Bolton appointment sends message to the U.N.

David Gregory Chief White House correspondent • Profile

WASHINGTON - NBC News Chief White House correspondent David Gregory discusses the political repercussions of President Bush's recess appointment of John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations. Gregory says that what Bolton's critics have called his "undiplomatic" manner may be exactly what the Bush administration wants as it seeks to ruffle feathers at the world body.

What will the political repercussions be of Bush’s recess appointment of Bolton?

Well, he is certainly going to alienate Democrats who don’t feel that Bolton has any credibility and who think he is an undiplomatic choice for a diplomatic post at the United Nations.

But, it also is clear that the White House factored some of this into their thinking. The president wants a strong figure at the U.N. He’s frankly not much of a fan of the United Nations, nor is Vice President Cheney. And Bolton, by the way, is very close to the vice president.

So, this is a little George W. Bush diplomacy — which is to send somebody who is going to break some china up at the United Nations. The president talked about the need for reform. Again this administration, this White House, wants to tackle the issues at the United Nation that it thinks need tackling and that’s why they like John Bolton.

The president has not shied away from saying that Bolton is a tough guy. The rap on him from critics is that he is abrasive, even abusive. He’s been accused of trying to twist intelligence on the Iraq war. But, the president stands behind him and said that he has his complete confidence. 

How will this unusual appointment affect Bolton once he gets to the U.N.? Will Bolton be crippled in his role as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. after the controversy surrounding his appointment?

I think Democrats will make that argument — that he goes in there weakened. Certainly the White House has to be concerned about that in terms of how he is perceived at the United Nations. 

But, the flip side of that is that Bolton unquestionably speaks for this president and the vice president. Nobody will mistake the fact that he has a pretty clear mandate.

On that point, however, Bolton also wanted to make clear that it’s Secretary of State Rice and the president who actually set the policy. They will be responsible for that, while he is responsible for carrying it out. Bolton seemed to make that point as an answer to his critics who say that he flies off the handle and works too independently.

His message seems to be that he won’t be acting alone up there. He won’t be a lone ranger, but he will be carrying out the president’s policy. 

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