■"Korea Speech Comes Back to Haunt Bolton: Former Ambassador Claims His Views Were Misrepresented by U.N. Nominee in a Hearing," by Yochi J. Dreazen, Wall Street Journal, 4 May 2005, p. A4.

■"U.S. Cites Signs Of Korean Steps to Nuclear Test: Satellite Photos Viewed; Allies in Asia Are Briefed on What Appear to Be Rapid Preparations," by Bill Spindle, Wall Street Journal, 2 May 2005, p. A16.

The Dems have to come up with something better than this: Bush-nominee for UN John Bolton's confirmation may be threatened because he once gave a speech he claimed was cleared by our ambassador to South Korea and that diplomat now says Bolton's speech was far stronger in tone than he liked?

Please!

Listen to Bolton's "offending" phrases:

The brazenness of Kim Jong Il's behavior in the past year is striking Ö To give in to his extortionist demands would only encourage him, and perhaps more ominously, other would-be tyrants around the world Ö

While he lives like royalty in Pyongyang, he keeps hundreds of thousands of his people locked in prison camps with millions more mired in abject poverty, scrounging the ground for food. For many in North Korea, life is a hellish nightmareÖ

A good start would be to respect the human rights of his people and not starve them to death or put them in death campsÖ

Wow. Imagine calling a mass-murdering tyrant a mass-murdering tyrant!

The shame, Mr. Bolton! The shame! You should learn more diplomatic language so we can all feel better about ignoring the two million-plus that Kim's killed in the last decade.

Please sir, have you no decency?!?

Why does Bolton's controversial nomination matter? He will be the point man in rallying the UN on the take down of Kim Jong Il, who's apparently intent on sealing his doom by lighting up a nuke just to prove he's got 'em. Little does he know this is exactly the wrong approach to take with W.

So the drum beat begins, and he'll be the main percussionist. He will arrive on scene just in time.