Posted on 06/07/2005 5:14:35 PM PDT by hipaatwo
By Vicki Allen1 hour, 40 minutes ago
Senate Democrats back from a weeklong recess said on Tuesday they were holding firm against allowing a vote to confirm John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations until the Bush administration turns over more information on him.
"I think the support is just as strong as it was," Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Senate minority whip, said after a meeting of Democratic senators.
In the Senate's last act before leaving for its Memorial Day break, Democrats mustered enough support to block a final vote on Bolton, who they said tried to misuse U.S. intelligence and intimidated or tried to remove intelligence analysts who did not conform to his hard-line views.
Democrats demand the administration turn over more classified material on Bolton, but the White House has refused and accused Democrats of using partisan delaying tactics.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, said he expected to proceed with Bolton's nomination "very soon," but could not say "with certainty" when that would be. He has accused Democrats of using a procedural hurdle called a filibuster to block the confirmation vote.
"I would hope that the Bolton situation is not a standoff," said Senate Minority leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat. "I hope the president recognizes that he has an obligation" to provide the material, he said.
Republicans who hold a 55-45 majority in the Senate, need to pick up two more Democrats to vote to end the debate on Bolton and go to the confirmation vote. A simple majority was needed to confirm him, which Republicans expected to get.
One of the Democrats the White House is trying to enlist, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, said he was sticking with his colleagues' demands for the information.
"I remain undecided on how I would vote on the Bolton nomination itself but I do think this is a point of principle for the Senate and the public's right to know," he said.
Lieberman and Ben Nelson of Nebraska were the only Democrats considering supporting Bolton for confirmation. George Voinovich of Ohio and John Thune of South Dakota were the only Republicans who said they intended to vote against him.
Democrats insist the administration turn over e-mails and other internal communications leading up to testimony Bolton gave Congress on Syria's weapons. They also want some access to classified National Security Agency intercepts sought by Bolton that contain the names of Americans.
"This is now beyond Mr. Bolton. It's about whether the Senate should have a right to certain information pertaining to a nominee," said Sen. Christopher Dodd (news, bio, voting record), a Connecticut Democrat.
Dodd offered a compromise in which the administration would confirm whether certain names were on the NSA intercepts Bolton asked to see. Democrats said they were trying to determine whether Bolton requested the classified intercepts to exact retribution on his opponents.
Dodd said the administration rejected the offer.
it like a 3 card monty game - McCain's gang of seven on one card, now thune is on a card, on some other nominee it will be Specter. each and every time, the hand that gets dealt doesn't add up to 50 for the cloture vote it seems.
Thune is playing politics with our representation before a corrupt world party.
I happen to agree the base shouldn't be closed, but I do NOT like these tactics from the Freshman Senator against a W.H. that didn't even select the bases on that list. It makes me far less sympathetic, where before I was interested in marshaling resources to petition to save the base.
On the other, ping me when the Republicans in the Senate finally get their act together. I know better than to trust in promises Bolton will be confirmed or Justices treated with the respect of a vote.
Nothings Changed!!! < /sarc>
It generally looks ugly, but we've actually made significant progress in the Senate. Owen has been sworn in, Brown will be confirmed tomorrow, and I have every expectation that Bolton will be confirmed as well.
The Senate rarely moves as fast as we'd like. But delay is not the same as defeat.
I can absolutely agree with that. Fight the base closing out on its merits. Blackmail against the WH creates a very bad taste in one's mouth.
I don't view the confirmations of Owens and Brown as success IF the other Justices are not guarenteed the same right to an up or down vote as the price. Until I see all Justices receive their day on the floor, in a straight up and down vote, nothing of significance has changed.
Bolton should have been confirmed months ago. These Justices years ago. This isn't simply the usual Senate delay, it is outright defiance of their role under the Constitution.
When and If all these votes occur then I'll celebrate.
most americans aren't following this at all - the longer it goes on, the more it raises the numbers on these polls we see about "is the administration dealing with problems that concern you".
Oh my gosh! I never thought of that!!!
Bolton was not being confirmed by the Dems before the deal, and he's not being confirmed by the Dems after the deal!! Oh, the horror!
What went wrong?!?!?!
SOMETHING WENT TERRIBLY WRONG!! [sob]
Oh, woe is us! [back of hand to forehead]
Sheeeeeeesh already. REPUBLICANS MAKE ME SICK!!
I know of someone who can make us all sicker:
Carter Calls on U.S. to Shut Down Gitmo
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/World/Guantanamo_Detainees
Bookmark for later read
let me see a currently pro-Roe justice, like Ginsburg - replaced by an anti-Roe nominee - and let me see that nominee sail through with no fillibuster and a solid 51 votes from the Rs to break it if there is.
when I see that, I'll be the first to say I was wrong.
Nuke em all and send a message that being an obstructionist has it's consequences.
Tactically the gave it all up!!! What is a "few" concessions next to having them all confirmed, and not having to go thru the crappola of fighting with dems on the SAME level?
It's the FIGHT repubs should not have to go thru, but Mcpainintheass, once again, screws his own party!
A lot has changed. They're approved. Technically, Brown will be approved tomorrow.
I don't think the Democrats have the guts to filibuster another nomination. Maybe I'm wrong, but the way I see it THEY CAVED.
Until you point out to me another successful filibuster on nominations, I'll celebrate.
Thune is angry at the republican senate leadership and rightly so. In the latest round of base closings, SD was on the list. What a stupid move, since this has a dramatic impact on that state's economy, and to load that crap on a rookie senator is bad form. Why didn't the senate leadership close something in Arizona to get back at McCain? I think the republicans are not showing effective political leadership, and it shows.
Because reality is far removed from the histrionics around here.
Time to drop the NUKE!
Whether you celebrate is of no consequence to me. Never said you couldn't. But I find nothing celebratory in votes that should be routine being allowed to happen on condition other Justices get shot down.
And there was a filibuster of Bolton three days after this "deal". Perhaps you mean Judicial Filibuster.
Those polls are meaningless. The questions are constructed in such a way as to elicit a negative response.
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