Democrats pledge to fight Bolton nod

[Stephanie]

Yepper....This coming from the party accusing the Republican of being the Divider not the Uniter....... And their proud of themselves for it...Even though the polls show that the American people are happy with Bolton in there.........
By Eric Pfeiffer
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
July 24, 2006


Senate Democrats have promised a "bruising fight" over the administration's nomination of John R. Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Mr. Bolton's nomination was sent out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last year without a positive recommendation after Sen. George V. Voinovich, Ohio Republican, voted against him. Democrats then twice filibustered a vote on his confirmation once the nomination was sent to the Senate floor, forcing President Bush to make a recess appointment to fill the vacancy.
Mr. Bolton's temporary appointment is set to expire this fall, when Congress adjourns. However, the Senate has scheduled a debate this week on extending Mr. Bolton's appointment through the end of the Bush administration. On Thursday, Mr. Voinovich announced that he no longer is opposed to Mr. Bolton, all but guaranteeing that his nomination will be sent to the Senate floor with a positive recommendation.
"I think Senator Voinovich's announcement was -- obviously, I much appreciated it, and I think it represents a fairly dramatic change in the political dynamic in the Senate," Mr. Bolton told "Fox News Sunday."
However, some Democrats have continued to express opposition to his nomination.
While appearing on CNN's "Late Edition" yesterday, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd was asked whether he could now support Mr. Bolton's nomination.
"No, this is going to be a bruising fight," said the Connecticut Democrat and Foreign Relations panel member. "I regret this. I'm sorry the administration wants to go forward with this. The problems still persist. ... Many ambassadors at the U.N. feel that he hasn't done a good job there. He has polarized the situation."
Democrats have not said whether they intend to filibuster the nomination again. However, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., the ranking member on the Foreign Relations Committee, hinted that a filibuster was possible.
"Instead of wasting time and playing politics, the administration should nominate someone else to take Mr. Bolton's place," the Delaware Democrat said.
Mr. Biden said he will continue to demand access to administration documents withheld from Mr. Bolton's nomination last year. Mr. Biden said the Bolton nomination should not get a confirmation vote "unless the administration provides the Senate with the documents it is entitled to see."
When asked about his prospects, Mr. Bolton told Fox, "All of the Republicans, I think, are now supportive, and I think a number of Democrats will be as well. So we'll do this one step at a time, have a hearing this coming Thursday and see what happens after that. I think the main thing is allowing the nomination to come to a vote on the floor of the Senate."
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060723-115323-7927r.htm

 

[Bonnie]

Considering his latest achievements at the UN.. to the dems I say run faster pussycat run and show more of your obstructionism for the sake of hating Bush obstructionism and see how well that plays out with voters

 

[musicman]

Considering his latest achievements at the UN.. to the dems I say run faster pussycat run and show more of your obstructionism for the sake of hating Bush obstructionism and see how well that plays out with voters

My sentiments exactly, Bonnie. The Democrats simply don't grasp how far out of the mainstream they are. The ordinary American citizen is - to their everlasting befuddlement - just not wetting his pants, fretting about our image abroad. Rather, he sees a John Bolton calling rank horseshit by its proper name, and shouts, "It's about time; what the hell KEPT you guys??!!"

For a time, I worried that some wide-awake liberal might recognize the fatal futility of the "Hate America First" mindset, and work on at least PROJECTING THE IMAGE of someone whose head is not completely buried in his ass. Some of them - like Hillary - are certainly devious enough. But, I don't worry about it so much anymore. I've come to believe that A) paying even lip service to the concept of American interests, existing apart from those of that august world body - that slithering gang of maggots known as the U.N. - would entail a fundamental, inconceivable change in the liberal core self, and B) "wide-awake liberal" is a contradiction in terms.

 

[Annie]

Ah but the voters get it:


http://www.nysun.com/article/36756

Schumer and Clinton Pressed To Reappoint Bolton

BY RUSSELL BERMAN - Staff Reporter of the Sun
July 26, 2006


As the Senate prepares to consider anew the nomination of John Bolton as United Nations ambassador, Senators Schumer and Clinton are facing increasing pressure from pro-Israel groups to renounce another Democratic filibuster in light of the escalating war in the Middle East.

The Foreign Relations Committee is set to hold a hearing on the nomination tomorrow, and several Democrats on the panel have voiced their unswerving opposition to Mr. Bolton's nomination.

From New York's senators, however, there has been nothing but silence. Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Clinton voted to block Mr. Bolton's confirmation a year ago, but they have not declared their positions this time around.

Aides to both senators did not respond to repeated inquiries about the Bolton nomination over the last three days.

One Jewish leader may have an idea why. The president of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, said yesterday that "important friends" of Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Clinton have confided to him that the senators are "seriously reconsidering" their position on Mr. Bolton. Mr. Klein, in a telephone interview, would not disclose the names of the friends, saying they had not given him permission to do so.

"If they came out against him, I would be somewhat surprised," Mr. Klein said of the New York senators. "I think there's a reasonable chance they might support him this time around."

He added, however, that "with politics, you never know."

Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Clinton have both made strong statements in support of Israel following attacks by Hezbollah and the ensuing war with Lebanon.

A shift by the senators would likely dash any hopes of another Democratic filibuster of Mr. Bolton and would point to a sizable political ramification of the crisis in the Middle East.

Mr. Bolton has served at the U.N. post without legislative backing since President Bush appointed him during a congressional recess last August. Discussion of his nomination resumed last week when Senator Voinovich, a Republican of Ohio, said he had changed his mind and would vote to confirm Mr. Bolton.

Mr. Voinovich had been the lone Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee opposed to Mr. Bolton, and his vote last year resulted in the nomination being sent to the Senate floor without committee approval.

Democrats twice blocked the nomination from receiving a full vote as part of a standoff with the White House over the administration's refusal to release classified National Security Agency intercepts that Mr. Bolton had asked to see while he served in the State Department. Lawmakers also cited Mr. Bolton's brusque management style and his earlier criticisms of the United Nations as obstacles to his confirmation.

The committee chairman, Senator Lugar of Indiana, seized on Mr. Voinovich's reversal last week and immediately scheduled a hearing on the nomination for tomorrow.Six of the eight Democrats on the committee responded with statements standing by their opposition to Mr. Bolton, but the minority leader, Senator Reid of Nevada, has not committed to another filibuster attempt.

Jewish leaders who support Mr. Bolton said they hope the war in the Middle East will take precedent over a stalemate between Democrats and the White House on the release of classified documents that led to a filibuster last year.

"Given the fact that we face a world today where every decision every day seems to count, we cannot allow any disruption in who plays the lead role in representing the United States," the chairman of the American Jewish Congress, Jack Rosen, said. "This is not a time for a void.It is not a time to take away someone who's represented us well at the United Nations, putting aside for the moment any squabbles or disagreements with the administration."

Mr. Rosen said he has written letters to members of the Foreign Relations Committee urging their support, and that he hopes the lack of a statement from Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Clinton is an indication that they are changing their position. "I think they would understand that the Jewish community is supporting Bolton and that when you represent a large Jewish community in New York, politics matters," he said.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

My sentiments exactly, Bonnie. The Democrats simply don't grasp how far out of the mainstream they are. The ordinary American citizen is - to their everlasting befuddlement - just not wetting his pants, fretting about our image abroad. Rather, he sees a John Bolton calling rank horseshit by its proper name, and shouts, "It's about time; what the hell KEPT you guys??!!"

For a time, I worried that some wide-awake liberal might recognize the fatal futility of the "Hate America First" mindset, and work on at least PROJECTING THE IMAGE of someone whose head is not completely buried in his ass. Some of them - like Hillary - are certainly devious enough. But, I don't worry about it so much anymore. I've come to believe that A) paying even lip service to the concept of American interests, existing apart from those of that august world body - that slithering gang of maggots known as the U.N. - would entail a fundamental, inconceivable change in the liberal core self, and B) "wide-awake liberal" is a contradiction in terms.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to musicman again."