More stories about how Bush U.N.-nominee John Bolton terrorized people who disagreed with his opinions or refused to give him the intelligence estimates he wanted to push his ideological agenda.

The Bolton nomination is dead. The only question is whether President Bush decides that it’s in his political best interest to force a vote—which he’d lose—or whether he withdraws the nomination early next week. My guess: The Republicans don’t really want to have to vote for this guy, who gives every indication of being a complete crackpot. They’ll pressure the President to avoid a vote, so that they don’t have to go on the record with their support or opposition. Bush will withdraw the nomination.

I think there’s a larger point here besides the fact that Bolton is, apparently, a jerk. Despite the fact that the war on Iraq may yet turn out to be a success, Americans don’t want unilateralism. We still think diplomacy is important, and yes, even the United Nations. In fact, we may think that even more now than we did before the Iraq war, and the realization that those much-touted weapons of mass destruction don’t exist…..

Another point: Since Bolton was obviously Dick Cheney’s guy, one has to wonder where else Cheney is driving Administration policy…