Russert claimed that U.S. diplomat John Bolton has been a regular and frequent critic of the United Nations.

Russert cited past interviews in which Bolton said if he had a chance to redo the Security Council, there would be only one member - the United States, "because that's the real reflection of the distribution of power in the world."

In 1994, during a Citizens for Global Solutions Convocation conference, he was quoted as saying: "There is no such thing as the United Nations. The secretariat building in New York has 38 stories. If you lost 10 stories today, it wouldn't make a bit of difference."

Such statements have angered U.N. supporters in the U.S. and some U.N. member states.

So, why would President Bush nominate him to be America's next U.N. ambassador, Russert queried.

"Because John is a very good diplomat. He has a lot of experience in U.N. affairs," Rice replied.

Why, then, Russert asked Rice, is Bolton often less than diplomatic in his statements?

"Well, sometimes we all say undiplomatic things, but the key is that this is a very good diplomat," Rice said with a smile.

"The United States needs a U.N. that is efficient, that is effective, that can meet the challenges of the 21st century," she continued.

"The U.N. itself, Secretary-General Annan's people, the members of the U.N. all know that the U.N. needs reform, that there are problems that have been exposed, for instance, through the Oil-for-Food program or through some of the problems with peacekeeping.

"The United States is going to work with the secretary-general and with the U.N. to make sure that we address these problems, and John Bolton ... is going to be someone who's going to be a strong voice for U.N. reform and for an American role in that," said Rice.

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