President touts ''blunt'' Bolton for U.N. post

President Bush last night strongly defended John R. Bolton, his nominee to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and even likened the no-nonsense diplomat to himself.
"John Bolton is a blunt guy; sometimes, people say I''m a little too blunt," Mr. Bush said in an hourlong, prime-time press conference in the East Room of the White House.
The president described Mr. Bolton as a tough-nosed reformer who will be able to shake up the scandal-plagued world body.
"It makes sense to put somebody who''s skilled and who''s not afraid to speak his mind at the United Nations," he said.
Mr. Bush also sought to dispel the notion that Mr. Bolton is dedicated to the demise of the world body. He recalled that he asked the nominee in the Oval Office whether he considered the United Nations "important."
"See, I didn''t want to send somebody up there who said: ''Well, that''s not worth a darn; I don''t think I need to go,'' " Mr. Bush said. "He said: ''No, it''s important, but it needs to be reformed.'' "
The president brushed aside questions about Mr. Bolton''s temperament, which critics call abrasive.
"John Bolton has been asked the questions about how he handles his business by members of the United States Senate," he said. "He''s been asked a lot of questions, and he''s given very good answers."
Mr. Bush also disagreed with a recent statement by Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, that judicial filibusters are an attack on people of faith.
"I just don''t agree with it. ... I think people are opposing my nominees because they don''t like the judicial philosophy of the people I''ve nominated. I mean, some would like to see judges legislate from the bench. That''s not my view of the proper role of a judge," he said.
"Faith plays an important part in my life individually," the president added. "But I don''t ascribe a person''s opposing my nominations to an issue of faith."
Regardless of their motives, Mr. Bush called on Senate Democrats to abandon plans to filibuster his judicial nominees.
"I certainly hope my nominees get an up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate," he said. "For the sake of fairness, these good people I''ve nominated should get a vote. And I''m hoping that will be the case as time goes on."
Mr. Bush faced several questions about whether his domestic agenda is stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress. He acknowledged that he was frustrated by the poisonous atmosphere in Washington over issues such as Mr. Bolton, judicial filibusters and ethics complaints against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texas Republican.
The president emphasized legislative victories on education, tort reform and bankruptcy reform. But on issues that are deadlocked, he blamed partisanship.
"When you bring a tough issue up like Social Security, you know, sometimes people divide into camps," he said. "I''m not surprised that some are balking at doing hard work."
Mr. Bush made it clear that Democrats, not Republicans, are responsible for the bad blood in Washington.
"I''m proud of my party," he said. "Our party''s been the party of ideas."
The assertion was derided by Karen Finney, communications director for the Democratic National Committee.
"If that performance was supposed to put Bush''s second term back on track, Americans are in for 31/2 years of great storytelling, but no real solutions to their problems," she said after the press conference.
Mr. Bush professed serenity in the face of numerous polls that show his job approval ratings near record low levels as he locks horns with Democrats over his domestic agenda.
"If a president tries to govern based on polls, you''re kind of like a dog chasing your tail," he said. "I don''t think you can make good, sound decisions based upon polls.
"And I don''t think the American people want a president who relies upon polls and focus groups to make decisions for the American people," he added.

By Bill Sammon

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