IF WE CAN GET SERIOUS HERE - AT 9:55 A.M. ET:  I went to a Hudson New York briefing yesterday by the truly great John Bolton.  I wish we'd known about the Nobel Peace Prize before the briefing.  He would have had some choice remarks.

Bolton was, of course, appointed ambassador to the U.N. by President George W. Bush, but the Senate refused to confirm him.  Too tough on behalf of the United States, according to news stories at the time.  He did serve for a period, under prevailing law, without Senate confirmation, but had to step down by a given date.

Bolton was superb yesterday, and, as always, blunt.  His major points:

- Barack Obama isn't particularly interested in National security.

- Obama wants to eliminate the structures that made possible our victory in the Cold War.  He is naive and Wilsonian.

- Our Honduras policy is an embarrassment.  Hillary Clinton apparently told some meeting that the policy, which favors an ousted ally of Hugo Chavez, is actually designed to undercut Chavez.  No one understands that logic.

- Obama is the first post-American president.

- Obama sees the United States as just another country, with no special qualities.

- The president is projecting weakness on Afghanistan, which will have its impact down the line.

- Even if Obama sends the requested troops to Afghanistan, he has already undermined our policy there by his equivocal statements.

- People have underestimated the impact of French President Sarkozy's biting speech to the UN, in which he practically ridiculed Obama for Obama's simple-minded view of the world.

- Obama's policy in the Mideast favors a gradual American withdrawal and softness toward Iran.  The result will be that the Arab nations will cut independent deals with the Iranians.

- Obama's overall foreign policy means that there is no penalty for doing anything...except being an ally of the United States.

- Oh, and Ambassador Bolton said that he'd learned on the best authority that North Korean Dear Leader Kim Jong-il favors the public option.

A terrific speech.

October 9, 2009