd’s Views on Bolton

Here is how Robert Novak characterizes Sen. Chris Dodd’s opposition to John Bolton in his column this morning:

Dodd on Tuesday made the astounding statement that his opposition to Bolton “has nothing to do with substantive disagreements,” only his personal characteristics.

Here is what Dodd actually said on Tuesday about why he was opposing Bolton:

So my opposition, Mr. Chairman, goes to the damage that Mr. Bolton, I think, has done to the integrity of U.S. intelligence by trying on five different occasions over the past 24 months to have two intelligence analysts removed from their jobs, one at the State Department, the other at the Central Intelligence Agency, because these individuals wouldn’t clear language that Mr. Bolton wanted to use that was not supported by available intelligence.

Apparently, Novak feels it is ethical to paraphrase Dodd’s opposition as based only on Bolton’s “personal characteristics.” But, then again, Novak has been operating under different ethical standards for some time.