Bolton As McCain's Secretary Of State?

Would embattled former UN ambassador John Bolton have a place in John McCain's presidential cabinet?

The idea was brewing beneath the veneer of Bolton's address to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday.

Revealing information that he said had never before been made public, Bolton discussed how McCain secretly tried to shepherd his nomination to the United Nations -- a nomination that was held up in Congress over Bolton's controversial anti-UN statements and policies.

"He was very active behind the scenes," said Bolton, who was ultimately sent to the UN via a presidential recess appointment. "He thought I was the type of ambassador that ought to represent the United States at the United Nations."

Addressing an audience already skeptical of McCain's presidential nomination, Bolton offered a defense of the senator. Mostly, however, his argument amounted to criticisms of the Democratic contenders, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"The person who takes office on January 20, 2009 has to be prepared to be commander-in-chief immediately," said Bolton. "We cannot have a president who needs on-the-job training, nor a president who has problems dealing with a little bit of stress."

Even prior to the speech the possibility of a Bolton cabinet position was being batted around. The introductory speaker, Ken Timmerman, referred to the former UN Ambassador as both a "warrior of light," and "our next Secretary of State."

But Bolton himself hinted at gaps between his and McCain's outlook on foreign affairs. Without addressing the Arizona Republican by name, he warned against the ratification of the International Criminal Court, a policy anathema in conservative circles but to which McCain has offered tepid support. And after his speech was over, he deflected questions about serving as a McCain adviser or cabinet officer.

""I really don't think about that and really shouldn't think about that. The first thing we need to do is win the election," said Bolton. "I think, from talking to people here, he has a lot of work to do... in terms of bringing everybody on board."

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Comments

[TTigerX2]

I say let's make Bolton Ambassador to Cuba.

[KeysDan]

When you vote for a president, you get the party along with it, sort of like marrying not only the bride or groom, but also, the in-laws--for better or worse, until death or the next election does its part. This has to be a major component of a voter's decision. With McCain, he will come with the cadre of Bush administration apparatchiks and thugs. Bolton has been receiving a rebirth of late in wacko circles, however, if this does not work out there are many at the American Enterprise Institute (that great elephant burial ground) with a similar mentality if not so strikingly mustachioed. Every nook and cranny of a McCain administration will be peopled with Bolton-types. Every Supreme Court nominee, strenuously vetted by the Federalist Society until a Scalia clone is replicated. McCain is no innovator; his rolodex is yellow and dog-eared, like an old professor's notes. Only re-cycled and ossified ideas and men need apply for any meaningful positions. Democrats have two great candidates and a progressive party infrastructure-- when in doubt on the individual, go with the party.

[Cunningham]

APPLAUSE!

[DoninJoisey]

I'm an independent, and for my first time ever, voted straight democrat in '06. What good did it do? I am so disappointed in the democrat congress.

Granted the republicans took arrogance, incompetence, hypocrisy to new limits, but I'm underwhelmed by the democrats.

As to 2 great candidates, I will not vote for a third Clinton term - I'd vote for McCain before another round of Hill/Bill.

OBama at least offers hope of change - with the other choices, absolutely no hope.

[texanna]

Well, as much as I can't develop a commitment for either of the Democratic Party candidates I certainly will have no problem voting for whichever is in the general election if it means that Mr. Bolton will be removed from our government! The very thought of this guy being anywhere near a foreign policy development position is too scary! Bolton and all of the rest of the NeoNuts must be driven into oblivion as soon as possible or there is no hope for this country.

[ajax2]

I was thinking Elliot Abrams or Scooter Libby, felons get first nibs.

[knick49]

I find it hard to believe that Bolton would find a position in a McCain administration. If there is one thing that McCain admires more than anything else it is valor in the course of military service. This was taken from Bolton's Wikipedia entry:

Bolton was born in Baltimore, Maryland. The son of a fireman[3], he grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Yale Heights and won a scholarship to the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland, graduating in 1966. He also ran the school's Students For Goldwater campaign in 1964. He then attended Yale University, where he was a member of the Yale Political Union, and where he ultimately earned a B.A. summa cum laude in 1970 and a J.D. in 1974. Though Bolton supported the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the Maryland Army National Guard and did not serve in Vietnam. He wrote in his Yale 25th reunion book "I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy. I considered the war in Vietnam already lost."[4] In an interview, Bolton discussed his comment in the reunion book, explaining that he decided to avoid service in Vietnam because "by the time I was it was about to graduate in 1970, it was clear to me that Opponents of the Vietnam war had made it certain we could not prevail, and that I had no great interest in going there to have Teddy Kennedy give it back to the people I might die to take it away from." [5]

So Bolton would be willing fight in wars he thinks that America will win but not in those he thinks America might loose. His explanation sounds bogus to me. How hard would it have been for him to originally write, "I considered the war in Vietnam already lost due to Teddy Kennedy." Furthermore, if he felt the loss of American lives was indeed pointless, I wonder what he did to end the war over the next 2+ years it continued after his graduation.

[Cunningham]

McCain is OWNED by Henry Kissinger and the neo-cons. The only reason he's the candidate is because he WILL do what he's told. All your worst nightmares will come true (continue).

Vote against MORE WARS McCain and his handlers!

[MajorKong]

That's the strangest explanation for not going to Vietnam I've ever heard: "I would have gone, but those damn dirty hippies had already lost the war".

He either made that up, or he had some serious issues even back then.

[realpolitic]

If only everyone was a reactionary like him, Bolton may have decided to go and would have won the conflict for us.

[FlowerGirl]

This is an excellent reason to vote AGAINST McCain. John Bolton is the worst diplomat in history, and he does not represent my kind of America. He is also a warmonger of the most vicious kind. And he cares not a whit for justice. The day we eliminate such outrages from our political scene is the day America becomes healthy again.

[NewRiver]

Don't worry...Maverick McPanderer won't win. Pretty soon your precious MSM will be bringing up stuff like Keating Five and all the other old stuff they've been saving up to bring out once Mav got the nomination. And when the bloom of the love-fest between the MSM and McPanderer comes off, you'll see the bitter old man that those of us in AZ already know about. C'mon, he couldn't even get a majority in the AZ primary.

The 44th President of the United States?
Barack Obama (not my choice, just my prediction) unless he completely melts down between now and November.

[DoninJoisey]

You didcount the superdelegates, who, I fear are Clinton-owned.
The democratic party needs a new name. Superdelegates are anything but democratic.

[Joeblue]

If Bolton gets in everyone will have to wear a steel pot on their head due to him throwing staplers at staff from time to time.

[NewRiver]

Hey Joeblue, how's that Edwards campaign going? Sorry I was wrong...I thought that Silky Pony could last at least until April.

[SEQUOIABISON]

John Bolton would fit right in with the crazy conservative warmonger crowd.

This Neantherdal Man disgraced and humiliated everything that was once good and fair about America.

He is a lunatic, a hateful despicable character that would fit like an OJ glove in a McCrazy administration.

The world watched in astonishment and confusion as this abominable creature was sent to the UN as our representative.

He practically single handedly destroyed our reputation as an honest broker for peace in the world.

Instead he made America the voice for insanity and mindless war the perfect choice for Mr. Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran.

[Colmore]

All the loyal Bushies are racing to be on McCain's team. If that does not tell voters that it will be "more of the same" under McCain, then they deserve what they get. Are there ANY truly sane people in the Bush camp, or are they all war mongers, willing to send anyone's children but their own off to invade innocent countries?

[Bluedanube]

Why not Tom Delay as Secretary of Pest Erradication?

[Cunningham]

Then he'd have to commit suicide to do his job.

[Meah]

LOL!

[StillAmused]

The confused adolescents who view McCain as an actual option will get the hint when he tours the country, in the general, aboard his new "Straight-Talk Express" -- a fully armed camo B-52 that throws chaff when approaching airports and performs one of those elliptical, rocket-evading takeoffs on departure.

Bolton? Anything's possible... McCain's batshit-crazy.

[Fathoms]

Let's face a little reality: McCain getting the republican nomination is what's known as a 'sympathy fuck'. Bolton's just another dick lining up to try servicing him.

[BigBen]

How about Joe Lieberman? Since he will attract the democrats who voted for him to be a senator.

[doug108]

Democrats didn't vote for him to be a Senator. He ran as an Independent and got back into the Senate with Republican votes.

[DoninJoisey]

Talk about a war-monger....

[doug108]

"The person who takes office on January 20, 2009 has to be prepared to be commander-in-chief immediately," said Bolton. "We cannot have a president who needs on-the-job training, nor a president who has problems dealing with a little bit of stress."

This whole experience thing is a red herring. EVERY incoming president has to be ready to be commander-in-chief and for a whole lot of other things. They ALL ride the learning curve.

I don't like it when Hillary brings it up. I don't like it when this jackass says it. It's just baloney. What experience did W have before he took office, other than fucking up everything he ever touched?

In fact, I think the incoming president has an easier job of preparing for the CIC role this time around. He or she will have two wars already underway. It's not like they'll be caught off guard...like, say, on September 11.

[PoohBear]

According to Larry Flynt, John Bolton was involved in some pretty sick sexual abusing of his wife.

[WLA]

LOL. This is good stuff. I can't even keep up with the crazy shit coming out of the GOP lately. Bolton as SS, Jeb or Condi as Veep. I get it, let me try a few: Gonzalez as 1st Sup Court nom., Satan as Attorney General, Hitler at Homeland Sec., Mussolini running the Fed. Looks like a solid ticket to me. Good luck running this vs... anybody. Bye GOP! See you again in 8 years or so.

[doug108]

These people don't run in wide circles. If McCain is elected, rest assured people like Bolton, Mukasey, Andrew Card, et al, will be given jobs so they can pick up where they left off with Bush. There's absolutely no way we can allow a Republican to take the reins from Bush in '09.

[realpolitic]

All of these guys are probably waiting for presidential pardons too.