Posted on 06/20/2005 12:14:09 PM PDT by GPBurdell
Send Bolton to U.N. now - Bush
7 minutes ago
President Bush demanded on Monday an immediate up-or-down Senate vote on John Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador, and top aides would not rule out Bush bypassing the Senate by issuing a "recess appointment" giving Bolton the post for 18 months.
"It's time for the Senate to give an up-or-down vote now," Bush said at a news conference with European Union leaders. "Well, put him in. If they're interested in reforming the United Nations, they ought to approve John Bolton."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hinted on Sunday that Bush could install Bolton to the U.N. post by appointing him during a congressional recess, which would allow him to serve through January 2007 without confirmation. "We'll see what happens this week," she told "Fox News Sunday."
Pressed on the possibility of a recess appointment, White House spokesman Scott McClellan did not rule it out, but said: "We continue to urge the Senate to let him have an up-or-down vote on the floor."
Senate Republicans have scheduled a procedural vote on Monday to try to break the deadlock over Bolton. But Democrats said they had enough votes to stall the nomination until the White House turns over information they have demanded about the nominee.
Many Democrats have criticized Bolton, the top U.S. diplomat for arms control and an outspoken critic of the United Nations, as a hard-line conservative ideologue. Bush described him as the right man to press for U.N. reforms.
"The American people know why I nominated him: because the U.N. needs reform. And I thought it made sense to send a reformer to the United Nations," Bush said.
"The U.N. is an important organization and the American people, I think, will understand how important it is when the U.N. is reformed and is held to account. And so we want more accountability and transparency and less bureaucracy. And John Bolton will help to achieve that mission," he added.
Bush has on occasion issued recess appointments to sidestep Senate opposition to his nominees. He could do so for Bolton during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday recess or during Congress' monthlong August break.
McClellan said there has been "a reasonable effort to reach a compromise" and urged Democrats in the Senate to "break with the ranks of their leadership" and agree to an up-or-down vote on Bolton's nomination.
"It's unfortunate that the Democratic leadership continues to block his nomination, particularly when he has majority support," McClellan said. "It's very clear now that the Democratic leadership is not interested in the information. They're only interested in blocking this nomination."
"Many Democrats have criticized Bolton, the top U.S. diplomat for arms control and an outspoken critic of the United Nations, as a hard-line conservative ideologue."
God forbid a conservative President be allowed to send an ideological colleague to the UN. Seriously though, isn't this demonization of everything conservative getting a bit tired? Can't the rats come up with anything more to say about Bolton other than simply stating his ideology in harsh terms?
Sounds good to me, no if only Karl Rove is lurking today.
personally I wanted to hold Bolton to force the Senate to get its act together and do their job.
But since they prefer to compare our military to Stalin, and question their honor as being up to the standards of self investigation...well, let's just say my opinion is rapidly falling back to my original position to bypass them.
To Hell with the Senate. Look at the rule books and find every possible way the Senate can be made irrelevent, then have Delay & Bush proceed in a joint effort to freeze them out.
BTTT
Republicans in the Senate will finally stand up on their hind legs
He DID NOT vote for Cloture.
Thanks for letting me know, Ernest. Phone time again.
I have a hunch I'll be sitting with the $100 for awhile.
Recess appointment over the July 4th holiday is in order...
All presidents have used the recess appoinment, some more than others.
In recent history Clinton used it an average of only 9 times per year compared to 20 for Bush 49 and 30 for Reagan.
So let's go Mr President. Tell the Senate Dems to get on board or get out of the way.
better late than never...
W should have done this a long time ago...
same applies to the judges...he should have "recess appointed" them years ago!
Bush did recess appoint many judges over the past few years, but unfortunately not enough around here pay attention to details like that.
maybe you didn't get the memo but you are on the "do not respond" list.
Your dogging me from thread to thread for months with your personal jabs and insults has grown verrrrrry old...
Either find something or someone else to ride but get off my back
In other words, I once again showed your comments to be nonsense. And ticked you off in the process. ROTFLMAO!!
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/09/senate.judges.ap/?section=cnn_topstories%5C%22
Pickering - recess appointment
You don't learn very quickly, do ya Devil Dog? See, here's the deal, my elder Californian. You post garbage on a public thread, I'm going to respond. No matter how loudly you cry or how quickly you run to pester JimRob and the mods.
This total includes more than judicial appointments, but it goes to show that these comments insinuating that Dubya hasn't done recess appointments simply don't fly.
Why? Because it would be considered torture?
Bush should have named Bolton via recess appointment 2 months ago. Now, even Pat Roberts is saying that to do so would send a "weakened candidate" to the U.N. Why the hell did he wait so long? Has he lost his backbone? Don't threaten the recess appointment, just DO it.
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