The Week

Newsweek caused quite a stir in the world. Can Time top it? And will U.S. News issue an annual ranking of magazinesparked murderous rampages?

Would anyone in the private sector hire Sen. George Voinovich, the Ohio Republican? He was absent without leave for two days of public hearings on John Bolton’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Then when he showed up at a meeting to vote, he delayed the proceedings three weeks because he was shaken that Democrats had utterly predictable complaints about the nominee. In the interval, he apparently learned nothing. In refusing to vote for Bolton at the committee’s meeting May 12, he endorsed the absurd idea that Bolton was a “kiss up, kick down” kind of guy at the State Department, when Bolton repeatedly clashed with his superior Colin Powell. He excoriated Bolton for “straying off message” at State, when the root of his unpopularity at Foggy Bottom was that he relentlessly stuck to President Bush’s message. He said Bolton’s conduct would have gotten him fired from a corporation, thus buying into tendentious reports of Bolton’s nastiness and displaying a naivety about the state of manners in America’s private sector. His bottom line was that people he meets in Europe won’t like Bolton. Altogether a remarkably poor showing. The senator at least voted to send Bolton to the Senate floor without recommendation, where his nomination awaits a vote. Unfortunately, Bolton should get used to it. When he is confirmed, he will have to deal routinely with people at the U.N. who make George Voinovich look well-informed and reasonable.

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Newsweek caused quite a stir in the world. Can Time top it? And will U.S. News issue an annual ranking of magazinesparked murderous rampages?

Would anyone in the private sector hire Sen. George Voinovich, the Ohio Republican? He was absent without leave for two days of public hearings on John Bolton’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Then when he showed up at a meeting to vote, he delayed the proceedings three weeks because he was shaken that Democrats had utterly predictable complaints about the nominee. In the interval, he apparently learned nothing. In refusing to vote for Bolton at the committee’s meeting May 12, he endorsed the absurd idea that Bolton was a “kiss up, kick down” kind of guy at the State Department, when Bolton repeatedly clashed with his superior Colin Powell. He excoriated Bolton for “straying off message” at State, when the root of his unpopularity at Foggy Bottom was that he relentlessly stuck to President Bush’s message. He said Bolton’s conduct would have gotten him fired from a corporation, thus buying into tendentious reports of Bolton’s nastiness and displaying a naivety about the state of manners in America’s private sector. His bottom line was that people he meets in Europe won’t like Bolton. Altogether a remarkably poor showing. The senator at least voted to send Bolton to the Senate floor without recommendation, where his nomination awaits a vote. Unfortunately, Bolton should get used to it. When he is confirmed, he will have to deal routinely with people at the U.N. who make George Voinovich look well-informed and reasonable.