Posted on 05/13/2005 7:00:06 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Democrats in the US Senate have made a fresh bid to derail the appointment of John Bolton, the embattled White House pick for UN ambassador, after a Senate panel declined to back him ahead of a floor vote.
Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer "put a hold on the nomination" of Bolton as US ambassador to the United Nations, her spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz said without indicating how the process could be delayed.
The move is intended to either force further negotiations or ultimately to prevent his nomination from reaching the Senate floor.
A Senate panel took the rare step Thursday of refusing to endorse President George W. Bush's choice for UN ambassador, although it did send the nomination to the full Senate for confirmation.
The White House had hoped that Bolton would receive the seal of approval of the committee's 10 Republicans, whose backing would have improved his odds for success in the Senate vote.
Instead, Bolton barely squeaked out of the polarized Senate committee.
His nomination was apparently saved after several Republicans agreed to forward his nomination for the UN post, without giving him explicit support.
Despite the lack of a congressional endorsement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she was "pleased" by the outcome, and expressed hope for Bolton's quick confirmation.
Rice argued that Bolton, currently undersecretary for arms control and international security at the US State Department, would bring the "skill and dedication necessary to advance the president's reform agenda" at the UN.
A date has not been set for the vote in the Senate where Republicans hold a 55 to 45 majority. But Democrats promised they would continue to fight tooth and nail against the nomination as it moves to the chamber.
"If this comes to the floor, we're going to have a fight," Senator Barbara Boxer said during the committee meeting.
Democrats have been united in opposition to Bolton, while four of the committee's 10 Republicans expressed serious reservations.
Chief among Bolton's Republican critics was Senator George Voinovich, who expressed grave reservations about allegations Bolton mistreated staff during his long Washington carreer and shaped intelligence to fit his views.
He also issued a scathing denunciation of the nominee, saying the president could have chosen any one of a number of equally qualified, less controversial, candidates.
Nevertheless, the Ohio senator said he would approve sending Bolton's nomination to a vote before the full Senate, in deference to the White House.
The debate in the divided committee was the latest showdown between Senate Democrats and Republicans, after weeks of bitter wrangling over Bush's nominee.
Bolton's Republican supporters acknowledge that he has at times been "blunt," but they say his direct manner is just what is needed to help whip the scandal-plagued UN into shape.
"I think the American people want someone at the United Nations who pushes strongly for reform," said Senator George Allen. "We are not electing 'Mr. Congeniality.' We do not need 'Mr. Milquetoast' in the United Nations," he said.
The panel has spent weeks examining allegations that Bolton misused or hyped flawed intelligence on issues including China, Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Even his ex-boss, former secretary of state Colin Powell, reportedly told lawmakers that Bolton had been a problematic official. Powell's former chief of staff was quoted by the US press as saying that Bolton would make an "abysmal ambassador."
If confirmed by the Senate, Bolton would have to fight the US case on vital foreign policy issues, ranging from nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea to the future of the world body itself.
This is good news. If Barbara Boxer is leading the fight, it means it is a fool's errand.
Bush should appoint Alan Keyes as acting UN ambassador. They'll confirm Bolton in no time.
Can Bolton be recess appointed or not?
Does this hold effectively end the nomination?
Not clear on rules...thanks!
The Bushbots told us Powell walked on water. What happened?
Colin Powell has been stabbing Bush in the back lately.
Lately?
Lots of anti-Bolton propaganda in this Ay-eFF-Pee article, but darned little about how Bab's latest dementia will actually play out or how it might be challenged or met by the Pubs.
FYI Ping
See Saul Alinsky's "Rules For Radicals"...thats where they get these tactics.
"Put a hold on the nomination"?
This is obviously a super-secret Senate power. I've never heard of such a thing.
Can she put the entire process on hold like that?
Seems to me we are at least ten years beyond needing pc appointments. Put in only the strong players. Scares the crap out of goofy idiots like Boxer and lightweight Reid.
She can try to
As a Bushbot in good standing, let me just say (bzxzxzxz -- wait a minute... message coming in -- bzxzxzxz) let me just say that Colin Powell was a loyal member of the Administration while he was Secretary of State. Now that he is a private citizen, he is free to say whatever he wants to say, and is doing so.
Is this a first? I don't know the Senate rules either (and apparently neither does the fool who wrote this article.) The senate revolts me most of the time regardless of who is running it and I don't pay much attention to their wrangling. I thought that only the senators from the states where a nominee was from could put a "hold" on a nominee and what does that rule have to do with anything except judges? I can't remember appointments getting a "hold" before this. Somebody ring up Sheets Byrd and get an explanation (that's if he has regained his memory since yesterday.)
Ever since the DUers started sending Boxer flowers for everything she does that meets with their approval, she's been like a raving lunatic in the Senate! She thinks she is the leader of the Senate right now. Someone needs to send her back down a peg or two! Oh but wait! Why would our Repubs do that? They are a bunch of wimps!
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