[Note: These, the diaries of John Bolton in his first week as UN Ambassador, may not be suitable for small children. Or adults. Or certain sensitive pets.]
August 1, 2005
He did it! The President went and made a recess appointment of yrs trly! Which means I had to head to NYC this morning to start kicking some diplomatic ass.
I can’t say it was easy. Those partisan bastards went at me for everything from “cooking the books” on Iraq intel to leaking Valerie Plame’s name to the press like I was Bob Novak. [I told Novak that if I was gonna leak the name of any covert government operative, it woulda been his. Ha! Bob’s sensitive about that…]
It’s going to be an amazing journey. The President was clear that as the US ambassador, it’s my job to stir some shit up. Can do. But will the bureaucratic eurotrash up here play ball, or will they cling to that whole “sovereign nations” ball of bullshit? Time will tell.
I met the staff this afternoon, so I can’t really say much about ‘em. They do seem to cry easily, though. Not a good sign…
August 2, 2005
So I had lunch with Kofi Annan today, the guy who’s “in charge” of the place, after he “presented me with my credentials.” Gee, thanks, now I feel like I really have the job. Douchebag.
Softened him up by asking if his son’s looking forward to a little “butt love” in the slammer. I don’t think the guy’s used to a strong hand - after all, he’s used to “excuse me” diplo-dorks like “Pow-wow” Powell. [note: What is it about guys who actually served in the military that turns ‘em into such ginormous pussies? Somebody oughta write a book…]
My staff is falling into place. Had to go medieval on one girl who was a little pushy about trying to make me read the last ambassador’s binders. Like I’m here to drink tea with this bunch of wheedling little do-nothings. The girl was a real bitch about it, though, until I pushed her desk over and put some mustache in her face. If she comes back tomorrow, she’ll be arriving without Attitude. It sucks that I have to worry about being an effective management-type while also herding these little foreign fruitcakes, but that’s the job.
August 3, 2005
Not a lot happened today. A little staff meeting in the morning to “share our feelings” about yesterday’s dust-up. Several underlings expressed their wish for a supportive, productive work environment. I then expressed my desire to cram a cantilevered desk lamp up each and every one of their asses. I think we found some common ground there (lol!).
Afterwards there was a “Security Council” meeting. Translation: The same pricks who were too busy picking out new panties for their boyfriends to get with the program on the Iraq thing wanted to get together to “rap” about the War on Terror. I waited until they’d gabbled in frog-talk for 20 minutes ( nobody’s going to make me wear those stupid earphones), and then I stood on the table and said, “Oooh, your opinions are sooooo valuable to me and the United States! Wait, let me take that down! No, wait, I have a better idea - let me share this.”
Then I “dropped trou,” took a dump on the desk and walked out. Oh yes, yes I did. Left ‘em with something a little more relevant to think about. Ah, diplomacy.
August 4, 2005
I fucking hate this place.
August 5, 2005
Week one ended with a bang! First, some little froggie or kraut or something came to my office to thank me for my “performance” the other day, that it was “about time.” See? The little bastard probably hates everything I stand for, but he’s willing to toady up because he knows who’s holding all the cards. I thanked him for his ass-kissing and kicked ‘im to the curb [figuratively, of course - I really just yelled at him a little and threw some Pepsi in his face. These other ambassadors aren’t technically on my staff]. You could tell that the “tough love” only increased his respect, and I don’t think Whereverland’s gonna be voting against us any time soon - not if he’s gonna risk pissing off the American Psycho! Only language these guys understand, really.
The staff’s rounding into form too. It’s quieter around here now, and the meat grinder with the “Suggestion Box” sign that I brought over from my old office has made its point: It’s funny, but it’s true. The crying chick never came back, and there’s a letter from her lawyer on my desk (soon to be filed under “recycling”), but those are the breaks of the game. You have to break a few heads to make an omelet, like they say. Diplomacy’s tough, but Bolton’s tougher.
Monday’s a “get to know the general assembly” brunch. I can’t fucking wait.





24 comments
Jim H.
August 1, 2005 at 9:44 pm
1Holy shit! Too funny. Just -too- funny!
No wonder the world hates us, what with cowboy-in-chief in charge.
Steve
August 1, 2005 at 9:57 pm
2I only wish it was satire.
cooper
August 1, 2005 at 10:17 pm
3Vote #2 for too funny! Concerned, patriotic citizens of the future will look back and wonder what the f-Heck we were thinking, turning over keys to that band of yahoos from East Tree Stump, TX.
Adam, off subject, but did I hear you mention that you’ve moved to Long Beach, CA. I lived there back when my knickers were 0 - 6 months. They had a massive earthquake out there in ‘33. Man, get in a doorway fast! or sleep in your car or something! Be careful!
Actually, earthquakes seem to trigger latent phobias in me. When ever I’m in CA - about once a decade, for short periods of time, I’m haunted with the feeling that the Big One is waiting for me to land at the airport, check into a high rise hotel, and then slam down that million pound shit hammer at an epicenter near me.
Good luck with the pilot; best of luck to your wife - may she swims well with the sharks; oh, and do get the Big Insurance Package.
ice weasel
August 1, 2005 at 11:59 pm
4Adam, it’s another of your brilliant little, “so funny I need to cry” pieces. The sad part, you know, I know, and I’ll bet all of the people reading this know, that there is a large group of people out there who wouldn’t that that diary was infused with hyperbole and satire. The idiot who annointed bolton wants him to “kick ass”.
Long Beach?
Mary
August 2, 2005 at 9:37 am
5There is an interesting, ironic twist to Bolton moving to NYC. If there is any place in this world where his sh*t will NOT be taken by everyone, that is the place. Hope he gets an NYC assistant who 1) knows how to be diplomatic; and 2) grew up in NY so s/he can give it back to him.
I want the popcorn concession!!!!
Tiffany
August 2, 2005 at 10:51 am
6I think what concerns me most is that the rest of the world already has observed we are not run by the brightest bunch of individuals. Why on earth do we keep reinforcing this idea?
waterfowler
August 2, 2005 at 10:57 am
7Is East Tree Stump anywhere near Luchenbach?
Murray
August 2, 2005 at 11:15 am
8East Tree Stump is just over the horizon from EBF.
Yes, that was one of your best pieces Adam, very funny where reality is very much NOT funny.
Today’s NY Times editorial says. “Senator George Voinovich, the Ohio Republican who became one of Mr. Bolton’s strongest critics, said yesterday that he planned to send the new ambassador a book on how to be an effective manager. It couldn’t hurt, but this may be the first time a world superpower has used its top United Nations post as a spot for the remedial training of a troublesome government employee”.
I really do expect him to dump on the UN, but I like your version better.
Margaret
August 2, 2005 at 11:50 am
9I have a really good friend who’s a UN staffer…
Since yesterday, I’ve been afraid to email him in case he corroborates some of this stuff. Plus, I’m a little worried that “the crying chick” might actually have been him, since he’s a sensitive, reasonable guy. “Crying chick” might merely have been a Boltonism for “girlie man.”
Adam, this is priceless…I just wish the developments that prompted your latest work of genius hadn’t actually occurred.
Pete IVDL
August 2, 2005 at 1:32 pm
10And the problem is… what, exactly?
FYI, please don’t be quite so funny in the future - I have partially masticated Turkish Delight lodged in my nasal cavity thanks to this post. (Still, that’s infinitely better than an anally-inserted cantilevered desk lamp. [You did forget to mention turning the lamp on before insertion, so they burn their hands trying to get it out])
10/10.
ginny
August 2, 2005 at 1:53 pm
11Hey, I heard some great satire on the radio this morning, a clip by some guy totally going off like a bomb at Nuke ‘Em High, and… no, actually it really was a clip of John Bolton giving a speech and getting a little medieval on the UN’s ass.
So the Diplomatic Dump probably isn’t that far-fetched.
Scott McClellan
August 2, 2005 at 2:07 pm
12Yikes. IMHO, Turkish Delight is neither Turkish nor delightful.
Anyway, rock on, Bolton! Give ‘em what for!
tess
August 2, 2005 at 4:37 pm
13You know, I would really love to see Bolton piss off the wrong psycho and get his head shoved up his ass. Because there’s bound to be some underling crazier than him that’ll make mincemeat of his pasty ass for getting his moustache in his or her face.
ellen
August 2, 2005 at 4:38 pm
14I feel blatantly underrepresented. Like they are just teasing us now to make us see how powerless we are. Is anybody else actually disturbed by this? Where are the damn democrats? Not elected, I guess. At least they held their ground on the CAFTA issue, even if we are the losers again.
NeoCleo
August 2, 2005 at 4:56 pm
15Hohoho heeheehee hahaha (I am the Walrus; kookookichoo)
Brilliant and too close for comfort!!
AM
August 2, 2005 at 5:19 pm
16Actually I would be surprised, given the press on this sad excuse for a human being, that anyone would work with, or for, or even talk to him without a frigging wire. You know, just in case that moustache has the need to get in someone’s face. Wouldn’t it be great to see hidden camera action of a Bolton hissy-fit on CNN?
hedera
August 3, 2005 at 12:48 am
17It’s just another sign of the times: W has turned the United States into a blustering bully, and has now appointed a blustering bully as our representative to the United Nations. This must be what they meant on Michael Krasny’s Forum this morning when someone referred to Bolton as “Bush’s man”…
Kidshaleen
August 3, 2005 at 11:10 am
18Tremendous. Great Stuff. Only wish it was not so close to the truth. I have enjoyed some of the comments from other ambassadors who are politely saying that they are not intimidated by Bolton. For the life of me I cannot understand how an individual who so despises an organization can be made our ambassador to that organization. Another Bush the Great decision.
Right Wing Ninny (Dan)
August 3, 2005 at 12:16 pm
19Adam, Kudos on a great piece of satire. It is one of your best!
August is shaping up to be a great month. Bush will be on his ranch in Texas for a month, Congress is home doing God knows what but at least they are out of Washington. Finally, Bolton is in New York doing what has been long needed. He is there to close the UN down and turn it into high priced condos. Life is good.
Vernon
August 3, 2005 at 12:41 pm
20Don’t know much about this Boulton fella or how a pansy like you got his diary, but I just gotta say he’s a winner. I mean, it took GUTS to stand up on that desk and show the world what’s what. I’ll bet a dollar it was some pretty straight poop, too. Mr. Boutlon, yu rok!
Harold
August 3, 2005 at 1:09 pm
21I wonder if he’ll serenade the General Assembly with his versions of “When A Man Loves A Woman” and “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?” He sure looks different with the short hair and the moustache. I think he looked better back in his VH1 days.
What…? Oh. Nevermind.
Pete IVDL
August 3, 2005 at 6:30 pm
22Tess, if you haven’t already, check out a wonderful book called “Emergency Sex” by 3 folks from the UN (it’s on Amazon, etc). Based on what I read in that, I think most of the psychos in the UN are actually floating around the upper echelons - the basically decent, reasonable, normal staffers who are about to be Bolton’d don’t stand a chance. But maybe, just maybe, someone will spit in Bolton’s lunch, or plant a whoopee cushion on his chair, or pop some sushi in his bottom drawer…
madbard (yet another UCSC alum and biology geek)
August 5, 2005 at 7:48 pm
23can we nail Bolton to the wall the first time he uses “diplomatic immunity” to get out of running over lil ol’ ladies?
hedera
August 6, 2005 at 5:49 pm
24On the subject of Bolton’s mustache, did anyone hear them on WWDTM this morning, asking a contestant about the president “rubbing their faces with this guy’s bushy mustache”? Even Peter Sagal thought it was a disgusting image…