Posted on 03/28/2007 3:37:41 PM PDT by Krankor
More than two years after losing his bid for the White House, Democratic Sen. John Kerry exacted a measure of revenge against his political foes Wednesday by helping derail the diplomatic nomination of a Republican fundraiser.
President Bush withdrew the nomination of St. Louis businessman Sam Fox to be ambassador to Belgium after Democrats denounced Fox for his 2004 donation to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
The group's TV ads, which claimed that Kerry, D-Mass., exaggerated his military record in Vietnam, were viewed as a major factor in Kerry losing the election.
Bush's action was announced quietly minutes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to have voted on the nomination.
"His nomination would not have passed today if the vote had been called up," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
During a confirmation hearing last month, Kerry grilled Fox about why he had given $50,000 to a group that was "smearing and spreading lies" about him. Kerry seemed to be seeking an apology but Fox didn't budge, saying he simply gave when asked.
"Sam Fox had every opportunity to disavow the politics of personal destruction and to embrace the truth," Kerry said Wednesday. "He chose not to. The White House made the right decision to withdraw the nomination. I hope this signals a new day in political discourse."
Fox, 77, is national chairman of the Jewish Republican Coalition and was deemed a "ranger" by Bush's 2004 campaign for raising at least $200,000. He is founder and chairman of the Clayton, Mo.-based Harbour Group, which specializes in the takeover of manufacturing companies.
Fox has donated millions of dollars to Republican candidates and causes since the 1990s.
Big-money contributors are often rewarded with ambassador posts. Contributions to political groups are rarely considered grounds for protest for fear there would be a tit-for-tat when the White House changes parties.
But the chorus of opposition to Fox grew louder a day before the vote was set, when Kerry's Vietnam crew mates sent a letter Tuesday urging committee members to oppose Fox's nomination.
"In our judgment, those who finance smears and lies of combat veterans don't deserve to represent America on the world stage," said the letter signed by 11 Vietnam Swift Boat veterans who served with Kerry.
Fueling the political undertones was the presence of three Democratic presidential hopefuls on the committee - the chairman, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.; and Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.
"I had serious concerns about Mr. Fox's candor, judgment and qualifications for this important post, and I am pleased that the Bush administration acknowledged that it would not be able to muster the votes to confirm his nomination," Obama said.
Even after the Feb. 27 confirmation hearing, Kerry gave Fox an opportunity to show contrition in responses to several written follow-up questions. Fox insisted he did not know how his money would be spent or exactly what message the Swift Boats were pushing.
"I did it because politically it's necessary if the other side's doing it," Fox told Kerry.
Too bad but predictable.
Might as well. At least Hillary has a pair.
Swiftboat doner dumped for helping get the truth out. Dark day for our country when an honorable man can't get past those harpies in the Senate.
Yep,I'm gonna vote for Hillary. Been looking for a good excuse. Now I have one.
It must be horrible to be so petty. Get over it John 'ffin!
I might get pounded for saying this but this next 2 years could signal the lowest point for conservatives in a generation. Wait til illegal immigration is rammed down our throats and we have 70 million new well healed citizens over the next 20 years.
Like father, like son.
Another thanks to Bush and McKook for this.
It must be horrible to be so petty. Get over it John 'ffin!
["Sam Fox had every opportunity to disavow the politics of personal destruction and to embrace the truth," Kerry said. . .]
It was the politics of self-destruction that doomed Kerry. It all began with that comedic salute at the Democratic Convention followed by staged Vietnam film clips. Thank God for the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
You can't be serious.
Who wounded them, originally?
"Wait til illegal immigration is rammed down our throats and we have 70 million new well healed citizens over the next 20 years."
Exactly!
Virtual ones anyway. What she has a physical pair of are nothing to write home about, and never were.
Nam Vet
I don't think that it's that petty. If I had a chance to take a swipe at a guy who funded the group that had a major hand in sinking my presidential bid, I probably would. Hell, I'd probably do whatever I could to put anyone connected to the Swift Boaters through the wringer.
If they were well healed, it wouldn't be a problem. They'd be paying for their own healthcare, paying taxes and spending money to boost the economy.
But what we'll have is a combination of a few thousands of well healed drug dealers, pimps, etc, and maybe 69.9+ million dirt poor parasites feeding at the public trough, for everything from health care to schooling for their kids, and not paying their share, or anything close to it. Meanwhile sending what disposable income they do have back to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc rather than pumping it into our economy.
Way to dance with the ones who brung ya, Mr. President.
Seriously, I wish the RINOs would get a pair.
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