Statement By RNC Press Secretary Tracey Schmitt On Democrats’ Continued Obstruction Of John Bolton

Republican National Committee ^ | June 20, 2005

[RWR8189]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tracey Schmitt
202-863-8614

“It's disappointing that Senate Democrats are more committed to obstructionism than they are to reforming the United Nations. President Bush nominated John Bolton because he is the right man to reform the United Nations and he has clear majority support. By continuing to put partisan politicking above the interest of the American people, Democrats in Washington show their true colors, and where their priorities lie.”

- RNC Press Secretary Tracey Schmitt

John Bolton Has Spent A Lifetime Working Towards U.N. Reform And Towards Making The World Safer:

Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) On John Bolton’s Nomination: “The Foreign Relations Committee has interviewed 29 witnesses, producing approximately one thousand pages of transcripts. We have received and reviewed more than 830 pages of documents from the State Department, USAID, and the CIA regarding the Bolton nomination. We have questioned Secretary Bolton in person for 7 hours, and we have received responses to nearly 100 questions for the record, many containing numerous sub-parts. The depth and breadth of the 11-week inquiry is particularly notable given that Secretary Bolton has been confirmed four times by the Senate already and that most of us have had personal experiences with him.” (Sen. Richard Lugar, Lugar Floor Statement On The Nomination Of John Bolton To Be U.S. Ambassador To The United Nations,” Press Release, 5/25/05)

“John Bolton Has Done Pro-Bono Work For The United Nations In Africa And Worked Closely And Effectively With The United Nations As Assistant Secretary Of State For International Organizations From 1989 To 1992.” (U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee, “John Bolton - Bringing A Reform Agenda To The U.N.,” 4/5/05)

“John Bolton Was The President’s Point Person In Designing The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).” “Over 60 nations are now working together to share intelligence and are taking action to stop the transfer of dangerous weapons. The PSI was instrumental in getting Libya to make the strategic decision to abandon its WMD programs.” (U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee, “John Bolton - Bringing A Reform Agenda To The U.N.,” 4/5/05)

What Supporters Say About John Bolton:

Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice: “[B]olton Is The Right Person To Be The United States Ambassador To The United Nations, At What Is A Really Quite Critical Time.” (Sec. Condoleezza Rice, Press Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania, 4/20/05)

Former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher: “I Strongly Support [Bolton’s] Nomination As US Ambassador To The United Nations. ... A Capacity For Straight Talking Rather Than Peddling Half-Truths Is A Strength And Not A Disadvantage In Diplomacy.” (Margaret Thatcher, Former British Prime Minister, Letter To John Bolton, 5/4/05)

Former Cabinet Secretaries And Ambassadors, Including Former U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick And Former Secretaries Of State James Baker, George Shultz And Henry Kissinger “Urged That The Senate Act Expeditiously To Confirm John Bolton.” (Former Assistant Secretary Of State David Abshire, Former Director Of The Arms Control Disarmament Agency Kenneth Adelman, Former Assistant To The President For National Security Richard Allen, Former Secretary Of State James Baker, Former Secretary Of Defense Frank Carlucci, Former Secretary Of State Lawrence Eagleburger, Former Secretary Of State Al Haig, Former Ambassador And Head Of The U.S. Delegation To The Negotiations With The Soviet Union On Nuclear And Space Arms Max Kampelman, Former Ambassador To The United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick, Former Secretary Of State Henry Kissinger, Former Secretary Of Defense James Schlesinger, Former Secretary Of State George Shultz And Former State Department Counselor For The State Department Helmut Sonnenfeldt, Letter To Senator Richard Lugar, 4/5/05)

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Has Expressed Concern That The Treatment Of John Bolton Was “Totally Unjustified.” “I’m concerned in that I remember very well the John Tower experience, where he died a death of a thousand cuts and was totally unjustified.” (CNN’s “Inside Politics,” 4/20/05)

[nopardons]

bttt

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this!

[sirthomasthemore]

Hey, from my perspective, Bolton got 56 out of 100 votes- that's a simple majority and all that's required for confirmation.

So, when July 4th comes around, Dubya should just bow to the will of the Senate majority and appoint him to the position.

Next case. Let's deal with a more important matter- the expulsion from the Senate of the treasonous Durbin.

[Ron in Acreage]

Time for Bush to recess appoint him and get it over with. Then Bush can prove all the leftie hate america types wrong. Again.

[Waco]

Betcha the Pubs committ to no recess apts. or no recess occurs. The RATS are that desparate on this.

[upchuck]

That's a pretty wimpy-assed comment by Tracey.

Oh, wait! Tracey's a pubbie. Nevermind.

IMHO, it's time to breath a little fire and brimstone on this one.