Posted on 09/13/2019 10:11:17 AM PDT by Coleus
One of the toughest questions for any politician – or anyone for that matter – is the question of whether he should trust his instincts.
The case of John Bolton offers a textbook example. Reports say that President Trump’s first impression regarding John Bolton was to steer clear of him because of his mustache.
Perhaps it might have made more sense to steer clear of him for the obvious reason that his foreign-policy views are demonstrably insane.
But as reasons go, that mustache would have done just fine. Various wags said it made Bolton look like a walrus. Others said it made him look like Captain Kangaroo.
Either way, its effect is to make Bolton look a bit unhinged. And that’s exactly what he is.
If you doubt that, compare Trump’s views on regime change with Bolton’s.
In the presidential 2016 campaign, the cornerstone of Trump’s “America first” foreign policy was his opposition to using the U.S. military to spread democracy around the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
I’ve long thought Bolton’s mustache was, either consciously or subconsciously, an homage to Teddy Roosevelt and Rudyard Kipling in a gunboat diplomacy sort of way.
I've given this some more thought, and now I wonder if President Trump hasn't been engaging in some brilliant political gamesmanship here all along.
The thing that has baffled me from Day 1 with this guy (Bolton) is that he seemed so out of place in an administration where Trump's MAGA/nationalist agenda was supposed to be a breath of fresh air compared to the globalist idiocy we've seen in Washington since 1990. And John Bolton has been one of the defining figures in that globalist idiocy.
President Trump could not possibly have been naïve enough to believe he was getting an honest, objective advisor when he hired Bolton. So why did he hire him?
One possibility crossed my mind this morning: I wonder if Trump hired Bolton for the explicit purpose of firing him later at an opportune time.
We'll see if events in the future help confirm or debunk this interesting theory of mine.
I think Trump used him as a decoy and a ruse.
“Should have” stuff is stupid.
We are where we are and the key thing is to figure out where do we go from here.
He was highly qualified. He was hired. His performance was not satisfactory to his employer, and he was terminated.
Paul...... you are beating a dead horse
I recall how amazed and disappointed I was when the President picked the neocon Bolton in the first place.
For someone who so openly loved American Veterans, especially the disabled, picking someone who wanted more body bags and wounded Americans coming home from foreign, never ending wars was an enigma!
With Bolton and Romney in their positions, I do believe we had reason to fear a coup. Bolton was a terrible choice. It seems that President Trump was not able to accomplish anything with negotiations with Bolton there.
Trump often picks people for a particular reason, and when that has been accomplished he moves on to the next person with the particular skill mix he needs at the time. We may never know, but I suspect Bolton was just the right guy to convince Korea that this was serious (perhaps China and Iran, as well).
His first Sec. of State was picked for his relationship with Saudi Arabia - when that was secure, he was not longer the right guy for what was next.
Just a thought . . .
Trump hires people with all different points of view, if he believes they are the best at making their case, then he has all available information to make decisions on. Bolton is very knowledgeable on a lot of things, and I'm sure he stated his case, but Trump, in the end, didn't see it as Bolton does.
Ever heard of good cop/bad cop?
I think you’re spot on. Trump, lavished only praise on the man, and spoke like a man. Bolton, should heed any instinct to undermine the president.
Trump needed the other side of the argument, and I suspect Bolton was giving advice all along at the beginning, and in fact, Trump followed I think a pretty aggressive posture.
Keep in mind that this Mueller thing, and the constant barrage of resistance even from his own party at first was fierce.
Trump is too smart to have not known what he was getting himself into with Bolton.
So he hired him for a reason and most likely for some larger purpose that may be revealed to us down the road or perhaps we will never know.
WHETHER MR. BOLTON IS IN OR OUT, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS NOT SLOWED-UP ONE BIT AND MAKES HIS OWN DECISION. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE TRUMP PRESIDENTCY UNIQUE.
I think so too. Even in this move.
Republican pearl clutchers o
As good as any and better than most. I agree.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.