Newt tells Repub Jewish Coalition 'my secstate will be Bolton'

Newt Gingrich promised conservatives on Tuesday he would ask formerU.N. Ambassador John Bolton to be his secretary of state if he’s elected president next year, according to several of those who met with him

Hours later he repeated that vow publicly to the Republican Jewish Coalition, winning a round of applause.

“If he accepts it, I will ask John Bolton to be secretary of state,” the former House speaker said.

During the closed-door meeting in Arlington, Mr. Gingrich spoke and fielded questions for about two hours from 70 conservatives, and they said afterward that they came away impressed.

One questioner asked Mr. Gingrich how he could assure conservatives he would be trustworthy, which is when he replied that he would tap Mr. Bolton, a hero to conservatives whom President George B. Bush named as a recess appointment to the U.N. ambassadorship after the Senate refused to confirm him.

Mr. Gingrich’s statement that Mr. Bolton would be his pick to head the State Department drew applause from the Jewish Republican group, which was hearing from virtually all GOP presidential hopefuls in a daylong session in Washington.

I cannot imagine a scenario more conducive to making progressives apoplectic. We better have 60 republican senators