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| Bolton's last ally abandons him to his fate |
| 2006-11-11 |
| Chafee was an ally. Who'da thunk it? Wowsers. The Independent. The final word in US political analysis. If you don't count the PakiWaki Daily Slimes and the Arab News. The beleaguered George Bush looks certain to lose another senior appointment - his controversial envoy to the United Nations, John Bolton. The administration's only real hope of reconfirming Ambassador Bolton lay in securing the support of the Republican senator Lincoln Chafee, a moderate from Rhode Island who lost his seat on Tuesday and will stand down at the end of the year. But Mr Chafee has said he will not support Mr Bolton's appointment. Mr Chafee said he believed that the American public had sent a clear message and that he was obliged to listen. "To confirm Mr Bolton to the position of UN ambassador would fly in the face of the clear consensus of the country that a new direction is called for. I have long believed that the go-it-alone philosophy that has driven this administration's approach to international relations has damaged our leadership position in the world," he said. Mr Bolton, a former under secretary of state accused by critics of falsely making the case for war against Iraq, was appointed on a temporary basis by Mr Bush in the summer of 2005. His confirmation had been vehemently opposed by Democrats who launched a filibuster that prevented the issue coming to a vote. Mr Bolton's temporary appointment expires in 2007. It is unclear what the White House now intends to do. On Thursday, the White House resubmitted Mr Bolton's nomination to the Senate, aware that if it was forced to find a replacement it would come as the UN is heavily involved in issues ranging from North Korea's nuclear testing to the continuing violence in Darfur. "He has been extraordinarily effective up there at the UN and now is not the time to have a gap in your UN ambassador," said a State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack. But Democrats indicated that should the Senate - still under Republican control until the end of the year - try to proceed with Mr Bolton's appointment when it reconvenes next week, they would again be prepared to launch a filibuster to prevent the issue coming to a vote. As it stands, the Republicans are three votes short of the 60 they need to force a vote on the issue. Senator Joseph Biden, the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee and the man who will become its chairman next year, told the Associated Press: "I see no point in considering Mr Bolton's nomination again in the Foreign Relations Committee because regardless of what happens there, he is unlikely to be considered by the full Senate." Let the decline begin. And I can't think of a better place for it than the UN. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #13 GW could re-appoint Bolton, but Bolton would be required to serve without a gov't paycheck. |
| Posted by: OyVey 1 2006-11-11 20:00 |
| #12 Chaffee disloyal liberal asshole to the end. Yeah thats redundant but it flows. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-11 15:58 |
| #11 Actually there is a move afoot to appoint Bolton to a non-confirmed postion as an assistant Secretary of State for the paycheck. Then recess appoint him continuously to the UN with no pay. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-11 15:57 |
| #10 Here's an idea. Appoint no one to the UN. If the Dems won't confirm anyone good then why bother at all? |
| Posted by: Glulet Claving2144 2006-11-11 15:15 |
| #9 Jackal, Bush can do it but the law sez he wouldn't get paid on a second recess appointment. I'll donate to pay him. Anyone else in? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-11-11 13:17 |
| #8 Jackal, Bush can do it but the law sez he wouldn't get paid on a second recess appointment. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-11-11 11:59 |
| #7 This is where we see if Bush has any balls what so ever left. Bolton needs to stay. I'm not holding my breath. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2006-11-11 10:50 |
| #6 Why not simply wait until It wouldn't make the points your plans would do, but would get the man he wants in the position he wants. I'd prefer achieving something to scoring points. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2006-11-11 10:40 |
| #5 Since the UN is all about political theater, maybe we should look for potential appointees in an unconventional but similiar venue: Professional Wrestling. How about Jesse Ventura or Hulk Hogan as US ambassador to the United Nations? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-11-11 10:38 |
| #4 Or have fun with the position. Nominate Rush Limbaugh. Then nominate G. Gordon Liddy. Then nominate Bolton again. Then nominate the winner of a Republican fund-raising lottery. Hold a bake sale contest; the bake sale with the largest sales can nominate someone to the position. Make it clear that if the Donks are going to treat the job as a joke, it'll be a joke. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-11-11 09:38 |
| #3 I, for one, would like to see GW leave the UN post vacant for the next two years. Congress doesn't like Bolton, so let's see how they like the Invisible Man. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-11-11 08:49 |
| #2 the Reps should remove Chafee from the committee and revote on Bolton. He's toast, no need to pretend he was other than a closet-Donk giving the Reps the finger his entire short career. F*ck him, ungrateful prick |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-11-11 07:14 |
| #1 Let's hope Chafee gets his and goes down a pauper. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-11-11 01:49 |