Mr. Baker, You put to much value on your ability to sense irony. Irony is not news, nor will it lead us to understanding. It is but a shallow person’s understanding of complexity. Your introduction completely threatens the news value of the story.
I notice that the Democrats did not once undermine or malign John Bolton, nor embrace his political beliefs. They just want to hear his testimony as a direct witness to the potentially impeachable actions of our President.
I also noticed: the Republicans attacked Bolton's character, attempting to undermine his credibility, based solely on their fear that he might actually testify. All in an effort to block the Senators from hearing his direct testimony which runs counter to the White House narrative.
These are not the same things. They are not equivalent, and the lead in to your story does the reader (me) a disservice.
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Bolton's critics excoriated him on policy, not on his veracity. Bolton must testify about what he called the "drug deal." It appears that we likely have an unprincipled rogue president who is using his position to make corrupt deals with other world leaders. This would be shocking if it were any other person but Trump, but most will agree that this was to be expected when he was elected, given his questionable past.
If the Senate acquits Trump, it will send a strong message that the people of the US will have to endure future presidents who can use their terms not for the good of their country, but as an opportunity for extreme self-promotion and personal enrichment.
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I've heard comments from people on CNN and ESNBC who don't agree with Bolton's politics but still express a high regard for his honesty and integrity after having worked with him at one time or another. I'm not speaking of that goofy Evangelical hypocrite and Trump True Believer like Alice Steward who will always "support Trump for his policies" no matter how much Trump violates every Christian norm known to America.
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You can always count on Peter Baker to offer an article of "bothsiderism" that would make even Chuck Todd proud.
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Mr Baker...are you even capable of thinking through the issues of the day that isn't solely though the lens of partisanship?
Organized crime has had a home in New York for well over a century so I'm sure you've heard stories about former mobster insiders testifying against their former bosses. This doesn't make them paragons of virtue in the eyes of law enforcement nor does it absolve them of the crimes they committed. But that doesn't diminish what they have to say or mean that they can't be compelling witnesses. The only question is...are they telling the truth.
Truth is truth, Mr Baker. The only issue here is Bolton's credibility. Is what he has to say about Ukraine and Trump believable. Looking at this though a left vs right perspective tells me that you've completely missed the story.
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Wanting to get at the truth is not partisan. Or, at least, it shouldn't be partisan. Why Peter Baker thinks wanting the truth is a partisan exercise is absolutely baffling. I don't like Bolton. I do think he needs to be heard. This isn't gymnastics; this is patriotism.
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We are indeed living in what appears to be warped world:
John Bolton, derided as warmonger, actually considered Trump's actions bizarre.
Relative to Trump's lapdog Barr, Jeff Sessions who people thought would be Trump's henchman actually did the right thing in recusing himself.
John Kelly, who people thought would be on the side of humanity aligned himself with Trump and his inhumane immigrant handling policies.
Brave employees of administration and intelligence community who stepped forward to point out the abuse are being vilified while the countless abuses of the illegitimate POTUS are going unchecked.
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It is not all one thing or all the other. My viewpoint of Bolton has absolutely nothing to do with his value as a witness. Commercial mass media likes to whip up these imaginary dramas because children love drama and it sells. Which is why I value Peter Baker's work so much. He always restores clarity.
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I do think that John Bolton is dangerous on foreign policy. I also think that he is an honest man who speaks what he believes to be the truth. We just disagree on every point of foreign policy.
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Bolton's motivations are not relevant: some of the best testimony comes from dumped/embittered spouses, disgruntled/sacked employees and mercenary whistleblowers. In any case, Bolton has got almost all of his book money from the publisher upfront as an advance; any additional income from incremental sales is likely to be minor and residual.
There's little doubt that Trump is "guilty"; whether the punishment fits the crime depends on how many GOP senators size up the risk of voting against him vs. chances of re-election.
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Yes, Democrats have long derided Mr. Bolton for his reckless foreign policy positions, accusing him over the years of being a serial warmonger- but as far as I know they have never questioned his credibility.
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Bolton is an honest man who has always supported U.S. interests as he sae them. Some politicians did not agree with his point of view, his support of the U.S., or his frank approach to discussions.
It is laffable how some of those who did not like his approach to problem solving now wish him to be a star critic against the current administration.
For my point of view, I would like to have him testify and give the American people a front line view - for the situations where he was present. In my view, that is much better than an edited draft of his forthcoming book.
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A trial without witnesses is not a fair trial.
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Bolton is a disgruntled ex-employee who wants to sell a book.
@Nycdweller But Bolton has already been paid his advance.
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Dear Peter. He's still all that to us. However he is in fact a eyewitness to a crime and we want him to testify and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I think that's the very least we should expect from republicans.
We don't want him to be the Democratic nominee for president or anything like that. I wouldn't even want to invite him into my house for a dinner party. But, I do want him testify.
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Never a fan of Mr. Bolton, but a lot more credible than Trump. Faint praise; almost anyone is.
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I still think that John Bolton is a dangerous warmonger. Nothing changed. But if he has relevant information for the trial of DJT, then he needs to be called as a witness and made to testify under oath. I am sure that pretty much every Democrat is feeling the same way.
It is Fox News, the Republican propaganda organ, that has completely changed its tune on Mr. Bolten. That's your story, Mr. Baker. Not some false equivalent that both sides are doing turnabouts on Mr. Bolton.
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I don't buy Bolton's motives and certainly won't buy his book.
If he wanted American voters to share his knowledge, he had ample opportunity to tell his story to the House, for free, without a literary agent.
He has had and still has opportunities to be the star of the Sunday morning talk shows. Or the prime time news shows.
But he is holding his powder dry until he makes money publishing the information that we, the taxpayers, paid him to hear.
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Would be surprised if Mr. Bolton needs money from book sales. Expect he is more interested in how history will treat him. Having had a seat at the table it is more likely he wants to be on record about his opinions and actions in the Trump tragedy. Also agree the Democrats should be careful about what they wish for. While Trump leads the corruption parade both parties have plenty of marchers participating in that soiled line.
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He is all of those things. And highly principled/honest. What’s the big deal? Nobody’s changing their perspective of Bolton.
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I think he is the kind of guy who waits for his victim just around the corner, at the right time and with the right weapon: his eloquence. Although not necessarily right all the time, he will go directly at his/her throat. I like him. An excellent article by Mr. Baker.
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This is why there is such a need to expose and remove trump from office:
People don't change, they just become more of who they are.
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' Not long ago, they called him “too extreme,” “aggressively and dangerously wrong” and “downright dangerous.” They called him “nutty,” “reckless” and “far outside the mainstream.” '
But they didn't call him a liar, did they?
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Bolton must be a member of the religious right for he puts atop his belief pedestal that those who do not support his belief in the US as being the most powerful nation in history and forever being so as losers for their god or gods are nowhere near as powerful as his and he thinks that he sits right next to that god and hence needs to love all of the power he can get.
I still feel the same way about Bolton but he and Sessions apparently have something republcons cannot tolerate...integrity!
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@Leonard Zapor Along with Jeff Flake and a handful of others.
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Bolton was able to criticized GW Bush and no conservatives or Republicans threw him under the bus. Now he is criticizing DJ Trump and they are all throwing him under the bus. It just show what the Republican became under Trump. A cult! A religion! And the GOD of that religion is Donald J Trump.
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"Democrats who once derided him now want him to testify" What are you talking about? Since the beginning the house impeachment committee has begged for all and any witnesses to testify. The administration has blocked any meaningful witnesses with direct knowledge from testifying. Personal opinions are irrelevant.
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Republicans don’t “throw people to the curb”, they “kick them to the curb”. This appears to happen to every former ally who is honest about the dumpster fire that is the trump administration.
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Republicans were calling for the truth…..the truth is what America wants. Yet, we have a witness, a former National Security Advisor, one of their own willing to testify under oath. In the eyes of the Republicans, Trump and Fox News, Bolton is not credible….why? Because he threatens the very lies they are spewing. Now, according to Republicans and FOX, Bolton is a “disgruntled former advisor who just wants to sell books” which could be true but if he has something to say and wants to testify …..let him. The NY Times labels Bolton as the “toast of the Senate Democrats” a star witness. I never thought I would say this and as ironic as it may sound, I see Bolton as redemption for our Democracy.
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@A.A.F. Republicans are calling for truth, and claim that they are not being heard, all while tying to prevent anyone with direct knowledge from testifying.
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Is this supposed to be serious journalism? Is the Times really reducing the argument for fact witnesses and documentary evidence in Trump’s impeachment trial to some silly charade about who now likes John Bolton more? The fairness of this proceeding depends on whether fact witnesses, whomever they are, are permitted to testify about what they know of Trump’s role in the Ukraine scandal. Fairness and due process depend on the legislative branch having access to relevant and probative documents from the executive so they might perform their Constitutional duty of oversight. To reduce these serious matters to some middle school level observation about how funny it is that the Democrats’ new best friend is John Bolton is to ignore what’s really at stake here. An overwhelming majority of our citizens understand that fair trials and due process require relevant witnesses and documents, and that the health of our democracy depends on our government holding fair trials, in every forum. I wish the New York Times did.
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@lynnrschrader Well said! This article is the sort of screed I would expect from tabloid journalism.
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What the Trumpie/Harpies don't get is the complete lack of ethics/ credibility/ adherence to the truth cadet Bonespurs has brought to DC and the callous disregard Moscow Mitch and lizard Lindsay have for honesty and integrity as they play the Trumpie /Foxie news game of deny, delay/deflect and as classic bullies , they try to threaten and intimidate real or perceived foes. this cabal has tried to eviscerate the US Constitution and our Democracy and rule of laws for their own personal gain and avarice and greed while blindly defending the indefensible . these fellow travelers and true enemies of the State need to be ousted by the Congress and the voters before they do irreparable harm to our Democracy and what's left of our standing as a world leader. SAD!
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@Jgsell Nearly as bad: when they resort to name calling.
Dear Peter Baker:
Please re-visit the dictionary definitions of the words "extremist", "reckless", "dangerous", and "aggressive", and you'll find that not one of them is an antonym for "credible" or "truthful". It's facile, this opening paragraph implying hypocrisy on the part of Dems who want Bolton to testify, imputing to the Dems a conflation of dangerous warhawkery with unbelievability. Further, you once again, as always, pretend there are no actual facts in evidence, only claims by both sides. Times readers deserve reporters who seek to report truth and educate them about it. As with so many Times D.C. journalists, you focus on the drama of creating potboiling narrative instead. Do better.
Sincerely,
A Long-Time Subscriber
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I don't have to believe in John Bolton's positions, which I generally find to be extreme, but I believe that he holds them truthfully and consistently, and that he is a man of honesty and faithfulness to his view of the country and its constitution. This is why he must be allowed to testify before the Senate. Whether or not I like what he will say, I will respect his account of the facts as coming from a reliable first-person source. (And then I want to hear from more first-person sources until I am satisfied that the entire truth has been told, pro or con.) Is honesty too much to ask for? My God, I hope not!
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Deep Throat 2
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I think it makes sense for a Bolton for the Bidens witness trade. It's a win-win for the Democrats. They get the public to hear what Bolton has to say regarding the impeachment fiasco. Plus it gives Biden a chance to vindicate himself before the primary start in February. If it found that his behavior was unethical in the lucrative board appointment for his son, it's better to find out now rather than after he is nominated.
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@Mark You don't "trade" witnesses in a trial. You call whoever is important to the trial. Republicans say the Democrats are making a mockery of impeachment. I think "trading" witnesses is a mockery. Call Biden. Call whoever you want. Call Bolton. Call Bolton. Call Bolton. Opps, got stuck....
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@Mark
Except the Bidens have nothing to do with the crimes committed by trump. Nothing. Separate issue.
I wonder why - with all this 'dirt' on the Bidens that the republicans haven't called for a trial? Hmmmm. They've had plenty of time to get the ball rolling. Jeeeze, what's the hold-up?
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@Mark Except that Biden was not a witness to Trumps calls to Ukraine.
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Japanese saying “The truth spoken from the mouth of a fool is still the truth”.
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