Citing change in Honduras policy, DeMint ends holds on nominees

[Judi Lynn]

Source: McClatchy newspapers

Posted on Thursday, November 5, 2009
Citing change in Honduras policy, DeMint ends holds on nominees

By Lesley Clark | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — An outspoken critic of the Obama administration's handling of the crisis in Honduras late Thursday dropped his opposition to two State Department nominees, saying that the administration has reversed course.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint said on the Senate floor that he'd spoken with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who told him that the administration would recognize the election Nov. 29 in Honduras, "regardless of whether former President Manuel Zelaya is returned to office."

"I am happy to report the Obama administration has finally reversed its misguided Honduran policy and will fully recognize the Nov. 29 elections," DeMint said, noting that the stance means he'll lift his objection to the nominations of Arturo Valenzuela to be assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs and Thomas Shannon to be the U.S. ambassador to Brazil.

At Valenzuela's confirmation hearing July 8, DeMint argued that the administration had made the wrong call by pushing for ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's return to power.

DeMint said Thursday, however, that he'd spoken with Clinton and Shannon, who'd told him that the U.S. would recognize the outcome of the Honduran elections regardless of whether Zelaya is reinstated.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/78437.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Photo of Jim DeMint, who was asked NOT to go to Honduras to huddle with bloody dictator Micheletti:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com.nyud.net:8090/2609/3987526797_ef1ee1e2da.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_FxCl-zDjIOQ/StIvAkHh02I/AAAAAAAAEcU/QtxOfPZYNn8/s400/Demint.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_A455oFVnY5s/SsksiC5NOKI/AAAAAAAAAUA/PYtIBQLwUO0/s320/jim%27swaterloo.jpg

[wisteria]

2. I don't believe this. He is spinning this to justify holding up these two

nominees. And, our policy was not misguided- DeMint's going against the administration's policies was not only misguided but wrong.

[karynnj]

3. I'm not sure what the exact US policy is now

In fact, since the coup, it seems every time I think I know the policy - the next statement out of the state department is contrary to what I thought. I think there was an internal fight over our policy - likely because Obama made a big break in not accepting the RW coup, something we've done in the past. (Had a Democrat in 2005 done what DeMint did, I don't even want to think of what the outcry would have been.)

I think there is some spinning here, but I think there is an effort on the part of the coup leaders to delay the return of the elected President until after the election - if at all. I think the agreement is more complicated than I thought initially - here, I think it is news that he is saying that HRC said that they will recognize the results of the elections regardless. I do not think the state department (or HRC) have said this publicly - and DeMint is DeMint.

[wisteria]

4. Yeah, I am with you on this. I thought I knew what our policy was too.

I would have thought we would stand with most of the world on this- that the coup was illegal and would not be regognized. I haven't seen any confirmation of what DeMint claims Clinton told him and why would she give him-of all people, confirmation on a decision that has not been made public? I suppose I should just ignore DeMint, he is a liar and is doing all he can to make a name for himself in the Repub party.