Posted on 04/22/2005 11:55:46 AM PDT by meandog
Senator McCain's Floor Statement on the Nomination of John Bolton to be the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Unofficial Transcript As It Appears In The Congressional Record
"Mr. President, I rise to discuss the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. We all know, somewhat unexpectedly, Mr. Bolton's nomination has been held pending further discussion and consideration by the Foreign Relations Committee.
"I want to say I strongly support Mr. Bolton's nomination. He has been confirmed by the Senate four times in the past. He is a smart, experienced, hardworking, and talented man, and he knows the United Nations. He is not a career diplomat, but neither was Jean Kirkpatrick. He is not a career diplomat, either by profession or temperament, but then the role of ambassador to the U.N. has always required something special. A look back at some of the personalities who have held the job--from Adlai Stevenson to Daniel Patrick Moynihan, from Madeleine Albright, to Jean Kirkpatrick, to Richard Holbrooke--shows that directness and forcefulness are assets, not hindrances, to effectiveness there.
"We all know Mr. Bolton is perhaps not the world's most beloved manager, nor one to keep his temper entirely under wraps. Perhaps, Mr. President, that evokes a certain sympathy and empathy from this individual, although it is well known that on no occasion have I ever become emotionally involved in anything.
"I am sorry about a little levity here.
"Seriously, I ask my colleagues is it unique to Mr. Bolton to be strong in his views and opinions? If a temper and an unorthodox management style were disqualifiers from Government service, I would bet a large number of people in Washington would be out of a job.
"It is worth wondering not whether Mr. Bolton is a mild, genteel diplomat--we know he is not--but rather whether he is the representative we need at the United Nations. We need an ambassador who truly knows the U.N. We need an ambassador who is willing to shake up an organization that requires serious reform. No one knows better than the Senator from Minnesota, who is in the chair, who has been heavily involved in the issues of the U.N. We need an ambassador who has the trust of the President and the Secretary of State. Mr. Bolton , it seems to me, has what it takes for the job.
"I am reminded, on the judges issue and in this issue, elections do have consequences. I believe there are significant numbers of the American people who do take into consideration the consequences of a Presidential election, and that is the earned right of a President, under anything other than unusual circumstances, to pick his team. There were nominees of the previous Clinton administration I didn't agree with, I would not have selected but because President Clinton was elected President, I voted for his nominees on that basis.
"The U.N. is a vital organization to the world and to the national interests of the United States. It is not perfect by any means, and John Bolton knows this. There has been talk that the nomination of Mr. Bolton was an indication of the administration's disdain for multilateral diplomacy. I cannot believe Mr. Bolton wishes to be dispatched for 4 years to an ineffective body, unloved by the United States. I do believe he wants to work actively to reform the U.N., make it stronger and better. Mr. Bolton , seeing clearly the U.N.'s strengths and its weaknesses, will be well positioned to improve the organization and America's relationship with him.
"As the Chair well knows, what kind of a U.N. is it that has Libya, Cuba, and Zimbabwe as part of its Human Rights Commission? Is it all right with the U.N. today? We are seeing more and more indications of the Oil-for-Food scandal which, again, the Senator from Minnesota, the Chair, has carefully examined. There is a crying need for reform.
"I am pleased the Secretary General of the U.N. has made proposals for reform. I support those and believe perhaps we need more. Again, it seems to me Mr. Bolton sees clearly the strengths and weaknesses, and he would be well positioned to help in this reform effort. Let's not forget that it desperately needs improving. It is hard to take an organization that has countries such as I mentioned that are members of the Human Rights Commission or whose General Assembly equates Zionism with racism. But at the moment, a great opportunity presents itself. The panel named by the Secretary General, on which one of my most respected Americans and beloved Americans, Brent Scowcroft, served, has recently issued its list of recommendations to transform the U.N. Kofi Annan has presented his own serious plan to implement these recommendations.
"In other words, I argue that right now the U.N. is in a unique moment, perhaps, in its history; and because of the scandals associated with it, it is open to reform. We need a strong personality, in my view, and a knowledgeable one to help bring about those reforms.
"But without hard work and pressure, nothing will happen. Over the years, the U.N. has proven itself to be remarkably resistant to change. I believe John Bolton could provide the medicine the United Nations needs.
"As I mentioned earlier, elections have consequences, and one consequence of President Bush's reelection is he actually should have the right to select officials of his choice. I stress this because the President nominates not the Democrats' selection, nor mine, nor that of any other Senator, but his own choice. I mentioned that when President Clinton was elected, I didn't share the policy views of some of the officials he nominated, but I voted to confirm them, knowing the President has a right to put into place the team he believes will serve him best.
"The Foreign Relations Committee is examining whether Mr. Bolton has engaged in truly unacceptable behavior that would disqualify him for office. I believe, unless we see a pattern of inappropriate conduct--which so far I have not--I believe the Senate must move forward expeditiously to confirm John Bolton as America's ambassador to the United Nations.
"Mr. President, as I criticize some of the activities of the U.N., there are other activities of the U.N. going on as we speak that I think require America's presence. The situation in Darfur, Sudan, for example, is one that cries out for American participation in the decisionmaking process because one could draw a scenario where under extreme circumstances, to prevent genocide, American troops, or certainly American support in the form of logistics and other areas, could be heavily involved, as well as expenditure of American tax dollars, which already constitutes a significant portion of the financing of the United Nations.
"So I hope we can set a time and date certain for a vote on Mr. Bolton . As I said, if somebody has information that would disqualify him, that is fine. I don't think he or anybody else deserves a long, drawn-out, exhausting process which damages our ability to participate in the U.N. and also may damage the character of a good man.
"I hope we will act as expeditiously as possible. I have great respect for the Foreign Relations Committee and its chairman, Senator Lugar, all members, and the ranking member, Senator Biden. But I certainly hope they realize inordinate delay is not healthy. I, having had the opportunity of knowing Mr. Bolton for many years, believe he would do an outstanding job as our ambassador to the United Nations."
F McCain - McCain is a backstabbing little dwarf
McCain is siding with the Republicans this time?
Must be a full moon or something
(more more likely he realizes the 'liberal love' is already used up on Hagel and Chafee, and figures there is more 'utility' in throwing a bone to his party... this time)
...don't recall him coming out against the Swiftboaters; please fill me in (FACTS Only)
McCain lives to throw people off and keep his ugly mug on the Sunday shows.
...what he said is he didn't want to see Senate shut down and that there is risk because one day there may be a Democratic judge nominee and the only way to block it would be by filibuster...what's so wrong with that?
McCain called the Swifties "dishonest and dishonorable." That is a fact.
I believe, if you review the facts, he was referring to the campaign 501 funding by the Swifties...I don't believe he called any of them "dishonest" as one (or was it two?) of the Swifties was a classmate at the academy with him.
If he was consistent they would not call him McLaim...
Same in Hotel Hanoi.. he would have been worthless as a "SNITCH" to his captors if he didn't have a little crebiblity.. No doubt McLaim "blew" more things than the candles on bithday cakes in Hanoi.. Wonder if Hillary has 8mm movies of it all as "gifts" from her friends in Saigon... and John is not a willing patsy for democrats.. on the other hand maybe he is willing anyway..
No other sitting Senator has ever been asked to run as VeeP candidate(2004) for the opposing party except for John McLaim.. not even Arlen Spectre.. A spectacular DIShonor..
I really, really want to like Sen. McCain. But you never know where the guy is gonna come down on an issue.
McCain is not to be trusted...sorry, but if I lived in AZ I would work to move this traitor out!!! Not to mention he's a crook & is well named as McInsane. He is the ultimate crappo politico!
Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry’s military service “dishonest and dishonorable” and urged the White House on Thursday to condemn it as well.
If he isn't calling the Swifties dishonest and dishonorable, just who does he mean? If I say someone's post is a lie, am I not calling that person a liar? Further down in the article you'll see how McCain defended Kerry's service too.
Nobody asked McCain to pipe in, he did it on his own volition. He also overstepped by calling on the White House to condemn the ads.
Lastly, I have no idea what you are talking about re him having a problem with the campaign funding. Is it about McCain-Feingold?
One run for McCain in the bottom of the 8th inning ...
McPain continues his careful and deliberate balancing act trying to maintain his acceptability to the left and right. Unfortunately, it just might work. Once he gets elected we might see his true colors, if he remembers what they are.
Good to see this statement from McCain. Let's hope it's enough to sway some of the squishy RINOS.
McCain was against the Bolton nomination before he was for it.
Does that sound familiar?
This is just cover for McCain so he can continue to obstruct the conservative agenda by supporting the Democratic fillibuster against the Bush judicial nominees. McCain is a RINO with his priorities straight.
I agree 100%!
Well, there is the Kiss of Death for Bolton. I hope President Bush has someone else lined up.
He got cover from Voinivich.
I wonder if the mainstream media will sprint to interview him now.
Who am I kidding? They only interview him when he's bashing conservatives.
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