John Bolton Receives Award

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John Bolton, Receiving Award, Thanks Rogue Nations and Liberals
By Kevin Mooney
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
May 04, 2007

(CNSNews.com) - Thank you, Sen. Lincoln Chafee, Sen. Chris Dodd, North Korea, Syria and Iran. You all helped make it possible.

That was the message delivered by former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton Thursday night as he accepted the 2007 Bradley Prize at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Bolton was honored for his dedication to the principles of the America's founding, including freedom and human liberty. The award carries a stipend of $250,000.

The Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation praised Bolton's articulate and unapologetic defense of American interests during his recess appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. "Steadfast in his defense of American interests, he represented this country with extraordinary principle, clarity, and patriotism," the foundation said.

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"I should note Senators Lincoln Chafee and Senator Dodd who did so much to help make me eligible for this award, and the prominent citizens of Pyongyang, Damascus and Tehran, who also pitched in simply by being themselves."

Bolton also took the opportunity to discuss the challenges associated with the "permanent bureaucracy" in Washington, D.C. Instead of advancing the policy directives of Republican presidents, political appointees often "adopt the attitude of where they work" and ultimately leave their positions without "making the slightest imprint," he said.

Some willingly succumb, while others are "seduced" into believing there are carrying out the president's policy, Bolton added.

"The political appointees go native," he said.

To remedy the situation, Bolton called for a "basic training" of all political appointees so they would be prepared for the next Republican administration.

"I had my battles with the bureaucracy, which probably explains why I'm here tonight," he said. "So let me make a confession -- on many occasions, during this and prior administrations, I have knowingly and willingly committed acts of conservatism. It gets worse -- I enjoyed every minute of it."