John Bolton Analogy

Nobody has given shape to what makes a good Democrat better than Aaron Sorkin who may be best known as the creator of the hit show The West Wing. Before Sorkin created Josiah Bartlett - he created President Andrew Shepard in the movie The American President.

Near the end of the movie, Michael Douglas as Shepard gives a speech that I can't help but think of whenever I read about the circus that has become the John Bolton nomination process. Michael Douglas as Andrew Shepard gives a powerful speech that says:

We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious men to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, friend, I promise you, Bob Rumson [the Republican nominee] is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: Making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it.

Douglas / Shepard continues and ends with this

We've got serious problems, and we need serious men, and if you want to talk about character, Bob, you'd better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I'll show up. This is a time for serious men, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name's Andrew Shepherd, and I am the President.

You have to understand that the whole speech was set in motion when the Republicans tried to make political hay out of a picture of the president's girlfield (played by Annette Benning) shown burning an American flag 20 years before. Today in real life Democrats are trying to make political hay out of some people who claim that John Bolton was mean to them 20 years ago.

I can't help but think that these are serious times that call for serious people and yet we are getting Sen. Barbara Boxer, Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich and Sen. Joe Biden and this is just on a nominee to be ambassador to the UN. I'm scared to think of how these people would react to a really serious problem. All they seem interested in now is making us afraid of John Bolton and telling us who is to blame for things.

Sounds familiar.