So, it takes a Supergirl outfit to get an interview with John Bolton? Okay, I'm in.
It started on Friday, but it's over now. And I mean over.
After three days of trying to talk to John Bolton it's obvious he isn't going to grant me an interview. I doubt he's read (or cares about) my critiques.
However, today I actually got through to one of his press guys. When Kathleen answered the phone after all my calls she knew who I was. "Did Rick call you back yesterday?" No, he didn't. "Hold on."
Finally, I got through. Richard Grennel answered the phone. Hostile doesn't begin to cover it, but at least he'd read my piece, which got our conversation started off with a thrust, let me tell you. I explained I'd like 5-10 minutes with Ambassador Bolton, which promptly was shot down with an "actually probably not" that I wouldn't get it. Then it got interesting.
Mr. Grennel, Rick, said he'd read my piece and I was "flat out wrong" that Oshry was Bolton's main interview choice. He'd done many other interviews with bloggers and "round tables", too. Round tables? Yeah, Grennel said, you know three bloggers at a time. Okay, but what other one on ones besides Oshry had Bolton done? Dead silence for a moment.
Now, I hate to editorialize on the ratcheting up of friction between Mr. Grennel and myself, but it was at this point that Rick seemed to quit enjoying our conversation.
Look, I told him, I'd like to correct the record if I'm wrong, so just give me the names. Puhlease, he inferred by his exasperation, he wasn't going to get into this and go through his huge files to find out exactly what blogger interviewed Bolton. Okay, fair enough. Just give me one name, a link, anything. If you want me to correct the record I can't just say "They said I'm wrong, oops, my bad." Give me a link, one name, anything. Well, you are wrong, he said. That was it. Oh, so you don't want to correct the record? "No, you don't," said Grennel. So I explained the difficulties in my just regurgitating his denial and claiming I got the story wrong without some proof. In street talk it amounted to: Babe, I can't just correct the record by saying you said I was wrong so I must be wrong. Come on.
As an aside, let's just say I am wrong and Bolton gave other one on one blogger interviews. Are you telling me, even after reading my piece, which Grennel said he'd done, that a press guy as astute as he wouldn't be prepared with at least one name?
Grennel continued, and I'm paraphrasing here, but the import is accurate as long as you add scoffing and an indignant attitude on top: He's got "110 press calls" on Iran, something that is actually important to this nation. What I was asking about was not.
I pushed back. Certainly, those calls on Iran are important, absolutely, but it seems to me that taking an interview with Pamela Geller Oshry the weekend a cease fire agreement was trying to be solidified between Israel and Lebanon matters.
By the way, as the conversation went on, every time I mentioned Oshry's name, Grennel got more heated with me, finally interrupting me so he wouldn't have to hear her name again.
"I've heard your soliloquy," Mr. Grennel finally snapped, interrupting me at Pamela Gel--. That last time I didn't even get out her last name.
It was over, though he did suggest that I could get press credentials and try asking questions during a press stakeout over at the U.N. Hmmm, did Ms. Oshry go that route? No, she didn't.
I don't think he liked me much. Especially when I wouldn't just "correct the record" by quoting him, saying Bolton had done lots of other blogger interviews, including "round tables". Never mind that he couldn't give me any names or URLs, because he didn't have time to do "a Google search", and besides, Bolton meeting with some hate speech flinging blogger during a time when the U.N. was trying to solidify a cease fire with Israel and Lebanon is not important.
As Arianna showed last week, Bolton had breakfast at the Waldorf with
Judy Miller.
Considering Mr. Bolton's choice of interviewers, I must say it's rather insulting. In fact, it's down right
alarming. Considering Bolton's reaction to Oshry, you've also got to ask yourself if the rumors about Bolton are true, because the flirtations between John and Pam are on record. She adores
Bolton. It makes you wonder doesn't it? After all, the right-wing impeached Bill Clinton for less. What standards are we using here? Evidently, our wanna be permanent U.N. ambassador's standards may be, let's just say, south of Bolton's border.
Just listen to her "Yeah,
baby" quick Vlog and take a gander at John Bolton's face. Is he blushing?
But let's get serious. Maybe it just comes down to arrogance. Whether it's Bush or Bolton, Republicans just don't think they're accountable to anyone. So when someone calls them on it they balk. A few comments I got when I first posted on this are illustrative.
Just who the f**k are you? If I'm Bolton, why should I give you an interview,
just because you demand it? Again....who the f**k are you???!!!If I were Bolton, I would certainly select a blogger who possesses more stability
than you. I would never give you an opportunity to use my name to prop up
your site, and elevate you with a celebrity you want, but don't deserve.
Your indignation is misplaced. You should realize that you have no standing
to make this demand of his time. Did it occur to you that maybe he is friends
with (or is a friend of a friend) of Oshry and/or Miller? There might have
been some quid pro quo in talking with them. Then you go off an call these
same people names, while demanding an interview with Bolton?Try learning some basic techniques on winning friends and influencing people.
Dogtown
Here's another comment.
Whaaa, whaaa, whaaa...
I think when you grow up a little, adults might let you talk to them.
CJ
more from Dogtown...
Another thing worth noting: Oshry is hot. You're not.
Now I understand why you're so catty with her. You know that I'm right.
Dogtown
Aw, now they've just hurt my feelings. Well, not quite, because maybe these guys just like their women drunk and obnoxious, anti Arab or Muslim, and part of the axis of WWIII.
Oddly, the wingnuts aren't nearly as upset about Pam's
warmongering and anti-peace screeds. As for what she thinks of the U.N., well, she and John Bolton are obviously two peas in an unbalanced neocon pod. It's "Coffee Enema" for Mr. Annan, with special vitriol for Olmert and Rice. Her rants against Shimon Peres defy sanity.
Pam's
Howard Dean as Hitler photo was bad enough.
But Bolton's blogger babe also went after Google for "Jew-hate". There's much more,
like an all caps rant against peace.
She even thinks the latest Israel - Lebanon war was Israel's 9/11, and she's part of the "Bibi was right" crowd. God help us.
But let's get serious for a moment. I'm really starting to wonder why senators entrusted with the American diplomatic agenda are even considering voting John Bolton out of committee. Anyone interested in trying to get the United States back to our history of being an honest broker in the Middle East has got to be thinking twice about it now.
But John, if a Supergirl outfit is what you need, you got it, big guy.
Call me if you change your mind on the interview. Just have Rick prep you first.
UPDATE: Hey Virt, thanks, but as for working out, graphics did the heavy lifting on this one.