YOUR COMMENTS

GOP are toast and they know it, so they whine and make up slights like "empty suit" and "stuffed shirt." Pitiful! Obama a "one-worlder?" Ha! Do you know how empty that sounds? It is a meaningless insult, not a criticism.

McCain debating Obama is not a fair contest. One is a doddering old fool who runs out of references, forgets details, and misspeaks, continually filling in blanks by reminding that "he served." That is sad.

The other a brilliant energetic middle aged-man at the peak of his game, who taught law for twelve years at the best school for it East of Boston.

It is going to pain me to see McCain twist as Obama embarasses him in any and all debates of any sort. No contest. But Obama will be a gentleman about it, as he has since he announced his run.
- Ledger MacNamara, Hanover

Hey Dave of Sandwich;
Be careful of what you wish for. Obama will have as few debates with McCain as he can because once he gets away from his scripted lines and TelePrompter, he gets exposed as the empty suite he is. If you had watched the last two debates in the Democratic primary you would have seen Hillary clean his clock.
He was asked by Tom Brokaw on "Meet the press" last week about the 10 town hall meetings that he previously said he would engage McCain in. He replied that he wants to speak to voters one on one.
Obama has been the beneficiary of a well orchestrated campaign team and a lap dog press. But why won't he join McCain in those town hall meetings, and why can't he garner over 40% of the vote?
- Billy, Derry

For the record, Obama is more experienced, and has accomplished more, than Lincoln when he ran. Lincoln was a practicing lawyer, nine years removed from ONE TERM as a Congressman from Illinois. He CONVINCED people to vote for him, in SPEECHES. On my gosh - Lincoln was a stuffed shirt!

A man's speaking ability mirrors his clarity of thought. So we have Bush the poor administrator, also poor with spoken English.

The naysayers don't seem qualified to hire a staff at McDonalds. There are reasons to not go for Obama, but lack of intelligence and integrity are not two of them
- Scott Trurow, Keene

Deb in Derry:

You have obviously never been outside Derry! Your picture of the world is perverted by your nationalism, and yet I'd bet you buy like crazy from the Chinese communists via
WalMart, such hypocrisy. You keep up your jingoist fantasy Deb!
- Deborah Taylor, Chester

The majority of Americans are lazy- they want change because they want someone else to do it for them- Change that is depenedant upon someone that has no experiacne is the wrong kind of caange- doesn't qualifications count for a resume these days?? I should. Americans should change their way of thinking- that is the key.
- Brad Thompson, Rochester, NH

Maybe the majority of Americans just like the fact that they might be able to vote for someone that doesn't constantly stick his foot in his mouth every time he opens it. It would be nice to have a leader that doesn't give you that nails on the chalkboard feeling every time he opens his mouth. Just the fact that Obama didn't vote for the Iraq mess is enough for some of us, if that bothers the war mongering chickenhawks so be it.
- Sid, Plano, TX

The UL and the Republican political machine are out there doing what they do best- denying responsibility, tearing down the other side and trying to ensure that whatever the truth about Obama, you are just plain afraid of him (even if you can't explain why in any coherent way). It's a stark testimony to just how few positive things there are to say about the last 7 years of this republican administration, and about John McCain, who may once have been a straight talker but is now driving the Swift Boat Express. Unfortunately for McCain, his allegiance has doomed him to inherit the mantle of incompetence, arrogance, and greed that his successor has so diligently prepared. Bring on the debates!
- Dave MacCrellish, Sandwich, NH

Am I supposed to care what this Bush cheerleader has to say? John Bolton was deeply involved in some of the biggest failures of the Bush administration. He was constantly at odds with the few sane people in the Bush Cabinet (i.e. Colin Powell). I'd rather taken foreign policy advice from my dog--his bark is more effective than John Bolton's and he doesn't have a record of failure.
- Matt, Washington

Op-ed? Opposite of what? Listen, we all know who we're voting for already, so why doesn't the UL use these spaces for something more interesting and less redundant?
- Brian, Manchester

Obama is "doubly arrogant" especially if you''ve achieved nothing so far in your life. It's more and more clear to some that Obama views himself not as a presidential candidate, but as a world celebrity, with all the vanity and arrogance that accompanies such people. And we all know what happens to them.
- Jennifer & Tim Jacobs, Brentwood, NH

John Bolton is a disgrace? Why? Because he believed that his job at the United Nations was to protect the interests of the United States? He saw the UN for what it really is: united against the U.S. to screw us , but happily take our money, every chance they get!
- Guy P., Manchester NH

Why are you Democrats so obsessed with presidential assassinations? First you equate Obama to Kennedy, then to Lincoln. Is this out of admiration, or out of a secret desire to see him "martyred" - you get him elected (to soothe your liberal guilt about slavery, which has been illegal in this country for 143 years), then, you get rid of him, because you know that he is not another JFK, but rather another Jimmy Carter, and that he would ruin the country if he were to serve as President for 4 years.

That's why you want Hillary as VP, because you know she is not electable, but in this case she would inherit the Presidency, and you get both a black and a woman President in one fell swoop.

Sneaky strategy.
- Nick Andrelli, Alexandria, Va

This is really getting ridiculous- out of hand- over the top- quite ego driven, self centered, and way too much nonsense-all about a man, ( well,barely) who with some luck, bounced his way to win a primary, and voices empty rheteric, promises pie in the sky socialisist dreams, and does not believe in a few amendments, did not vote many times in the senate ( all of his ''glowing'' 2 years) and claims to have experiance to lead a country. WHAT AUDACITY. . Anyone who prefers to live in 'his fantasyworld' better take a second look, last I heard it was quite expensive. You think you have it tough now? He will rasie your taxes and provide nothing of any subsequent change that will benefit anyone. Sad as it is, and as blunt as this sounds, Obama is very wrong for the USA
- Tony Peters, Andover, NH

John Bolton huh?? What a riot - what is even scarier is that people in this state actually read this guys stuff and beleive it... I am a little shocked at the Republican machine this time around, Obama this and Obama that, and it's all child like nonsense with no meat. But somehowe we are supposed to think that the Republican party as it sits with the likes of Bush and the many obviously corrupt memebers resembles "conservatism" or somehting like that!! OK you just keep thinking that way and I would like to talk with you about some land you need to buy in Flroida... some of the finest swamp land avaialable.
- Terry, Merrimack

John Bolton....for someone who thinks they are intellectually sound, you seem to be pretty deaf when it comes to global affairs. Obama wasn't asking the world to become one. He was simply stating a fact that one country cannot address global issues. He was stating the FACT that if this world wants to see a CHANGE, everyone has to do there part. He referenced the Berlin wall because this was an example of country's coming together. And if he was wrong, why does Berlin & the surrounding territories prosper now?
- Rick King, Nahsua NH

To Steve K., Grosse Ile, MI,

Are you serious? Equating Obama to both a king and President Lincoln? Or are you being sarcastic?
- Mike, Derry, NH

Why is it that folks like Robert always ignore the facts and instead bring up biased rhetoric at best to try and berate a "rival"?
Maybe they should go back and read it again. It is based on FACTS something that liberals seem to have no knowledge of. Germany is a free state now inspite of the liberals who chastised Reagan at every opportunity for his "war" on communism. How quickly the Germans (and Dems) forget who really freed them!
I am sure that we could spend days talking about disgraced politicians from both sides of the aisle so I am not sure what that has to do with Obamas speech.
- Jesse, Orford

Steve, you are scaring me. Get a grip, friend, the O'lmighty Obama will self destruct right before your eyes, so get ready. Change to Obama is changing the USA, now why would you want to change the best country in the world?? If you are not happy here you are free to move about the universe.
- Gregg Newton, Salem, NH

If anyone knows about being on another planet, it's John Bolton. Thanks UL for wasting space on another Bush administration flunkie.
- Frank, Manchester

Gee, Robert, with virtually every member of the Bush team a war criminal or worse, I'm impressed that you're able to single out Bolton as being one of the "most disgraced" members!

For myself, I look forward to the ascension of the Savior Obama to the presidency, and his laying of hands on all the world's problems. I know that his years as a "community organizer" will stand him in good stead as he reigns. No more Bush/Reagan good guys vs. bad guys, just guys trying to work things out (and some guys who want to kill us because we're not Muslim, but let's not get all idealogical about things, right?). Evan, I'll go you one more...before long, Obama will eclipse Lincoln in presidential greatness.
- Steve K., Grosse Ile, MI

To Mr. Toms of Derry, John Bolton accomplished more last week than you will in your lifetime. He should have been our permanent Rep. to the UN.
Unfortunately our country is overflowing with feckless democrats who have no desire to see American interests being promoted or defended at the UN.
Mr Bolton is factually correct in this editorial, yet your BDS prevents you from engaging in logical, rational thought.
Your accusation that he is an incompetent clown sounds like projection to me.
- Ron, Manchester

Well! John Bolton is still capable of giving the Socialist, one world parasites, a living fit.
- Harry, Gainesville. Florida

John's comments are on target.

Evan, Obama will say anything to get your vote. Your premise that only republicans are corrupt is wrong and you know it.

Robert, if terrorists chopped off you daughter's head, would you still call Bolton the 'criminal"?
- Peter Voisin, Hendersonville, NC

John Bolton for president ! ! ! ! ! Please, someone who talks straight, strong and decisive.

Enough of these elitist big spenders.
- Bob L, New Boston

Please. No lectures on the proper conduct of foreign affairs from John Bolton. What's next? Editorials on staff management from Alberto Gonzales? "How to build democracy" editorials from Paul Bremer? Good listening skills lessons from Don Rumsfeld? Effective emergency planning seminars from Michael "Heckuva job Brownie" Brown?

We have heard more than enough from disgraced and disgraceful Bush administration figures these past 7 1/2 years. They have little of value to give to the public anymore.
- Michael Marsh, Greenland

(1) Even mainstream Democrats now see the success of the surge in Iraq.
(2) Hope and change is an empty muddle political mantra, not a platform of specifics. "Ich bin ein Beginner" is what he should have said in Berlin.
(3) How was it Bolton's fault that European countries that lauded Obama recently were part of the oil-for-food fraud with Iraq and its support of Al Qaeda?
(4) Ted Stevens may be disgraced, but at least he drive his car off a bridge and leave a girl dead in watery grave as Ted Kennedy did to advance his career. At least he didn't have secret wiretaps on Martin Luther King, Jr. as Bobby Kennedy did when attorney general. Gee, how quickly we forget!

(5) There is no appeasement of militant islam. Just ask Nicohlas Berg and Daniel Pearl. Oh, wait. You can't. Your "religion of peace" comrades beheaded them.
- Michael von Mueller, Zurich, Switzerland

Obama is on another planet, delusional, imaginary, a 'child" of the world, not a leader, by any means. When will people finally wake up this fact? And, when will they see that Obama is simply not qualified to be a Commander in Chief in the greatest country in the world? Why would anyone want to change that?
- Ted Horton, Exeter, NH

Obama's rhetoric is childish nonsense designed to appeal to those ignorant of current events, world history and American history in particular.

Mr. Bolton speaks (and writes) clearly and does not sugar-coat anything, which is very refreshing given the vague, flip-flop non-answers most politicians -- notably Obama -- so often give.
- Bill Thomas, Rochester, NY

Intersting observations by the Ambassador. More interesting, indeed, are the comments by the obama supporters. No mention of the Surge in the entrire commentary by mr Bolton, yet both commenters throw it out there. Indeed, claimining that Obama is "always reasonable, clear, and consistent." is laughable.

The defense? Call Bolton disgraced (he most certainly is not) drag is Ted Stevens (this is related to Boltons commentary in the same way the surge is) and finally state that anyone that doesn't understand the junior Senator from Illinois is "naive".

What is it? Pragmatism or Dogmatism that drives the Obama supporters? Most certainly, it is neither rationalism nor objectivism.
- Richard Higgins, Manchester Nh

I can't help but wonder what values the one world crowd are willing to compromise away in their efforts to be loved by dictators, fascists, and communists? Because compromise is not just getting something back from such types of people. It's also about giving to them.

Standing strong and firm against them is the only option I'm interested in. Not loosing the principals of the generations before us who stood firm at any and all costs because war is just bad. Looking around the globe it should not be so hard to see the enemies of freedom have little trouble with war or genocide to achive their goals. They might even lie to achive an edge and lull the nieve into a false sense of security.

But the you can be the president of Iran and say exactly what you think and some still don't want to hear it.
- Deb, Derry

The surge is as they say, "lipstick on a pig."

When I listen to Obama I listen carefully, and he is always reasonable, clear, and consistent. How is that naive? You are naive if you don't understand him.

Strong alliances took down communism? Maybe, but that is what Obama talks about for the Mideast, and against the proliferation of nukes by countries like Pakistan. And it is exactly what Bush is not, with his "...you are for us or against" us rhetoric.

BTW For the record disgraced GOP Ted Stevens is the Republicans most EXPERIENCED senator. Obama's experience parallels Lincoln's.
- Evan Gross, Nashua

John Bolton is arguably one of the most disgraced members of the Bush administration.

Regardless of whether one supports the 'surge' or not, it was the criminal incomptence of clowns like Bolton that made it necessary in the first place.
- Robert Toms, Derry