Congrats to John Bolton, new U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.!

[Timexwatch]

Originally posted by The Emperor Fabulous


Thankfully, when that year is up, he will HAVE to be confirmed by Congress.

IIRC, it'll last until the new Congress is in, so he's there until January 2007.


Democratic reaction is making my head spin:

"The abuse of power and the cloak of secrecy from the White House continues. ... It's a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and only further darkens the cloud over Mr. Bolton's credibility at the U.N." — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass.

"At a time when we need to reassert our diplomatic power in the world, President Bush has decided to send a seriously flawed and weakened candidate to the United Nations. It's an unnecessary result, and the latest abuse of power by the Bush White House. ... Bolton arrives at the United Nations with a cloud hanging over his head." — Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said a recess appointment of this "badly flawed, ill-suited candidate" would be an abuse of power.

Obviously the leadership read this morning's talking points, but forgot the section of the constitution stating that recess appointments are perfectly legal and fine. Bolton's appointment is no more an abuse of power than the appointment of Thurgood Marshall, William Brennan, James Hormel or any other person.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Bush appointed Bolton to get rid of an unpopular but highly ranked diplomat by placing him in a dead-end position where he might at least do some good by shaking up a corrupt UN. Nothing more, nothing less.

Drake, you never cease to amuse.

The position shouldn't be "he's bad, but we'll put him in a position we don't think a lot of anyways".

It should be "lets take this position we don't think much of and make it a better position, with the person who would be best suited for that".

There's another way to get rid of an unpopular diplomat: fire him.

[Timexwatch]

It's hard enough to fire someone who's been a career diplomat. How much hell do you think it'll raise when someone popular on your own team gets canned?

[GePap]

Well, if people at the UN needed a reason to ignore him, or view him as a lame duck, they have it now.

Bolton will probably do as well in the UN as he did finding that solid evidence for Iraq's WMD program.

[Q Classic]

Bolton
This appointment

Why do I give it a ?

Because I enjoy seeing misery and poor decisions being compounded upon. The UN is a shell of what it once was, and America's going down the tubes.

I hope to God the human race kills itself off in the next century.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by Asher
Saskatoon? WHY?!?!?!?!

People move from Saskatchewan, not to!

Thats what I was going to say. Of all places, why Saskatoon?

[Mr. Harley]

Bush's move was completely constitutional - but remember, all he had to do to get Bolton confirmed was supply some paperwork, you know, the government's paperwork - by the people, for the people, of the people. The Democrats wanted to see various unimportant little items, like if he helped cook the WMD evidence, he harasses employees, he threatens employees that won't cook the books (reference WMD's) with disciplinary action, unimportant little things like that. Bush wouldn't supply it, they wouldn't budge - and now we get to another Bush appointee who will damage our diplomatic image accross the world. Wheee!!!!

[Q Classic]

shawn, remember. If you think of this as a good thing, you won't get heartburn thinking of global politics.

I, for one, am looking forward to the Rapture.

Not the Xtian one, since odds are I'd go to purgatory if I actually went to confession, but still.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
Bolton
This appointment

Why do I give it a ?

Because I enjoy seeing misery and poor decisions being compounded upon. The UN is a shell of what it once was, and America's going down the tubes.

I hope to God the human race kills itself off in the next century.

You're all heart, Q^3.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn


Thats what I was going to say. Of all places, why Saskatoon?

I just like to say the word. It makes me laugh.

[Q Classic]

Originally posted by Guynemer


You're all heart, Q^3.

Yep, that's me, a true softy.

[GePap]

:sniff: a true Chicago baby...

[Mr. Harley]

Q - unfortunately I won't get hearburn, I'll get a heart attack. They'll probablyl just up my BP drugs (which they REALLY don't want to do after my last problems), since they can't add anymore - I take one from each category - angiotension suppressor, calcium blocker, beta blocker, and my newest addition a diuretic. Wheee!!!

[Winston]

Whatever happened to "I strongly disagree with this man."? Nowadays, it's invariably "He'll damage our diplomatic reputation! Worldwide, I tells ya. OMGomg"

If Bush appoints a new deputy postmaster general, all we'll hear is "This guy will damage our postal reputation across the globe, just wait and see."

Oh.

[Mr. Harley]

Uh, he's our UN Ambassador. He's associated witht he debacle in Iraq. I'll grant, he isn't that critical, but I don't consider the UN unimportant - and it really could use a little fix-it-up. However, when your reputation is in the tank, every little bit of damage makes it worse, maybe just maybe someone could try a different approach (though Condi isn't that bad - she is both competent and understands negotiating a bit more than the rest of the administration). It's those persnickity details, all the negotiating, and wrangling, that give-and-take that makes the world so messy. Ave, Bush. Ave, Bush!!!