John Bolton, the man who famously said it would make no difference if the United Nations secretariat lost 10 floors, became US ambassador to the UN yesterday in a controversial recess appointment that ended five months of delay, write Caroline Daniel & Holly Yeager in Washington.
The appointment, made during the August break for Congress, represented a snub to the Senate, bypassing Democratic opposition.
A vote on Mr Bolton's nomination was blocked twice by Democrats amid concern at his alleged disdain for international institutions and fears that he skewed intelligence on Iraq during his time at the State Department.
President Bush defended Mr Bolton yesterday, and said the former undersecretary of state for arms control and international security would lead US efforts to reform the UN.
"I chose John because of his vast experience in foreign policy, his integrity and his willingness to confront difficult problems head-on.
"I told the nation that John Bolton would provide clear American leadership for reform at the United Nations. I told them that he would insist upon results."
Mr Bush accused Democrats of obstructionism. He said the US had been without a permanent ambassador to the UN for six months, and that the post was "too important to leave vacant any longer".
Democrats attacked the move as "the latest abuse of power by the White House", and said it would undermine Mr Bolton's legitimacy. "At a time when we need to reassert our diplomatic power in the world, President Bush has decided to send a seriously flawed and weakened candidate to the UN," said Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader.