Bolton Fisks Obama’s Berlin Speech
Apparently the Obamessiah is not omniscient. John Bolton reminds us that he forgot some important lessons from the Cold War:
Obama explained that the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Europe proved “that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.”
Perhaps Obama needs a remedial course in Cold War history, but the Berlin Wall most certainly did not come down because “the world stood as one.” The wall fell because of a decades-long, existential struggle against one of the greatest totalitarian ideologies mankind has ever faced. It was a struggle in which strong and determined U.S. leadership was constantly questioned, both in Europe and by substantial segments of the senator’s own Democratic Party. In Germany in the later years of the Cold War, Ostpolitik — “eastern politics,” a policy of rapprochement rather than resistance — continuously risked a split in the Western alliance and might have allowed communism to survive. The U.S. president who made the final successful assault on communism, Ronald Reagan, was derided by many in Europe as not very bright, too unilateralist and too provocative.
It’s a really well-written piece, as is the norm from the Stache. One of the few things I’m looking forward to from a McCain presidency is the possibility that Bolton may be playing a role in his cabinet.
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{Post by See-Dubya}
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No chance for a Bolton candidacy, unfortunately. McCain didn’t go to bat for John the first time, he would not this time either, not to mention that Bolton is not an Amnesty proponent.
0 for 3
Candidacy for any position (Cabinet or otherwise) that the Senate has voting rights against.
I second Jhn1. McInsane would never pick Bolton.
Too bad McCain won’t use him. He would make an excellent SecState.
BarryO, you have been thumped by a statesman greater than anything you aspire to be.
Out!
Boy, I really like John Bolton. He is not a shy child and tells it like it is. Too bad we don’t have more like him.
L
Stache for Prez 08.
Bolton probably didn’t even break a sweat dissecting Obie’s speech… can I say that or does Obie have a monopoly on sweat-free activities?
He is however, an egomaniac.
100% correct. Obama forgets more than half the world wanted the USSR to win.
That’ll cost you 10 “Our Fathers”.
Bolton has a backbone so McCain will have no use for him.
Will we survive to vote for Bolton in 2012?…. I hope so.
Not so.
McCain had worked the floor throughout the vote, and pleaded unsuccessfully with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to vote to limit the debate.
And John Bolton has endorsed John McCain.
ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today announced that former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton has endorsed John McCain for president. Ambassador Bolton issued the following statement on his endorsement:”John McCain was very active and supportive during my confirmation hearings to be the U.S. Ambassador to the UN. His belief in me at that time was a testament to his courage to fight the liberals in the Senate and vigorously advance American interests at the UN.
“I whole-heartedly endorse John McCain for President because when he takes office in January 2009 he will be prepared immediately to lead us. John will not need on the job training.
“American conservatives will have a President they can be proud of in John McCain.”
That is false. McCain was a BIG supporter of Bolton and helped get him as Ambassador to the U.N. Bolton is a big supporter of McCain, and McCain has a lot of respect for hima and urged us to get behind McCain. I’m predicting he will be Secretary of State under McCain.
I know this because I was in the audience at Bolton’s speech at CPAC, in which he recounted for the audience how much McCain supported him behind the scenes. We would not have had Bolton without McCain. Go watch Bolton’s speech from CPAC: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1967675/posts
Plus, in his book, he discusses McCain’s support (pp. 189-192 of Surrender is Not an Option).
McCain has been a HUGE supporter of Bolton.
Obama, trying to leverage Reagan’s monumental speech of two decades ago, truly missed the mark. When Ronald Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”, he was speaking from a lifetime of experience fighting communism, under threats to his personal safety, dating back to his days with the Screen Actors Guild.
When Obama tries to speak about walls, it’s only theory, ideology, emotion.
With Obama, it’s always form over substance.
#13 (Bill):
While I agree with you, we see how President Bush had to appoint Mr. Bolton during recess because Congress would not confirm him.
However, if I was John McCain, and I was elected president, I would appoint him — just to annoy Congress. And then, when Congress gongs Bolton — again — I’d invite Mr. Bolton over to the White House for a couple of beers, oh, say, every other day, just to chat about, you know, guy stuff
War the audacity of the unpaid ERRRRR paid under the table consultant!
*out*
Barry Obama is a puppet-headed dolt. The fact he’s wrong on so many points of politic, diplomacy and history means that his puppet masters are equally stupid as he is.
Ya gotta love Bolton: intelligent, no-nonsense, practical. Ideal presidential material. Could he play slurp-slurp enough to get the Republican nomination? Maybe if the Republican party could grow a pair, otherwise he’s just not girly enough.
Hi fives to Gabe,
By the way, a complete (albeit looong) fisking of Obamas speech can be seen at Don Surber/Daily mail.
Nobody in the MSM mentions how much Obama plaigiarized in the Berlin speech. He said “This is our time…” which was just stealing lines that Bono had used many times before. Obama also lifted JFK’s inaugural address. JFK said “To my fellow citizens of the world…” .Obama said “I come before you as a citizen of the world”. Someone with technical skill should do a youtube video of JFK’s famous line and then put Obama’s ripoff line right after that. Bono’s speech about “This is our time” should be placed next to Obama cribbing his lines.
Correction:
Oops, I thought I previewed it!
On July 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm, DanVanSmak said:
Just one of the many, many things that adds up to 9% approval rating.
John Bolton makes more good points in that article than I have heard Obama (or McCain) make in the past year. Why can’t we get candidates that talk to Americans like adults and speak about the the world as it is, not as it should be? That would be real change.
I do have to give the Meadering Talk Express train this prop…he was, in fact, a huge supporter of the Stache. That is, if nothing else, something he absolutely did get right.
Wise_man could use a little vindication around here.
The problem is that Bolton is very polarizing. The media did a great job vilifying Karl Rove. People can’t even tell you what he did, but they know he’s bad. They would do the same with Bolton. The difference is that Bolton bites back and may end up being a distraction to the administration. Personally, I think he needs to find a nice red district and run for Congress. I’d bet he could really stir some stuff up there.
Bill Grant, thanks for linking to that article by the German citizen. It is hilarous because he is so dead-on accurate. Everyone should check it out. This excerpt cracks me up:
Does anybody in America take John Bolton seriously?
Bolton at State?
I could see him showing up the first day with a plumbers helper and a fresh box labeled “pink slips.”
Liberals do. That is why you hate him so much. All the enemies of the America our Founding Fathers created (liberals and their allies, the terrorists, socialists, and Marxists) hate Bolton. Why? Because he is very effective in defending America and our way of life.
wise_man can take care of himself, he’s a smart guy…i dont always agree with him, but a little vindication is in order perhaps.
And Ilovemycountry….people should take this guy a little more seriously. I like the fact he just unloads on people and tells it like it is.
I think we, as Americans, need to hear more straight talk than we do currently.
Trent Lott herds goats in Mississippi – and his point is…?
1951- ‘52 as the “height of the cold war” is one I’d grant. Korea in progress and the coup in Czechoslovakia and Mr X behind us with the Hydrogen bomb tests and ICBMs to come. A good speaker who respected his audience enough to make local references would have noted the Tiergarten Stalin Alee riots of 1953. By the 1970s people were wondering if the term Cold War applied to the post Berlin Wall situation in Europe. It was still a confrontation with proxy wars in the 3rd world but it had changed from the days of toe to toe confrontation of the 1950s.
…and American History and World History and Economics and Math and Geography and…
Liberals seem to be as equally dishonest at pretending to be people they aren’t, as they are in deriding people who actually are.
For some reason, goats + Mississippi in the same sentence doesn’t bring “herding” to mind.
Do you hear banjoes?
Well, it does bring Ned Beatty to mind somehow.
Surber’s article was great, but he seems to say that O’Bama was born in ‘52. I think ‘62 is closer to the mark.
The take down of anti-sodomy laws over the past few decades have sure neutered the effectiveness of that classic movie scene!
But I still say “ouch” when I watch ol’ Ned.
I think those banjoes would be heard more clearly over in Georgia where the Chattahoochee flows…not in Mississippi.
On July 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm, Lifeofthemind said:
1951- ‘52 as the “height of the cold war” is one I’d grant.
Boy, you’re really looking to grant Obama one i’d say…. Ever hear of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Prague ‘68 or the Vietnam War?
The image of Ned Beatty wasn’t inspired by geography, lilycat.
Although the thought of Bolton in a MacCain cabinet would be fantastic…
1st McCain has to win. He’s not looking like a winner yet.
2nd McCain would have to posssess the gonads to assign him to his cabinet instead of someone like Lieberman.
Fat chance.
Either way Obama is not a leader in my eyes however a lot of dumb people are praising him.
Ethics, Humanity, Religion, Military Science, Critical Thinking, Why Socialism Fails…
John Bolton is a guy who always speaks his mind and does not flinch.
John Bolton for VP would cause the Democrats to reach for their Depends.
IMMEDIATE DEATH FOR ANY CONVICTED ELECTED OFFICIAL!
THAT might keep the evil ones out of the business!
And of course Rob said:
The caps lock is always a nice touch but only one exclamation point when calling for the death of someone/something this time? Why so half hearted?
By the way I think you want the “Ted Stevens” topic over here.
Does anyone in America, besides himself, take “Ilovemycountry” seriously?
What sort of assclown thinks a sneering drive-by dismissal, unaccompanied by facts or reasoning, is worthy of anything but scorn?
On July 29th, 2008 at 5:35 pm, fulldroolcup said:
Well, lgm’s still out there.
Exchange communism and Ronald Reagan for terrorism and George W. Bush, and the same sentiment would be just as apt.
That is why I believe President Bush will be viewed by generations to come, as one of our nation’s most instrumental and decisive leaders ever – a leader who confronted our challneges head on, and who didn’t lead by the polls! (If only the same could have been said about his predecessor, then maybe 9/11 would never have happened!)
Nutz! challneges = challenges
Write this 100x: “I vote for John Robert Bolton for President.”
There’s still time to fix our country. We don’t have to suffer Obamasan or McCain’t.
I can’t imagine John Bolton’s talents wasted on tracking down little old ladies’ lost Social Security checks.
It’s the only place where he won’t overshadow the administration. Any cabinet position and the focus will be on him, not McCain. Look at how Rumsfeld got all the attention compared to Gates.
Bolton could do a heck of a lot in Congress and it wouldn’t take him long to rise to the top. Either way, just knowing that he’s still in a position to affect change would make me happy.