Demagogue

John Bolton appears likely to be confirmed as the next UN ambassador. But if he is confirmed, Bolton will not need to thank former Sec. of State Henry Kissinger. Yes, Kissinger did sign on to a letter urging the Senate to confirm Bolton. But when Kissinger was asked about Bolton on CNN's "Late Edition" Sunday, the architect of the Nixon-Ford foreign policies couldn't have sounded any more tepid.

Excerpts from the interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer:

BLITZER: Dr. Kissinger, I'll begin with you. Should John Bolton be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations?

KISSINGER: I signed a letter together with other former Republican secretaries of state urging the Senate to confirm him.

BLITZER: Why do you like him so much?

KISSINGER: I didn't say I like him so much. I barely know him. But from what I have heard about him, I think the president generally should get his nominees. And I think this is one that should be approved and should not be stigmatized by not being approved.

BLITZER: Even though there are these allegations that he tried to get analysts fired because he disagreed with their assessments?

KISSINGER: Not every aspect of John Bolton is something that I'm enthusiastic about. On the other hand, he has written some extremely thoughtful pieces on the international criminal accord and on the so- called universal jurisdiction. And I believe, and certainly from everything I've been told about him, is that he's an honorable enough man so that he will carry out his assignment with ability and with care.

In 1960, when President Eisenhower was asked to identify the important roles played in his administration by Vice President Nixon, he replied, "If you give me a week, I'll think of something."

But Kissinger had had 12 days (since the April 5 pro-Bolton letter he signed) to think of good things to say. Was this the best he could do?