One of the things that most bothered me about the beginning of the opposition efforts to John Bolton’s nomination is that so few thought that just opposing him because he didn’t seem to believe in the very concept of the United Nations was enough to make him unfit.
Many in this process — on both sides of the aisle — underestimated American concerns about the message it would send both American citizens as well as global citizens if Bolton was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
But now John Bolton has become a household name. The dossier of concerns about him is very large — and spans the problem of bullying staff to being reckless with intelligence to blurring ethical lines in terms of financing and partisanship in various non-profit, supposedly non-partisan institutions he was helping to run. There are many reasons to oppose him, and the country seems to have an appetite for it.
As one benchmark of interest, TWN just received a countdown of the top ten most read New York Times articles these last two weeks. Maureen Dowd’s piece on Bolton makes the cut at number 10.
Here is the list:
Here are the 10 Most Read Articles on NYTimes.com from the past two weeks (as of 11 a.m. ET, May 6).
1. ‘Today’ Seeks Yesterday’s Glory
By ALESSANDRA STANLEY, Published: April 25, 2005
NBC executives seem to think that viewers have grown bored with “Today” and want more gimmicks and pizazz. Nothing could be further from the truth.
2. John Tierney: Laura Bush Talks Naughty
Published: May 3, 2005
The coverage of Laura Bush’s racy comic debut may change some minds, but for devout Bush-bashers, it’s much easier to stay the course.
3. Frank Rich: A High-Tech Lynching in Prime Time
Published: April 24, 2005
“Justice Sunday,” the judge-bashing rally being disseminated nationwide by cable, satellite and Internet, has a gay agenda.
4. Paul Krugman: The Oblivious Right
Published: April 25, 2005
President Bush and other Republican leaders honestly think that we’re living in the best of times. That’s because everyone they talk to says so.
5. At Wal-Mart, Choosing Sides Over $9.68 an Hour
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE, Published: May 4, 2005
With most of Wal-Mart’s workers earning less than $19,000 a year, several groups have teamed up to prod Wal-Mart into paying its employees higher wages.
6. Maureen Dowd: All That Glisters Is Gold
Published: May 4, 2005
The moral of the pretty duckling.
7. The Mystery of Hollywood’s Dead Republican
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER and DENNIS McDOUGAL, Published: April 26, 2005
How did a life of adventure end in Carrie Fisher’s bedroom?
8. Turbulence on Campus in 60’s Hardened Views of Future Pope
By RICHARD BERNSTEIN, DANIEL J. WAKIN and MARK LANDLER, Published: April 24, 2005
The protests of student radicals at Tübingen University shaped the man who now leads the Roman Catholic Church.
9. Bloodied Marines Sound Off About Want of Armor and Men
By MICHAEL MOSS, Published: April 25, 2005
Marine leaders and infantrymen of a unit that sustained heavy losses say a lack of armor and manpower hampered their efforts.
10. Maureen Dowd: U.N.leash Woolly Bully Bolton
Published: April 27, 2005
John Bolton, who tried to stretch the truth on foreign weapons programs, deserves to be rewarded as other Bush officials have been.
— Steve Clemons
