Bush Recess Appointee To Obama: Make Recess Appointments

John Bolton, President Bush's most high-profile recess appointee, urged President Obama on Friday to use similar authority to move some of his own nominees into administration jobs.

Bolton, an extreme conservative, was blocked by Democrats. Bush appointed him as the Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations during an August recess. He served until December 2006.

Bolton told HuffPost during an interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference that being a recess appointee did not diminish his effectiveness.

"I don't think that there's any difference in a person's ability to function, whether they're there on a recess appointment or not," he said. "The Constitution provides for it and I'd be more than happy to see the president exercise his constitutional prerogatives and make some recess appointments."

Bolton said that he could have continued on in his position, even though his appointment expired, had he wanted to.

Asked whether there was a statutory hangup that would have required him to work without pay, he said, "No, I could have gotten another appointment. I decided to leave because I just felt it was better to be out of the administration, because I was disagreeing with the policy on a range of issues, from Iran to North Korea and the Middle East."

Comments

[simplify]

07:58 AM on 03/28/2010

Bolton is one scary guy

[normalintexas]

08:55 PM on 03/27/2010

Wow...that's the sanest thing Bolton has ever said!

[ennis438]

09:34 AM on 02/20/2010

This President is too willing to accomodate people who have no interest in working with him. Failure has been the result the first 13 months of this effort. The more Obama moves to the right, the more his approval ratings drop. Why doesn't he or his staff see this? He is a one term President unless he starts taking charge and stops trying to coddle the Reps.

[rsheeran]

04:28 PM on 02/19/2010

I've just two words why President Obama should not do any recess appointments.

John Bolton

[1murillo]

02:43 PM on 02/19/2010

Bolton, Palin, Cheney and their like will always be trotted out - yet they don't hold office. Keep it that way.

[1murillo]

02:40 PM on 02/19/2010

Bolton disagreed w/GWB because he (Bolton) thought GWB was too far left. He wanted us to attack Iran and NKorea - as if we havent started enough wars. His thoughts on policy are not what Obama should be listening to.

[brandon102]

11:59 AM on 02/19/2010

What in the world is Josh Bolton still doing around? I thought he got called back to the home, and was put in restraints?

[drauz]

11:32 AM on 02/19/2010

ahhh, John Bolton, he of the purest heart.