Figures
Why is the liberal Establishment so upset with the Bolton nomination? The WaPo's Dana Milbank offers a revealing slip:
Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies and disparaging the very organization he would serve.
George Shultz a story from back when he was Secretary of State:
When an ambassador had made it through the hurdles of nomination and confirmation, I invited him or her to my office and said, "Before you can leave, you have one more test. Go over to that globe and show me that you can identify your country." Without exception, the ambassador-to-be spun the globe and located the country to which he would be posted.
One day, the late Mike Mansfield, already many years our ambassador to Japan and an old friend from my previous times in the cabinet, came in for a visit just before he was to return to Tokyo. I told him about my little test and said, "Mike, how about you?" He and I laughed, and he went to the globe. Mike put his hand on the United States and said, "Here’s my country."
This is the kind of West-Wing-ish story that everyone in Washington DC knows (West-Wing-ish because it's the kind of trivia that always finds its way into inane, sanctimonious West Wing dialogue). So we can assume that Milbank has heard about it - what's that they say about the differences between hearing and listening?
Most Republicans skipped the hearing, leaving Democrats largely unchallenged as they assailed Bolton's knack for making enemies and disparaging the very organization he would serve.
George Shultz a story from back when he was Secretary of State:
When an ambassador had made it through the hurdles of nomination and confirmation, I invited him or her to my office and said, "Before you can leave, you have one more test. Go over to that globe and show me that you can identify your country." Without exception, the ambassador-to-be spun the globe and located the country to which he would be posted.
One day, the late Mike Mansfield, already many years our ambassador to Japan and an old friend from my previous times in the cabinet, came in for a visit just before he was to return to Tokyo. I told him about my little test and said, "Mike, how about you?" He and I laughed, and he went to the globe. Mike put his hand on the United States and said, "Here’s my country."
This is the kind of West-Wing-ish story that everyone in Washington DC knows (West-Wing-ish because it's the kind of trivia that always finds its way into inane, sanctimonious West Wing dialogue). So we can assume that Milbank has heard about it - what's that they say about the differences between hearing and listening?
