WASHINGTON, May 27, 2005

Condi: Bolton Has 'Rough Edges'

Secretary Of State Defends Embattled Nominee To U.N.

    • Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2005.

      Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2005.  (AP)

    • John Bolton

      John Bolton  (AP)

    • Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio

      Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio  (AP)

    Previous slide Next slide
  • Interactive United Nations

    For more than 60 years, the United Nations has struggled to forge peace, end poverty and heal the world.

  • Interactive The 109th Congress

    Meet the leaders and follow the action in the House and Senate.

  • Interactive Bush Presidency

    The president's agenda, plus facts, figures, major events and key personalities.

(CBS/AP)  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Friday that John R. Bolton has "rough edges" but said it was time for the Senate to approve his nomination to be U.N. ambassador so he can promote needed reform.

A day after Democrats forced the Republican-run Senate to delay a vote on Bolton until at least next month, Rice called him a "pretty tough person" but added, "There are many people who work for him who would walk through a wall for him."

Bolton has been accused of bullying intelligence officials whose analyses ran counter to his conservative views. His defenders have said he did not mistreat them and is entitled to disagree with intelligence estimates he receives.

Answering questions at the Commonwealth Club during a long weekend trip here, Rice cited the U.N. Human Rights Commission as a key example of why the world body needs an overhaul.

"When you have a commission on human rights and Sudan is on it, nobody can take it seriously," Rice said, referring to a country the Bush administration has accused of engaging in genocide.

"We need to send a strong voice for reform of the United Nations to the United Nations," Rice said.

Democrats have demanded that before the Senate votes on Bolton's nomination, the administration show lawmakers documents on his use of government intelligence on Syria. They also want documents about instances in which he requested names of U.S. officials whose communications were secretly picked up by an American spy agency.

The Democrats say they did this to protest the administration's refusal to give them information they demanded about some charges made against Bolton, reports CBS News Capitol Hill Correspondent Bob Fuss. Nothing angers senators more than to suggest that they can't be trusted, and Democrats say that's why they did this.

Continued



©MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Share:
  • Share
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Mixx

Exclusive Webshow

International recording artist Shakira on love, career and more. Watch Now

  • MOST POPULAR
Latest News
News in Pictures
Scroll Left Scroll Right
  • Day in Pictures Day in Pictures

    A Glimpse at the Day's News as seen through a Camera Lens

  • World AIDS Day 2009 World AIDS Day 2009

    Around the World, Awareness and Prevention of the Disease Take Center Stage

  • Celebrity Circuit Celebrity Circuit

    Natalie Portman, Stanley Tucci Honored at Gotham Awards

  • Day in Pictures Day in Pictures

    A Glimpse at the Day's News as seen through a Camera Lens

  • Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Clinton

    The Former First Daughter Grew Up in the White House and in the Public Eye

  • Celebrity Circuit Celebrity Circuit

    Katie Holmes at Dizzy Feet Gala; Plus, Kate Winslet, Keith Urban and Elisha Cuthbert

Connect with CBS News

Stay connected with the CBS News using your favorite social networks and online news applications: