Updated
Senator George Voinovich penned a Washington Post editorial in which he reversed his original position on John Bolton and announced he will in fact support Bolton's confirmation as UN Ambassador at his confirmation hearing on July 27th:
Ambassador Bolton's appointment expires this fall when the Senate officially recesses. Should the president choose to renominate him, I cannot imagine a worse message to send to the terrorists -- and to other nations deciding whether to engage in this effort -- than to drag out a possible renomination process or even replace the person our president has entrusted to lead our nation at the United Nations at a time when we are working on these historic objectives.
The Democrats don't seem to care what message they send to the terrorists because they plan on fighting tooth and nail to block Ambassador Bolton's confirmation as UN Ambassador:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut on Sunday promised a bruising fight in the U.S. Senate against confirming John Bolton to be the country's ambassador to the United Nations.
President George W. Bush bypassed the Senate and installed Bolton into the position last year when lawmakers were on recess.The Senate Foreign Relations Committee scheduled a confirmation hearing on Bolton for Thursday after Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich, who previously opposed the nomination, expressed support for Bolton.
"This is going to be a bruising fight," Dodd said on CNN's "Late Edition" program. "I'm sorry the administration wants to go forward with this."
He argued that problems Democrats had raised last year were not resolved. They blocked the nomination amid accusations Bolton in his previous job as the top U.S. diplomat for arms control had bullied intelligence analysts.
"The problems still persist. Many ambassadors at the U.N. feel he hasn't done a good job there," said Dodd, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "It's polarized the situation."
Bolton's appointment expires in January when the current congressional session formally ends. While Bush could reappoint him, he would not be paid.
As we navigate our way through the problems in the Middle East and North Korea, we need John Bolton, a man with backbone, in the UN to stand up for America's interests.
Update: Greg at Outside the Beltway sees the Dems losing on this one too: "Is it just me, or do the Democrats get spanked every time they promise a tough confirmation battle?" No, Greg, it's not you.
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Comments (10)
If Bolton doesn't play well... (Below threshold)1. Posted by dex | July 24, 2006 9:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If Bolton doesn't play well with the other nitwits at the UN, that's the best recommendation he could get for the job.
1. Posted by dex | July 24, 2006 9:19 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 21:19
2. Posted by Oyster | July 24, 2006 9:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Many ambassadors at the U.N. feel he hasn't done a good job there," said Dodd, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee."
Whassa matter? Can't conduct "business as usual"?
2. Posted by Oyster | July 24, 2006 9:35 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 21:35
3. Posted by serfer | July 24, 2006 10:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Lets review dodering doddsstatement. He received a prize for his pormance at the un.
Thenation needs a Loyal Opposition party and the kommiecrats aren't it...
3. Posted by serfer | July 24, 2006 10:13 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 22:13
4. Posted by jp | July 24, 2006 10:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
This is a political gift to the GOP, if Frist has any sense and plays this right.
4. Posted by jp | July 24, 2006 10:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 24, 2006 22:42
5. Posted by nell | July 25, 2006 12:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yes, by all means, bring us some whiny U.N. ambassadors to complain about how they have nightmares about big moustaches, and how they flinch whenever Bolton looks like he might put his hands on his hips. Let's hear from as many sympathetic Democrats as possible.
Let's see lots of that. I can't get enough.
5. Posted by nell | July 25, 2006 12:11 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 00:11
6. Posted by Scrapiron | July 25, 2006 1:51 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Dodd is a pompous ass and the voters that send him to congress should be confined to a mental institution immediately.
The only person worse is Hanoi John Kerry, he's not pompous, he's just an a**. He's complaining about Rush Limbaugh again. Is that the most important thing in his life? He's also slandering everyone who has not spent "four whole months" in combat before cutting and running. What an idiot.
6. Posted by Scrapiron | July 25, 2006 1:51 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 01:51
7. Posted by Spoons | July 25, 2006 7:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It really makes no sense that this should be a confirmable position in the first place. The Framers really dropped the ball on the appointments clause.
7. Posted by Spoons | July 25, 2006 7:54 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 07:54
8. Posted by hermie | July 25, 2006 7:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmmm...Bolton tells a corrupt and hypocritical group of pampered bureaucrats that they are a bunch of corrupt and hypocritical bureaucrats.
and the problem that Dodd has with that is..oh yeah, Bolton's not 'nuanced' enough for the UN.
8. Posted by hermie | July 25, 2006 7:59 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 07:59
9. Posted by 914 | July 25, 2006 11:12 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I hope Bolton wants the job? That place sure stinks to high hell.
9. Posted by 914 | July 25, 2006 11:12 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 11:12
10. Posted by Big D | July 25, 2006 12:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The only person worse is Hanoi John Kerry, he's not pompous, he's just an a**.
Whoa, scrapiron, your being much to hard on John Kerry. He's plenty pompous.
10. Posted by Big D | July 25, 2006 12:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 25, 2006 12:40