What happened to the first wife, Christine Bolton?
I have not spoken to Christine, but she seems to be a non-en y in the many proliferating Bolton profiles, but at the same time she is clearly a well-thought of person and friend to some of Washington's most distinguished personalities. I have dozens of messages from people noting what a wonderful person she is, and in sort of a hush-hush, you-know-what-I-mean, kind of tone, these friends of the first Mrs. Bolton imply a brutal, complicated, abusive marriage.
I want to know more of the facts because if Mr. Bolton has had a hard time controlling himself over the years, the evidence might reveal itself in his first marriage to a woman who was also a professional and who apparently worked at the Department of Commerce.
Bolton's supporters are increasingly on the far right -- the very moralistic, intolerant political right. Bolton rose through Republican ranks working both for Jesse Helms and Paul Laxalt, the late Republican Senator from Nevada who was once Ronald Reagan's best friend. Bolton allegedly dated Laxalt's daughter, and made his way into Reagan's world while at the same time tethering himself to Jesse Helms' influence in the Republican party.
But at this time when the hyper-conservative John Bolton was developing his political base, he was also allegedly involved in somewhat risque private behavior -- that I hesitate to say more about here. Those close to his former wife have alluded to it, and I believe that the Morally Intolerant Right Wing of the Republican circuit that is now pushing hard for John Bolton would back off if details of Bolton's off-line behavior that involved his then wife were known.
The problem that the White House faces with Mr. Bolton is that he has now become a known face, remembered, and those with memories of him and his past are out there.
I'm not going to say more about this now. If I have stumbled across these stories, others have as well -- and I have worked hard to validate that there was something real to them and have learned that to be the case.
We all have closets with messy stories in them. I do too. Bolton seems to have more than most -- and this alone should not be held against him. He is just not the sort of person with impeccable credentials whom we should be sending to the highly visible and important post as Ambassador to the U.N.
The personal stories abounding in the press now are an effort to white-wash some of the concerns about and "humanize" the Bolton we have seen operating the last four years in the Bush foreign policy team. But if personal tributes are going to start abounding, then the picture needs to be complete.
The media should investigate questions about his first wife, their marriage, and what some of their friends consider to be quite cruel treatment by him of their relationship. This is a story that others should pursue. I cannot.
My opposition to John Bolton remains one over intellectual and policy differences about America's role in the world and the importance of reforming and building a United Nations that works given 21st century realities. I have other serious concerns and misgivings about Bolton in this role as well.
I would like to leave the personal out of these matters -- but unfortunately, Bolton's advocates are moving the agenda outside the question of his irresponsible and ill-advised policy crusades to something else. And that is dangerous territory.
Reply With Quote
