S A T U R D A Y , A P R I L 3 0 , 2 0 0 5Why Bolton Is So Dangerousby Michael in New York on 4/30/2005 04:30:00 PMWe've been saying for a while that what's disturbing aboutBolton for the UN is not some stupid, "boss from Hell"reputation (though that hardly bodes well for an ambassador).The specific charges of harassment and intimidation are moreserious than that.</p><p> But the real concern is over Bolton's attemptto twist intelligence for political purposes -- the very crime thatBush, Rice, Cheney et al committed over Iraq.The LA Times makes this connection and nails why Bush wantsBolton so bad:The soap opera hearings over the president's nomination ofJohn Bolton as U.N. ambassador have had an unintendedeffect, bolstering what half a dozen investigations ofpre-9/11 intelligence failures couldn't prove: an atmospherein the White House that pushed spies to bend theirconclusions to political ends....Bolton, an assistant secretary of State, was subject to thecaution and apparent personal dislike of then-Secretary ofState Colin L.</p><p> Powell.</p><p> Had he been speaking for DefenseSecretary Donald H.</p><p> Rumsfeld, or on behalf of VicePresident Dick Cheney, the pressure would probably havebeen more successful.The most important piece of the puzzle, though, is theWhite House's strong defense of Bolton. "[H]e is someonewho has a long record of results in getting things done,"said a presidential spokesman last week. "And sometimesyou get people mad at you when you get things done.</p><p> Butwe believe he's a very capable individual and will do anoutstanding job at the United Nations."All three sentences praise Bolton's style and record.</p><p> Thatmeans behavior like Bolton's must be regarded as not justnormal but desirable by the White House.</p><p> Cheney made asimilar defense earlier this week.Behaving like a boor and a bully is not so rare ingovernment.</p><p> Using threats to twist the conclusions ofcareer intelligence analysts ought to be.</p><p> But if Bolton is soadmired in the house where the buck stops, it is impossibleto believe that he's the only practitioner.</p><p> Add New CommentYou are commenting as a Guest.</p><p> You may select one to log into: Daily KosPolling and Political Wrap-Up, 7/22/09 - After acouple of days filled with news, Wednesday gotkinda quiet.</p><p> Follow me for the days news...*IA-Gov: GOP-Sponsored Poll Shows CulverLeading GOP C...4 minutes ago Crooks and LiarsC&L's Late Night Music Club With The Tubes - Title:White Punks On Dope Artist: The Tubes I havealways thought that The Tubes were underrated.They may be best known for songs like She's aBeauty and...40 minutes ago EschatonOn Financial innovation - Financial innovation hasgotten a somewhat deserved bad rap, because asMatt smartly pointed out earlier, so muchinnovation is really just regulatory arbi...42 minutes ago HuffPost PoliticsJames Crowley, Policeman Who Arrested Gates,Won't Apologize - NATICK, Mass. — A white policesergeant accused of racism after he arrestedrenowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at hishome insisted Wednesday...43 minutes ago FiredoglakePecora in Perspective: Investment Banking,Commercial Banking, and Glass-Steagall - ThePecora Commission report devotes a substantialJ O H N ' S P H OT O S AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why B...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/why-bolton-is-so-danger... 1 of 57/22/09 11:48 PMamount of pages to discussion of the evils ofallowing the commingling of commercial bankingservices, i...1 hour agoShow AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with vodpod In honor of SenatorDeMint For the GOPers, healthcare is politics.</p><p> They just Traditional media has todebunk the birthers One small step...</p><p> The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in REM - Orange CrushNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why B...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/why-bolton-is-so-danger... 2 of 57/22/09 11:48 PMEzra KleinTab Dump4 hours agoWonk RoomSen.</p><p> Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’5 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .6 hours agoThe TreatmentHatch Is Out8 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' Proposals13 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! 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