bush's commitment to the bolton nomination--his willingness to risk his entire post-election reach across the aisle program for this one nomination--has become almost comic.
is the president really so stupid that he doesn't understand when the bolton nomination is doomed? is he really so politically inept that he doesn't realize that the new congressional leadership will notice that his actions completely contradict his conciliatory words? is he really unable to come up with anyone else who could do a good job at the position so that he doesn't have to throw away his diminishing credibility over this single appointment?
it's really amazing. the way out of the bolton bind is blindingly obvious. all bush has to do is drop bolton and picks someone else who is ideologically the same. the democrats would get to claim victory and bush would still get the kind of appointee he wants. the only reason not to go that route is if the president is all hung up on not letting the democrats have a "win" even though, perception aside, bush would really end up with the upper hand.
in other words, bush is acting like a bully. and a stupid one at that.
then again, if bush wants to butt his head against the wall of bolton opposition, be my guest.
