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Voinovich Has 'New Outlook' on Bolton Nomination
(CNSNews.com) - "We've received reassurances from very reliable sources that Senator [George] Voinovich has obtained a new and fair outlook on the Bolton nomination." So says Move America Forward, a group that strongly supports Bolton's nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, joined Democrats in expressing concern about Bolton's dealings with co-workers and underlings. That forced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to postpone a vote that would have sent Bolton's nomination to the full Senate for anticipated confirmation. "At this point in time we believe John Bolton's nomination will progress from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Mr. Bolton will be able to receive an up-or-down vote from the full U.S. Senate - which is the way it should be," said Howard Kaloogian, co-chairman of Move America Forward. Move America Forward said it spent tens of thousands of dollars airing radio ads throughout the state of Ohio on more than a dozen news/talk radio stations. The ads ran from April 21-25, and the pressure tactic apparently worked. "On Thursday, the day the ads began running, Voinovich's office phones were jammed with callers and computer e-mail in-baskets were clogged with messages related to the Bolton confirmation. It was no better Friday," Move America Forward said in an email message. Move America Forward says the attacks on John Bolton stem not from his qualifications, but from a "smear campaign" by anti-Bush Democrats. "The U.N. has its lowest approval ratings in the history of the organization, and John Bolton is exactly the kind of strong, pro-American ambassador we need to take on the corruption and anti-Americanism that is becoming a dominant presence at the U.N., Move America Forward said. Move America Forward board members are now mulling an "effort to persuade" Democrats Sens. Russ Feingold (Wis.) and Bill Nelson (Fla.) into voting for Bolton. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote on Bolton's nomination on May 12. So far, all eight Democrats on the committee have opposed Bolton's nomination; and a tie vote would result if even one of the committee's 10 Republicans were to vote against him. It's still not clear what Republican Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.) and Chuck Hagel (Neb.) will do on May 12. Posted by: Steve 2005-04-27 |
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