Dayton Uncertain Of Bolton For U.N. Ambassador

WCCO.com ^ | 7/25/06 | AP

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Sen. Mark Dayton, who voted to block the nomination of John Bolton as U.N. ambassador last year, said he's keeping an open mind on the re-nomination this time but still needs to be persuaded that Bolton is the right man for the job.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing on Bolton Thursday. The committee will then decide whether to endorse the nomination before it goes to the full Senate for a possible vote.

President Bush used a recess appointment to name Bolton to the post last August after Democrats blocked a vote on the nomination. That appointment expires at the end of the year.

"I'm willing to look anew at what he's done," Dayton, D-Minn., said in a telephone interview. "I want to let the committee hearing fill the record on those pros and cons."

But Dayton said he was concerned about a recent New York Times story, which reported that foreign diplomats said that Bolton had alienated traditional allies with a combative style.

"Those descriptions echo what was said about Mr. Bolton before when he came to Senate initially," Dayton said. "Whatever the merits of his particular position, the way he conducts himself, the lack of respectful conduct backfires on him and the United States, and unfortunately reinforces the common perception that the U.S. believes that it has the right to do whatever it wants."

But Dayton said he wasn't leaning one way or the other at this point.

"I will have to be persuaded," he said. "I'll keep an open mind. I will follow with interest the hearing."

White House spokesman Alex Conant responded: "Ambassador Bolton is doing an excellent job at the U.N. during very challenging times. Senators are seeing the fruits of John Bolton's labor and so we're seeing stronger support for his nomination. We're hopeful that other senators will be open to taking a new look."

Hopes for winning Senate confirmation rose last week when Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican who voted against the nomination in committee last year, announced he no longer opposes Bolton's nomination.

[Buck W.]

"I will follow with interest the hearing."

Is English his first language?

[definitelynotaliberal]

If he's on the way out, why does he bother to flap his gums at all? It's not an idle curiosity. If you have an idea, I'd like to know.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

An asterisk on the butt of Minnesota history. A department store buffoon that would be best forgotten.

[Chuck54]

I wasn;'t thrilled with Bolton's nomination...

Just curious; why?

[Chuck54]

I didn't say that.

You are absolutely correct and please accept my apology.

I think the guy in the chicken suit you posted had me confused.

:-)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

WCCO called. It was time to sound senatorial.
Ask him again, how many Dayton Department Store millions did he spend for a senate seat ?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

He truly believes that people listen to him, respect him and that he CAN make a difference.

He's just whacked out.

[WorkingClassFilth]

OK, but if you ever find him in a dark alley alone...you know what your duty should be.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Trying to sound senatorial towards what end? Running for governor? Why disclose the parameters of your idiocy so casually?

[paudio]

Isn't Dayton leaving the Senate soon?

[gondramB]

>>I wasn;'t thrilled with Bolton's nomination...
--
Just curious; why?<<

I've got no love for the U.N. - in fact I'm not sure we should stay as a member.

But while we are there there are two things we sometimes get from the U.S. - occasionally we get something passed we want and sometimes we are able to use the U.N. to show we made a serious diplomatic effort before we do whatever we thought we should do in the first place.

I was concerned that Bolton was going to seem so aggressive that we wouldn't get either of those benefits.

But instead he has been great - tough in U.N. reform, consistent in presenting the President's policy and keeping our policy the issue - not his personality.

I'm also happy to admit I was wrong thinking Tony Snow would be overpowered by the press secretary job - you can really see a positive difference there.

Sometimes its good to be wrong.

[definitelynotaliberal]

He must be whacked out if he thinks that uttering nonsense on the way out is the way to make a difference.

[WorkingClassFilth]

He really and truly is a pinhead. If I recall correctly, he dropped something like $7 million of his personal fortune buying that seat. He tried to buy political office before, but the last time the Red Star paper helped him out and they splashed a scandal story about Rod Grams son in the week before the election.

I assume Marky is one of the silver spoon boomers who were converted to Marxism during their college years. There are several other MN families with wealthy scions who became overboard leftists in the sixties. Fortunately, Marky is such an obvious imbecile that even in the US Senate he remains an essentially powerless turd.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

U.N. reform,

Bwahahahahaha!!! What the hell is that? Has anybody ever seen or heard of such a thing? I think there are more confirmed Bigfoot sightings than there are instances of "U.N. reform".

[Mr. Jeeves]

But Dayton said he was concerned about a recent New York Times story...

Dayton is a liar. Any US Senator has access to inside information about the job performance of a figure like Bolton that the New York Times couldn't possibly know. Dayton just wants his good buddy Pinch to share the blame for his upcoming "Nay" vote.

[gondramB]

>>Bwahahahahaha!!! What the hell is that? Has anybody ever seen or heard of such a thing? I think there are more confirmed Bigfoot sightings than there are instances of "U.N. reform".<<

If you read up on what Bolton's been doing it's basically firmly saying "no we don't accept a delay in the deadline." You would think it wouldn't be that hard but I'm not sure a U.N. ambassador has ever done it before.

[ncfool]

Dayton is a Commie chicken. Sad that we shop at Dayton-Hudson (Target stores) same thing goes for Kohl of Wisconson.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I don't believe they've seen the likes of him, that's for sure.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

He's a lost soul.
He not only knows nothing, he suspects nothing.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Think of the good that just the interest on $7 milion could have produced for "the children..."