A Teary-Eyed Rebel Defies Party Leaders

NY Times ^ | 6/6/05 | David D. Kirkpatrick

[Crackingham]

Senator George V. Voinovich, the only Republican to speak out on the Senate floor against the president's nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, brought an unusual show of emotion to his case. Mr. Voinovich choked up.

"I wanted my colleagues to think about this. That's why I got emotional," he said in an hourlong interview at his home here on Friday, when he grew teary-eyed three more times over other subjects. "My emotions are a little bit closer to the surface than maybe they should be," he said.

Coming the same week that Ohio's other Republican senator, Mike DeWine, split from party leaders to compromise with Democrats over the president's stalled judicial nominees, Mr. Voinovich's emotional appeal to block Mr. Bolton has set up a dual test of Republican leaders' ability to hold their caucus together.

In a news conference on Tuesday, the president affirmed his commitment on both fronts, mocking the judicial compromise and castigating the Democrats for delaying Mr. Bolton's nomination. And in Ohio, where a social conservative groundswell helped Mr. Bush win the 2004 election, the rebellions of its senators combined to draw considerable ire from Mr. Bush's conservative base.

"Criticizing and undermining the president weakens the war on terror," said the Rev. Russell Johnson of the Fairfield Christian Church in Lancaster, a leader of the Ohio Restoration Project, a conservative advocacy group borne out of the last election. "The two senators from Ohio have become the poster boys for the foreign press to beat up our president."

[RWR8189]

I think he had just gotten back from happy hour.

[ConservativeMind]

George, if your tears were over something that mattered, I'd have some added respect for you.

As it is, you are crying over taking a stupid position on a stupid subject.

Leave the damn Senate if you can't be a man. I would imagine you would have a similar tearful response if you found there were no more Hostess Twinkies in the vending machine down the hall from your office.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

I think Mr. V needs to be teary eyed one more time, due to a furious bunch of voters spanking him at the polls and firing him!

[Echo Talon]

What a wimp, someone anyone check his papers? I think maybe we have an imposter. :D

[Darkwolf377]

I am so sick of the sensitive male. I'm 40 years old and am supposed to feel ashamed because I don't cry at movies and expect my elected leaders to behave in a rational manner and not cry like babies over political debate. Well, tough--act like an adult, man or woman, and comport yourself with good manners and a mature style. Or go away, because you're not emotionally mature enough to handle your job, wuss.

[Khurkris]

"A Teary-Eyed Rebel Defies Party Leaders"

Oh yeah...thats what I look for in my 'rebels.'

If they're French!

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

"The two senators from Ohio have become the poster boys for the foreign press to beat up our president."

Couldn't have said it better myself neither will get my vote again !

[TWhiteBear]

Life is a witch when Hillery has your FBI files.

[Anti-Christ is Hillary]

I heard that he was crying partly because the people in his state are pissed at him, and now they are targeting his son who is running for office in his state (state senate, assembly or something). The campaign being run against his son is being called "The sins of the father, the son will repeat". I hear that they are going after his son hard to punish him for the deal.

[dk/coro]

Right on!! Probably, the bum had his hand in the cookie jar one time to often -- and got caught.

What a disgrace to the party of Robert Taft!!

[South40]

[commonasdirt]

Politicians who weep openly have a hard time getting re-elected. What a WUSS

[coconutt2000]

Voinovich: "Please don't look at me cross eyed like that... I might cry."

[BillyBoy]

>> I heard that he was crying partly because the people in his state are pissed at him, and now they are targeting his son who is running for office in his state (state senate, assembly or something). The campaign being run against his son is being called "The sins of the father, the son will repeat". I hear that they are going after his son hard to punish him for the deal. <<

That would be Senator DeWine's son, who is running for Congress. DeWine was one of the Republican "moderates" who "compromised" on the filibuster. This is Senator Voinvoich, who caved on Bolton.

Either way, it shows BOTH "Republican" Senators from OH are medoicre moderates who need a primary challenge next time around.

[weegee]

Ahhhem.

For those who find Bolton "rude"

U.S. Walks Out as Sudan Elected to U.N. Rights Body

CAPTION THIS (US Walks out of UN)

Ambassador Sichan Siv, the United States Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and a female aide, left, walk out of the group's meeting to protest a vote giving Sudan a third term on the UN's Human Rights Commission, the world body's human rights watchdog, Tuesday, May 4, 2004, at the UN in New York. Siv called the vote an absurdity. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

[ONETWOONE]

Tears will be streaming down my face when his son loses his bid for office and his own reelection goes down. I could care less...

[Gum Shoe]

George...just resign or change parties already. If it walks like a liberal, sounds like a liberal (wah, sob, sob), it's a liberal.

[Patriot from Philly]

This whole story doesn't make sense. For instance, if he felt so strongly about Bolton, why didn't he show up for the hearings.

What I've read: he didn't care about Bolton, wasn't prepared when he finally showed up and thus was easily swayed by the Democrats' arguments.

After that disatrous display, in Ohio, a conservative group ran adds against him on the Bolton issue and he was furious and determined to exact revenge.

I also think he is an internationalist who enjoys his trips to Europe and his little discussions with elites on how bad Bush is.

He's a disgrace.