**Welcome James Wolcott readers. Jimmy thinks my idea of Bolton for president is “nutty.” This, of course, simply confirms my visionary brilliance.**
The John Bolton nomination to be our Ambassador to the UN is dead.
In the last update to my previous post today about Bolton, I noted today’s White House’s press release stating that they were indeed going to resubmit the Bolton nomination to the senate as one more thing the outgoing sessions could accomplish. I thought, okay, the president wouldn’t do that without knowing the outcome, and gee, he certainly wouldn’t submit the nom if he knew it was dead in the water.
Silly me. Final developments indicate that the president clearly had no idea what this lame duck senate (our highly touted Republican majority) would do, because it has now been made clear that the Bolton nomination will not get out of committee. Just like it never got out of committee. A committee run by Republicans.
No Plan for Bolton Confirmation in Senate
WASHINGTON — U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton won’t get a hearing before the 109th Congress adjourns, effectively killing any chance he would have of being confirmed for his post.
Members of the current Senate coming together next week in a lame duck session to vote on remaining spending bills left unfinished before the October campaign season, but they are not going to vote on Bolton, staff members for Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told FOX News on Thursday…Part of Bolton’s inability to get through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is the result of opposition from Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee.
While the news itself is terribly disappointing, what’s most revealing is what can be discerned between the lines from the White House notice it was submitting the nom, to the announcement from Senate Republicans that it would never get to the floor for a vote. All of this happened quickly, and in public, indicating that the president, his advisors and Senate Republicans aren’t even speaking.
This development is another embarrassment, another reminder to the people about what has gone wrong in Washington, the fact that everything is being decided based on meaningless power plays or agenda-based ‘gotcha’ politics.
Lincoln Chaffee’s position at this stage highlights how absolutely asinine everything has become. Here is a man who has just been fired because we haven’t liked what has been happening in Washington or how people like him have (not) done their job. And his answer to that? To go out playing the same obstructionist, petty, juvenile power games.
Hey Linc, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
And what can we hope for when it comes to Bolton, one of the very few, good, straight-talking men in Washington? Perhaps the president would like to see him in his cabinet (here I go again projecting logic into what the president might do). Or, as I noted earlier today, perhaps John Bolton is that Republican wild card I’ve been looking for when it comes to the 08 presidential race. Bolton. Romney. Giuliani. That’s a good start at least.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Completely on target, Tammy. This is truly disappointing, but it also reveals the character of the new sore losers: They still do not understand the message sent on Tuesday.
The fact the current Reps cannot even put aside their own obstructionist B.S., leave office with a bit of class by doing the right thing just further demonstrates the need to get rid of them. In fact, here’s one more good and decent person being thrown overboard by the current out-of-touch wing of the Republican Party.
I think what sickens me the most about the Republican losers casting aside Bolton is the fact that when the Dems get in, whoever is confirmed will carry the torch for the UN. God help our troops when it happens.
At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the nominee did wind up being Bill Clinton.
I want my party back. I am a converted democrat that left the disgrace of the Clinton administration and liked the traditional values espoused by the GOP.
The Bush Administration should take a look at the movie “Breaker Morant” ( see my comment in “Raising Arizona”, posted by Maynard ). All about character, conviction, and dignity.
My take on all this is that the mantle has been handed to the democratic party, and they will fail. I am certain of this, because they have moved so far left that their brand of socialism, quotas, entitlements, and synthetic fiscal science ( look in any Economics 101 course in America, Thomas Malthus wasn’t wrong, supply side economics is reality still, and the dems have never learned that) have not, will not, do not work.
The Republican party must return to it’s roots. Fiscal conservatism. Morally sound actions. Strength in our military, which includes unfettered espionage, military strength and presence abroad.
The biggest loser in the immediate is Israel. The democratic party has no strength of conviction to help them in their plight to exist. Hillary may talk a good talk now to hold the downstate Jewish vote in New York, but what will she really do on the national stage? And the loss of Tony Blair in March will spell an even further decline in the US presence and status with issues in the middle east.
Some important insight, as the Bush Administration leaps to extend the olive branch to the incoming democratic leadership:
http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/Pelosi.htm
Hint: Pelosi is already firming up her troops, and anyone who tried to work in a non-partisan way with the Republican leadership will be out.
I did not think a Republican President could be more liberal then Bush has been but he showed me how wrong I was. Bolton was by far the best thing Bush did the last 24 months! Bush’s move to the far left bodes ill for 08!
*OFF TOPIC COMMENT*
To all the men that have worn the Globe and Anchor, all the men who will so do in the future and most importantly to those giving their lives for freedom
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
“…First to fight for right and freedom…â€
Gung Ho!
An old exJarhead
This is OK! Bush can still get an increase in the minimum wage as proposed yesterday by the dems. and accepted by Bush! Possibly he should just change his name to Ben Dover…
It is too bad that both Bush and the Senate Republicans don’t have the guts and spine to fight for fellow Republicans or even their own appointees. But that is the reason why the voters handed them a small part of their rears on a platter on Tuesday, not the whole thing, just the hole.
I know the President is a lameduck, but he shouldn’t just rollover and play dead. Maybe this won’t end up being the last we see of John Bolton. I certainly hope not. For the next 2 years, I will resign myself to expect the worst and hope for the best when it comes to President Bush. Maybe a little less disappointing that way. Now, I think I’ll go and have a good, stiff drink. (I work nights so no–it’s not too early for that kind of thing.:))
This falls under the same heading as “you’re doing a great job Brownee”, and the Frist $100 dollars in everyones pocket as a solution to the energy fiasco. If you think the outgoing Senate Republicans are going to get anything done (except Christmas shopping) before Christmas break (which probably has already started) I have some smamp land in LA I want to sell.
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