Where the Wild Burqas Are

And White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Wednesday that "a vote against him is a vote for the status quo at the United Nations," renowned for its bureaucratic paralysis, ineffectiveness and alleged corruption. Close observers noted that, if the White House were truly worried about the nomination, a vote against Bolton would be equated with a vote for Osama bin Laden .

Reeling In the Years

Speaking of Bolton . . . there appear to be conflicting calculations of his years of public service. McClellan told reporters of "his 25 years in public service." Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke of his "nearly 20 years of public service." But Bolton, who should know, lists only 14 years of public service: the Agency for International Development, the Justice Department and State Department.

He did work at a law firm and at the American Enterprise Institute in between those jobs. Maybe McClellan and Rice were counting those stints as "public service"? Or maybe there's extra credit for that time in Florida counting chads?

Tucking In the Jet

This Reuters wire just in from Colombia. Seems Bogota was deemed safe enough for Secretary Rice but too risky for her government aircraft to spend the night.

So U.S. officials sent the Air Force jet 600 miles away to the Caribbean island of Curacao because they believed the tarmac was too easy a target for Colombia's guerrillas.

The blue-and-white Boeing 757 spent a peaceful night on the island. Then it was grounded by fog.

As a result, Rice's departure yesterday for the next leg of her Latin America tour -- Chile -- was delayed. For the $600 million we give them each year in coca eradication money, you'd think they could put a platoon or two around the airport.

It's Official

President Bush nominated longtime South Carolina House Speaker David H. Wilkins yesterday to be ambassador to Canada. Bush also tapped Federal Reserve Board governor Ben S. Bernanke , who has been talked about as a possible successor to Fed chief Alan Greenspan , to be a member of the Council of Economic Advisers.