Former US Ambassador In On-Air Spat With 'Superior' BBC Man

Taken from Yahoo News, Thursday, May 17 12:53 pm
From Agence France-Presse

Straight-talking former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton accused a top BBC presenter of being leftwing and "a superior Brit" in a colourful on-air spat Thursday.

The controversial ex-diplomat, who left the UN post in January, made the comments after fiercely defending the United States' role in Iraq and saying that force should be used against Iran if necessary.



BBC presenter John Humphrys, the main anchor on the broadcaster's flagship Today radio programme, raised Bolton's hackles by asking if the US administration was not a "busted flush" after Iraq.

"You're absolutely wrong ... The people who express the point of view that you just expressed I think were largely anti-American beforehand anyway," said the ex-ambassador.

When Humphrys suggested that billionaire philanthropist George Soros might take that view, Bolton shot back: "Are you kidding me? This is a man of the extreme left."

"I'm sure you would find a great deal in common with him as would many others on the continent," he added, referring to widespread anti-American sentiment in Europe.

The BBC man defended himself, saying he was impartial but just asking questions as a devil's advocate and adding: "Maybe they don't do it like that in the United States."

Bolton: "I know, you're a superior Brit, aren't you?"

Moving on, Humphrys asked Bolton if World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz, under fierce pressure to resign amid a scandal over his girlfriend's pay package, was "about to go."

"I see you're a gravedigger as well," retorted Bolton. "I'm not at all sure I see that demise happening."

Bolton and Wolfowitz were both widely seen as part of a neo-conservative group which pushed for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. But Bolton denied he was a neo-con Thursday, although he said the movement was still alive.

"I'm not a neocon, number one, but number two, I don't think the neocon adventure is over," he said.
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What a bafoon Bolton must feel from this interview. The Full transcript can be listened here using Real Player. Note: This broadcast is the last quarter of the show (it lasts 29 minutes). The Interview with Bolton happens between 10:10 and 19:37 minute of the file - so please fast forward to the section.

One thing is for certain, The UK press and media are far more demanding in questioning the accountability of their politicians than that the US press. Most UK politicians fear going into live TV debates or even being questioned by News agencies.