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

[plages]

Time to buy more insect spray!

[Wonka]

The thing about being a POW for five years and getting tortured is that you might want to kill the bastards that are torturing you. Maybe you want to kill them really bad but you can't. And the years drag on and the desire to kill the bastards that are torturing you builds up but there's nothing you can do about it.


So you eventually get released and slowly work your way up the political ladder of the most powerful country in the world until one day, finally, you're in a position to GET SOME FUCKING PAYBACK where you can start KILLING the ENEMY whoever they might be IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER who the are the only thing that matters is that it's TIME FOR PAYBACK and now YOU are in a position to DROP SOME FUCKING BOMBS OH YEAH!!

McCain/Bolton '08

[LITU]

The United States of America is the most powerful country in the world in only two regards:

Our capacity to consume

Our capacity to kill

[Wonka]

I don't think McCain is the person to direct either of those powers.

[Gary47]

Play these remarks in adds all over the country. Another nail in McCain's coffin. Don't let up. Every opportunity we got, play it! We want it all, the WH and veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate. To get it, we must take advantage of every opportunity and press it home.

[GeoLee]

What's more there is a committee pumping up the name of Condoleeza Rice for VP for a man who if elected will be 72 on election day and who has already had bouts with Melanoma. Yet, many Obama supporters say that if Clinton gets the nomination they will vote Republican. Amazing how hatred for one woman (and or her tortured NY Senator political vote) trumps this possibility. Makes me ill to think about what their supportiers divisiveness may do to our country.

[Cunningham]

I've seen more Clinton supporters saying they will NEVER vote for Obama and will vote for McCain instead. Makes me ill to think about what their supporters' divisiveness may do to our country.

Vote Dem 2008 no matter which candidate gets the nomination! The alternative is unthinkable.

[LITU]

Every one of these ghouls is a card-carrying PNAC partner. Be assured that Jeb Bush and that mealy-mouthed Quayle will loom on the horizon in the near future. The neo-cons will NEVER give up their gains. Any bets?

[pmharrell]

John McCain? More like so damn insane. - Krusty

[2FedUp]

McCain is a nutcase. WHY has Bolton refused a Congressional subpoena to testify about the firing of US attorney's? Why is he immune from accountability? Is this the type of person who should be in ANY position of government? He can't wipe off the slime of corruption from the Bush administration, & he will be forever tainted by it.

[RogerHWerner]

With a Democratically controlled Senate, I seriously doubt Bolton could ever get a cabinet position. If the idea was even floated, the Senate likely wouldn't be adjourned for the entire time McCain was in office. Chris Dodd for majority leader!

[Gatormouth]

What the he-holey hell does John Bolton have to do with diplomacy or statesmanship??

[MajorKong]

The neoconservative concept of "diplomacy" is kind of like Tony Soprano showing up on somebody's doorstep and saying "Nice country you got here. It'd be a shame if something was to happen to it."

[realpolitic]

Wow, well said!

[sammy333]

What is coming if McCain is elected will make Bush look like Mother Theresa. Nuclear war to replace arming sunni and shia with regular weapons to fight each other, draft, real poverty, sharp rise in national dept and economic devastation; sharp rise in terrorism, overt war ideologs to head up key positions to replace more neutral figures like Gates who are quietly controlled by their undersecretaries.

How stupid people should be to vote for people like this? How evil the media should be to support and open doors for people like this?

Dwight Eisenhower was sp right. (see his Military-Industrial Complex Speech in 1961)

[Balto]

That shot of Bolton looks like something out of the X-Files.

[TAC]

"That shot of Bolton looks like something out of the X-Files."

It's said by a certain age we all have the face we've earned. Bolten's obviously reached that point...

[Seamus]

Bu$hCo's finest achievement:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/08/war-demands-strain-us-mil_n_85797.html#postComment

[forpeace]

*

I won't be surprised if McCain secretly negotiates with Osama Ben Laden and offers him a position in his Imaginary Cabinet.

McCain will NOT be the next president.

*

[pleeezzze]

I think Bolten and McCain make a Cute couple !!!
LOL

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Look up the definition of "scowl", in the dictionary and you'll see this guy's face.

Personality matches his face.