Bush Standing Behind Bolton For U.N. Post

Despite Bipartisan Opposition, White House Continues To Push For Controversial U.N. Ambassador To Remain

(CBS/AP)  President Bush will not relent in his defense of John Bolton, his nominee for U.N. ambassador, despite unwavering opposition from Democrats who view Bolton as too combative for international diplomacy, aides said Sunday.

Two of President Bush's top advisers said the White House is not backing down from a fight to win Senate approval for Bolton to continue in the job. Mr. Bush gave Bolton the job temporarily in August 2005 while Congress was in recess. That appointment will expire when Congress adjourns, no later than January.

White House counselor Dan Bartlett said Bolton has done a remarkable job. "He's proven the critics wrong on all the charges they've leveled against him," Bartlett said. "So let's have a conversation about it. We'll see."

The White House resubmitted Bolton's nomination on Thursday, though it has languished in the Senate for more than a year. Finding a replacement for Bolton would come at a sensitive time for the Bush administration. It is counting heavily on U.N. diplomacy to help confront North Korea and Iran over their nuclear programs and to end fighting in Sudan's Darfur region.

With Democrats capturing control of the next Congress, Bolton's chances of winning confirmation appear slim at best. In fact, last week the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), said he saw "no point in considering Mr. Bolton's nomination again."

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was more succinct: "Forget about John Bolton," he
told CBS chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation. "The Republicans didn't have enough votes to get the guy out of committee [before the Democrats take control]. So I think we should go to things that we can work together on."

In spite of the lack of committee votes, White House chief of staff Josh Bolten said Sunday that "We're putting him up for confirmation.

"I think if he actually was able to get a vote in the full Senate, he would succeed," he said.

Yet Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), who lost on Election Day, said he would not end his opposition to Bolton. That probably would deny Republicans the votes needed to move the nomination from committee to the full Senate. Republicans now lack the 60 votes needed to force a vote.

Democrats say Bush should alter course now and nominate someone less hard-charging, with greater finesse in handling sensitive diplomatic matters.

"There's a lot of competent people. Send someone new up, Mr. President," Biden said Sunday.

"He doesn't even have the votes in the committee. He doesn't even have the votes of a Republican-controlled committee today," Biden said. "We're going to have a hearing on him. There is going to be a vote on him. He's going to lose."

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who is in line to head the Armed Services Committee, agreed. "We would rely very heavily upon the Foreign Relations Committee, and they have not decided that he is the appropriate person for that job," Levin said.

In the president's view, however, Bolton "has turned out to be a very effective representative at the U.N. and, in fact, has turned out to be something his critics expected him not to be," Bolten said. "He's turned out to be a good consensus builder, and it's been reflected on resolutions on North Korea, in Lebanon, in other ways."

Bush's chief of staff played down speculation the administration might go around the Senate and allow Bolton to somehow continue to represent the U.S. at the United Nations by finding an alternative means of paying his salary or appointing him to serve as an acting or deputy U.N. representative.

"I don't know about that," Bolten said. "Our effort is going to be to try to get him confirmed in the ordinary course."

Bolten, Biden and Levin appeared on ABC's "This Week." Bartlett was on "Fox News Sunday."

[pakaal]

Ah yes, janeymcgreevey1, nazi this, fascist that. Here's a reminder of the signs of fascism - see how many fit the actions of the current administration and lame-duck Congress:

- Powerful and continuing nationalism
- Disdain for Human Rights
- Identification of Enemies / Scapegoats as a unifying cause
- Supremacy of the military
- Rampant Sexism
- Controlled mass media
- Obsession with National Security
- Religion and Government are intertwined
- Corporate Power is protected
- Labor power is suppressed
- Disdain for Intellectuals & the Arts
- Obsession with crime & Punishment
- Rampany Cronyism & Corruption
- Fraudulent Elections

You're looking in the mirror, janemcgreevey1.

[janeymcgreev]

nice to hear the nazis crying about bolton. They just cannot stomach someone speaking up for this country, despite the pelosis, the reids, and the murthas. So with Rumsfeld gone, Bolton will be the target.

Of course the Dem Nazis most fervent wish is to get someone like James "F The Jews" Baker at the UN. Not only would that make Howie Dean and George Soros happy, it might dry up Gay Nazi Lamont's tears for getting shallacked in the election.

Remember, Dems, the ONLY reason so many Dems got elected was because of Iraq. Drop in moddycuddlying ILLEGALS, raising our taxes, emasculating our defenses - and you will be out looking in, maybe even permanently next time around. Webb and Lieberman were voted because they are supposedly Centrists - we shall see.

In the meantime, President Bush, don't waffle - stand by Bolton. After all, look who the Dems gave us at the UN - Andy Young and Miss Piggy and Kim Il Jong's favorite boy, Bill Richardson.

[meboard]

Is Bolton crying in the picture...he looks like he's about to break-down?

[meboard]

"Bolt-man you do'n a really good job! I'm go'na keep you around to the end of my term...you, ***...Rummie...Browney, the whole team! And you can take that to the bank...I'm the decider--I decide!!!"

[jn122736]

The authority for a president to make temporary appointments when congress is not in session, is not only a very good rule, it can be vital if the appointment is needed immediately before congress can consider and approve.

However, for a president to invoke this authority merely to get around the will of the congress is wrong. I will not speak to the validity of the reasoning for congress not approving Bolton before but if congress backs down on Bolton now they will be saying bush was not wrong and it will further encourage future presidents to do likewise.

Members of congress, especially members of the president%u2019s own party may not all feel insulted but I believe the American people are also being insulted.

[awenshok]

No surprise Georgie,the patron saint of lost causes is still supporting Bully Bolton. After all, this is the face of the US we want the world to see, isn't it?
Happen to see the reports that Vietnam is rounding up homeless children? Inaccurate the gov't says. They were just to get the unelected Republican Senators and Congressmen off the street so no bad impressions would be drawn. Miss you guys!

[pendragon679]

janey, dear:

Anyone who can, with a straight face, equate the ideals of the Democratic Party with Fascism doesn't deserve a response; but I'll give you one, anyway.

How DO you drive with your head so far up your ***?

[diamtool]

bush backs bolton- ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
what's next nominate JEB! for the job?????!!!
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

s c o r e b o a r d !!!!

NEXT EPISODE:
Georgie goes off to Vietnam later this week!
While Poppy's team now tries to get him out of THIS war!

OH The Irony !!

[jn122736]

heartlight3,

Thanks for your answer to my previous question. It is heartening to hear there are indeed others reading and or posting on this site, even if they don%u2019t post often.

There are several reasons people sometimes use foul-mouth, bitter, and antagonistic words, including but not limited to%u2026.

1. Momentary anger: Usually short-lived.
2. Characteristic behavior: Aimed at anybody, especially at safe distances from immediate physical response, (such as this comment section).
3. Ulterior motives: Trying to disrupt useful debate. Divert attention from facts. Change the subject, or whatever.

As long as they can entice a response they are being successful.
Posters like JaneyMcgreev, as just one example, are obvious because they use the same approach all over this site.


The best answer in most cases is no response at all.
Even a child will stop screaming when he/she realizes no one is listening.

[rharrin1]

Noahgene

Yes the democrats voted for it but only after bush LIED to congress of WMD and links to TERRORISTS there were republicans that would have voted the other way if they had not been LIED to.