JOHN BOLTON CONFIRMATION IS DEAD

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001632.php
September 08, 2006

Several well-placed sources close to the Bolton nomination process have reported to me that the Bolton confirmation process is now dead.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is "highly unlikely" to reconsider Bolton's confirmation again as things now stand.

One insider reported, as far as the Committee is concerned, "we consider the confirmation over. It's dead."

American diplomacy may get a boost in January. She's tough and not a darling of many progressives, but my vote is for Bush's next nominee to serve as US Ambassador to the United Nations is Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky.

Senator Lincoln Chafee gets this week's 'Conservative with a Conscience' Award for his principled stand on the importance of America's Middle East diplomacy and for making the Bolton confirmation process an appropriate vehicle to express his concerns.

-- Steve Clemons

Posted by steve at September 8, 2006 08:10 AM

Comments
Steve,

She has a very impressive resume, but I have to add that she did sign 1998 PNAC letter to Clinton urging military action to over Sadam. The signatories were Elliott Abrams,Richard L. Armitage,William J. Bennett, Jeffrey Bergner, John Bolton,Paula Dobriansky,Francis Fukuyama, Robert Kagan,Zalmay Khalilzad,William Kristol, Richard Perle, Peter W. Rodman, Donald Rumsfeld, William Schneider, Jr.,Vin Weber,Paul Wolfowitz, R. James Woolsey, and Robert B. Zoellick.

So if she is nominated, I do hope Senate Foreign Relations Committee asks her a lot of questions about what she now thinks, given events of eight years since that letter. As far as I know, only Fukuyama has recanted.

It's also interesting to note that she is the only female among the 18 who signed the PNAC letter. It probably is not relevant, but I'd like to know if she has children and if they are serving in the military. Women can be chicken hawks too.

Posted by: Linda at September 8, 2006 09:19 AM

And once his nomination is pulled, can the Democrats finally remove Charles Schumer from heading the Senate Campaign Committee. The fact that he would praise Bolton disqualifies him from a leadership position. Loyal opposition still means "opposition."


Posted by: Matthew at September 8, 2006 09:24 AM

Call me incredibly cyanical, but can Bush re-reappoint Bolton during a recess? Who "forces" Bolton out? Because if it's Congress...well...

I've noticed that Bush never, ever loses. Anything. When he's told to stop something, he doesn't. When told he's wrong in Iraq, he keeps going. I don't think he'll take this "failure" in a proper manner.

Posted by: Punchy at September 8, 2006 09:46 AM

Absolutely, Mr. Bolton can be reappointed during a recess. The consequences are that the appointee receives no pay and allowances for the term, however. This CRS report has more information. http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RS21308.pdf#search=%22recess%20appointment%22