The conservative narrative about why Bolton getting to the UN is so important to them is really quite fascinating. Is it about winning? Vindication of the Iraq war? Judges? Party discipline? UN bashing? It's surprisingly thin on why Bolton would be any good. Here's Eric Pfeiffer from NRO:

Conversely, should Bolton’s nomination fail, it would be a strong setback for President Bush’s foreign policy. Democrats and many in the media would treat it as no less than a rebuke of Iraq’s liberation and the Bush doctrine of promoting freedom abroad. American critics in the United Nations would be able to cite Bolton’s defeat as evidence that even the American people are dissatisfied with America’s image and role on the world stage.

Of course, even while it remains in limbo, the fight over Bolton's nomination has already brought to a world stage the discomfort many Americans, moderate Republicans and Democrats have with this White House's inappropriate choice of this most unilateralist, extremist, abusive figure to represent the country at the UN. And it didn't have to be all or nothing, it doesn't have to be all or nothing, except that that the White House insists on making it so. As Sen. Voinovich and Steve Clemons and many others have made clear, there are plenty of eminently qualified people -- conservative, no-nonsense, reform-minded -- that Bush could have and still could nominate, who could inspire a team and institute the administration's goals for UN reform. But there's a degree of fixation not on Bolton's qualities, but on sheer not losing, that really seems to drive Bolton's supporters.

Ron Brownstein captures that today (via Clemons):

Like so many of Bush's initiatives, the nomination of the blustery Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations energized conservatives, outraged Democrats and squeezed moderates in both parties.

And as he has many times before, Bush won the legislative fight by the narrowest of margins -- maintaining just enough support from Sen. George V. Voinovich of Ohio and other conflicted Republicans on the committee to overcome uniform Democratic opposition and move the nomination to the floor on a party-line vote.

In that way, the vote demonstrated again Bush's willingness to live on the political edge -- to accept achingly narrow margins in Congress and at the ballot box to pursue ambitious changes that sharply divide the country.

As the GOP becomes increasingly dominated by extremists and barren of moderates, the disconnect between its politicos and the silent majority of America's moderate constituents will become more pronounced, and seems poised to become its own political dynamic. "It's like a Soviet military parade," historian David Greenberg writes of the Bolton latest. "Displaying power makes people fear your power." And revolt. More here.

Posted by Laura at May 13, 2005 11:38 AM