Joshua Micah Marshall and Millet Israeli are getting married today in the Hamptons — and that is where I’m headed this afternoon.
This blog wouldn’t exist without Josh’s stong nudging, and he is one of the few people I completely trust. Congratulations to Josh, Millet, and their puppy Simon for punctuating their togetherness today. I think it’s going to be an amazing, sentimental afternoon for them (and me).
I have just run around Manhattan’s Central Park this chilly morning and thought about John Bolton and Paul Wolfowitz the entire way. I also thought about Rob Portman who has just been nominated by President Bush to be U.S. Trade Representative and think that this was an extremely “inspired” selection by Bush. I’ll be writing more on Portman later — but his selection contrasts dramatically with Bush’s picks for the UN and World Bank.
I got up to the Metropolitan Museum and saw the statue near there of Alexander Hamilton, which was erected by his grandchildren. I couldn’t help but think that Hamilton would be very disappointed in America’s state of affairs — stuck in a military morass in Iraq, economic portfolio in trouble, stress on credit (as evidenced in the diminishing dollar) building.
George Bush recently read Ron Chernow’s brilliant biography on Hamilton and reported how much he admired Hamilton and liked the book — but I don’t think Bush has abided by any of Hamilton’s key lessons.
More later. My mind is focused on the John Bolton nomination — but am going to push the pause button in a bit to focus on Josh & Millet’s nuptials.
— Steve Clemons
