As if American politics could not become more “impulse buy” for fringe voters, Newt Gingrich has made a new pitch for ultra-conservative votes by filling one spot on this cabinet before securing the Republican nomination (a win that he recently said was virtually inevitable). Gingrich appeared before the Republican Jewish Coalition and promised to appoint former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton to be his Secretary of State. Bolton is viewed internationally as a type of scary clown who repeatedly calls for military action over anything from missile developments in Iran to Canadian fishing trawlers off of Maine. Ok, he hasn’t called for a war against Canada, but he has been busy with demands for military strikes against other targets.
The Republican Jewish Coalition erupted in applause when Gingrich announced “If he accepts it, I will ask John Bolton to be secretary of state.” He previously told about 70 conservative activists about his plans when he was asked how he could assure conservatives he would be trustworthy. He immediately promised to appoint Bolton as the paragon of trustworthiness.
Just in case you forgot Bolton who had to be given a recess appointment to the U.N. due to his extreme views and legendary anger-management issues, here are a few choice quotes from the man who would be Secretary of State:
“It is a big mistake for us to grant any validity to international law even when it may seem in our short-term interest to do so because, over the long term, the goal of those who think that international law really means anything are those who want to constrict the United States.”
“There is no United Nations. There is an international community that occasionally be led by the only real power left in the world, and that is the United States, when it suits our interest, and when we can get others to go along…The success of the United Nations during the Gulf War was not because the United Nations had suddenly become successful. It was because the United States, through President Bush, demonstrated what international leadership, international coalition building, international diplomacy is really all about… When the United States leads, the United Nations will follow. When it suits our interest to do so, we will do so. When it does not suit our interests we will not.”
“If I were redoing the Security Council today, I’d have one permanent member because that’s the real reflection of the distribution of power in the world.”
“There is no such thing as the United Nations. There is an international community that occasionally can be led by the only real power left in the world and that is the United States when it suits our interest and we can get others to go along.”
“While treaties may well be politically or even morally binding, they are not legally obligatory. They are just not ’law’ as we apprehend the term. And what happens to countries when they do not adhere to international law on some matter? Usually nothing. Why, then, do we continue to talk about international ‘law’? Because the word has a strong emotive appeal.”
What is particularly dim of Gingrich is that he will now be asked to defend not just his views but those of Bolton — one of the most polarizing figures in American politics. When he was nominated for the U.N post, seventy-six of his Yale classmates, including Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau, signed a letter saying, “We are embarrassed and ashamed that the Bush administration has nominated someone so manifestly unsuited to represent our country at the United Nations.” Other came forward to complain about Bolton’s temper and questionable associations. Lynne Finney, who served as the United Nations policy advisor for USAID, said that Bolton tried to fire her after she refused to lobby World Health Organization delegates to weaken restrictions on the marketing of infant formula in the developing world to benefit Nestle. She said that she believe it would lead to product misuse and infant deaths, but Bolton shouted that “Nestle was an important company and that he was giving me a direct order from President Reagan.” There is no support for Bolton’s claim that Reagan gave him that order, but when another official refused to fire her, she says that Bolton retaliated against her to force her to leave.
Bolton is particularly disliked by civil libertarians and lawyers around the world for his open hostility to international principles and concepts of the rule of law. It is clear with this announcement that Gingrich is thinking no farther than the Republican primary — the very definition of someone who is a politician rather than a statesman.
Source: Washington Times
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Steve Kornacki on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann”
The Salon politics writer dissects Newt Gingrich’s vow to make John Bolton secretary of state VIDEO
http://www.salon.com/2011/12/08/steve_kornacki_on_countdown_with_keith_olbermann_2/
Gene,
I have to disagree. If Bolton would give me an extra scoop of fudge ripple, I would let him run the ice cream stand.
OUCH!!
“King’s opposition to the GOP hopeful dates back at least to 1996, when King said Gingrich had an “attitude that appeals to the mentality of hillbillies at revival meetings.” More recently, King said Gingrich was too “undisciplined” to be the Republican presidential nominee.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/07/peter-king-newt-gingrich_n_1134363.html?ref=politics
Funny you didn’t note that it’s illegal to say you’re going to appoint a specific person if you’re elected in order to get that persons support. Apparently Newt wasn’t offering the position to Bolton in exchange for Bolton’s support (or so he’d say to stay out of jail).
Title 18, Part I, Chapter 29, Section 599 of the U.S. Code states:
Whoever, being a candidate, directly or indirectly promises or pledges the appointment, or the use of his influence or support for the appointment of any person to any public or private position or employment, for the purpose of procuring support in his candidacy shall be fined under this title or imprisoned…
And also funny that the more leftists flog Obama, the more likely it is that Bolton will be the next Sec. of State.
Vote strategically!
Yup, Bolton is an embarrassing disaster on just about any scale, and a dangerous and revolting one on most.
That said, I expect Obama would embrace him if it would put the election over the top. Look no further than Rick Warren for a clue.
In my opinion, John Bolton is a dangerous and unsuitable man to be in any position of power and should not be in public service in any capacity. Secretary of State? I wouldn’t make this guy the Secretary of the Corner Ice Cream Stand.
Ah, the picture of diplomacy… the diplomats’ diplomat…
(WTF????)
As long as I’m on the topic of diplomacy, this from Glenn Greenwald today: ‘Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in 2009, proclaimed: “I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family.”’
One big, happy family…
OS,
Newt won’t need a Sec. of Defense because it will be just one more title to add to his cap. He will be heretofore known as Generalisimo Gingrich.
Newt probably regrets that Attila the Hun is no longer with us. Now THERE is a nomination for Sec. of
WarDefense.I like to repost this from time to time,and each time all I can say is man o man.
“The Dumbing Down of America
By Manuel Valenzuela
10/12/06 “Information Clearing House” — — Something is amiss in the great nation called America. Ominous sirens warning this reality can be heard emanating loudly through invisible winds of change circulating our towns and cities. The American people are being strangulated; unbeknownst to the masses they are being transformed and conditioned, becoming the entity the elite have long sought, the culmination of decades of social engineering designed to make of hundreds of millions the slaves of times past and the automatons of the future.
Yet in this present day we find ourselves in, struggling to comprehend a world gone mad, unable to discern neither the direction we are headed nor the inevitable course time is guiding us on. It is because of what has been done to us, and is presently being done to our children, that we fail to comprehend the severity of the road that lies ahead. Quite successful have the elite become in shifting the balance of power from the masses to themselves. How, one might wonder, has this been accomplished, especially when we are the many and they the few.”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15280.htm
” He immediately promised to appoint that Bolton as the paragon of trustworthiness.”
Newt,you are letting it all hang out.Can’t wait to see who your Secretary Of Defense would be.Whom ever it would be,it would be the first time in history you would see a walking ,talking Three Card Monte.
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/quinnipiac-romney-gingrich-show-strength-against-obama.php?ref=fpb Newt beats Obama in Ohio by one point.
This guy keeps coming back like a bad toothache. I’m not going to bother stating the obvious.
AY:
” What I think he’s doing is trying to appeal to the hard core Bush base….”
***************
Oh, he can do that easy enough by showing photos of him beating a few harp seals.
Mespo,
What we call greenpeace they callGreen-smack….
Mespo,
Gingrich is being Gingrich. His arrogance is only surpassed by his stupidity.
Is Gingrich trying to lose?
I think he can do that all by himself Mesopo… What I think he’s doing is trying to appeal to the hard core Bush base….
For years now the Republicans have run on “government IS the problem” and “government fails at everything it does”. When they have been in power they have done everything in their power to make those two statements fact.
Pu an incompetent horse lawyer in charge of FEMA & poof – FEMA is a failure. Put a partisan hack in charge of DoJ & poof DoJ is a failure. Put an egotistical know-nothing in charge of DoD & poof Iraq.
They have not destroyed State yet but here is the guy that could do it.
AY,
The succession quickly came to mind. Beyond that, if Bolton was a leader in another country, what would be the attitude of this country toward him? I think we cannot believe/admit that we have tyrants in our society.
Andy,
I hope that gives you that warm fuzzy feeling… Or at least a reason to get out and vote….maybe we could find somebody respectable that’s electable…. Oh… And maybe Santa will bring me all the things I want for Christmas…. Heck… I’ll take it for boxing day or even kwanza…. If I’m gonna dream…. I’m gonna dream big….
Bolton is a bloodthirsty, war-mongering fool, in other words, he’s a perfect fit for the potential Gingrich administration.
Wouldn’t that be scary if newt really won… Isn’t the SOS the 4th in line of succession…hmmmm