Odd ‘Fellas

Two white men, one departing from, one arriving to the Executive branch

The Partisan Patriotism of John Bolton

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton thinks he is a patriot, a patriot that stretches back to Reagan, back to trickle-down economics, regressive social policy, back to global opportunism and scandal. For Bolton the height of conservative political achievement is Regan’s tenure.

Ready to demonstrate for all who will listen, Bolton parades a disdain for liberal thought of any ilk. Bolton intones Washington gravitas. Like some other former Oval Office loiterers of the past four years, Bolton’s White House legacy is craven opportunism. Bolton jettisoned out of the West Wing when he smelled an opportunity for the next “tell-all” book: that book deal, not appearing before Congressional committees.

Patriotism is not opportunism, though patriotism is frequently invoked by folks looking out for themselves and their friends, not in support of an abstract like country, duty and honor. For these folks, the arc to self-aggrandizement is short.

Merrick Garland, the AG choice for our times

One of the more “centered” Biden appointments is Merrick Garland for Attorney General. A fighter for civil rights and equal protection, Garland’s Senate approval could be speedy and unanimous.

Or not.

Unlike John Bolton, Merrick Garland avoids interviews. But during Garland’s 2016 Justice Senate approval journey, which turned into a Mitch McConnell orchestrated dead-end, Garland was asked to share what was the most challenging moment in his prosecutorial career.

Garland’s answer revealed a lot about the man, his career, and his perception of equal justice. What was most challenging to Garland was obtaining eye witness accounts from Chicago residents about gang activity and crime in their neighborhood.

Ponder this awhile: gaining trust in the judicial process, not bringing in Al Capone was for Garland the biggest challenge. Trust and faith in meting out judgement, not a notch-in-the-belt outcome fixation challenged this Chicago prosecutor.

A priority placed on legal process, not exclusively outcomes, will be the hallmark of a Garland-led Justice Department.

Switch roles and ask where this country would be if John Bolton had focused on protecting our nation from within as well as from without. In other words, had Bolton borrowed a smidgeon from Garland, where would we be today?

January 12