The other shoe

It is great news that Bush has finally bowed to reality and yanked John Bolton's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

President Bush, in a statement, said he was "deeply disappointed that a handful of United States senators prevented Ambassador Bolton from receiving the up or down vote he deserved in the Senate."

"They chose to obstruct his confirmation, even though he enjoys majority support in the Senate, and even though their tactics will disrupt our diplomatic work at a sensitive and important time," Bush said. "This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation."

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, said Bolton's departure could be a turning point for the administration.

"With the Middle East on the verge of chaos and the nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea increasing, we need a United Nations ambassador who has the full support of Congress and can help rally the international community to tackle the serious threats we face," Kerry said. He said it was an opportunity for Bush to nominate an ambassador "who enjoys the support necessary to unite our country and the world and who can put results ahead of ideology."

The main problem with Bolton is his demonstrated belief that U.N. serves no useful purpose in the first place. He should not have been placed in that position any more than you would want a nazi as head of the Anti-Defamation League.

However, Kerry gives the president far too much credit. Bush is nothing if not petty and vindictive. It is possible that his next nominee will be some neanderthal who makes John Bolton look like Benjamin Franklin. He is likely to nominate someone completely unacceptable solely for the purpose of getting to scream about how the "obstructionist Democrats" are derailing America's foreign policy while the country is at war.