What I sent to Senators Hagel and Chafee:
Dear Senator Hagel,
I read with some measure of reassurance your cautionary comments about John Bolton, as it indicates a willingness to look at the facts rather than run with the herd. I am disappionted, though, that the committee seems to set such a low bar for confirmation. To read the press, one would think that anyone can be confirmed so long as there is no firm and incrontrovertible evidence that the nominee would be a terrible choice. But should not the bar be much higher for these posts -- jobs that involve international affairs at the highest levels? Should not the standard be: "We want someone who we believe will do an extraordinary job based on 99% of available evidence?"
Why do we not use criteria such as those when we hire people for these all-important positions? Why are we not applying those criteria in deciding whether to recommend John Bolton for the job?
Sincerely,
Noel Gurwick