Bolton, as you no doubt know, just got himself a recess appointment. I tend to think this is excellent news for our effectiveness at the UN: not only will other countries look at our deranged ambassador with the loathing and hostility his comments so richly deserve, but they'll know he was such an extremist that our own Senate, nutty though it may be, never approved him. I'm sure he'll be plenty listened to.
You know, or ignored, patronized, and sabotaged.
Over on the right, James Joyner doesn't think this is such a hot idea either:
This strikes me as a big mistake.
For one thing, U.N. Ambassador is hardly of sufficient importance to justify thumbing Senate Democrats in the eye this way. For another, John Bolton is hardly Robert Bork. Indeed, Bolton may be a case that epitimizes why the filibuster is sometimes a good thing.
One undertold story about Bush is that he sports a profound lack of respect for the autonomy and judgment of the institutions that comprise our government. Other presidents have been frustrated by Congress, stymied by the Supreme Court, furious at the bureaucracy, but most have carried a recognition that this was all part of the country and, aggravating though it may be, it had to be respected. Not Bush. Bolton goes in on recess, as has a past judge. Medicare and CAFTA get passed through illegal arm-twisting and deal-making while the intelligence agencies are brought under the purview of a loyalist. The guy wants government to work on his whim and he actively reshapes the place when it rebuffs him. Not the best quality in the official entrusted with strengthening and leading our Republic.
