A Quick John Bolton Primer

The problem with having the Executive and Legislative branches of government run by such a "lying, crooked bunch" – thanks again for not apologizing for that remark, Senator Kerry – is that it's hard to keep tabs on all the crap they're pulling.

I'm here to help.

Lest you think objection to Bush's nomination of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations is fueled by imagined, liberal-spun flaws or confusion with screech-monkey-voiced singer Michael Bolton, it is so much more simple than that.

Bolton just flat-out has a long history of having nothing but contempt for the U.N. and, as the rest of the world must say almost daily now, what was Bush thinking nominating this guy for a diplomatic post at that same body?

Some samples of Bolton sentiments:

• “There is no such thing as the United Nations. There is an international community that occasionally can be led by the only real power left in the world and that is the United States when it suits our interest and we can get others to go along.''
  
• "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."
• ''If the UN secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference.''
  

Isn't this a bit like asking a vegan to be CEO of Burger King?

Democratic Senator Joe Biden thinks so. "Quite frankly I am surprised the nominee wants the job that he's been nominated for given the many negative things he had to say about the U.N., international institutions and international law," Biden said during confirmation hearings today.

I'm not sure how many of the rest of us are surprised, Joe. Nothing this administration does shocks me any longer. It's just a shame the world community must continue to witness arrogance on top of arrogance from this White House.