Will John Bolton be confirmed as UN Ambassador?

[cestpaspossible]

[MercutioATC]

1. No, I think he'll withdraw.

The Republican's don't want to lose this one. They'll deny a Dem victory by having Bolton withdraw.

[Guckert]

6. Not before his "Bernard Kerik" moment...HA HA HA Ha ha haha

[blm]

15. I agree because that is how they operate.

Nothing can look like a defeat for BushInc.

[napi21]

2. I really don't think this is wishful thinking either.

The hardcore Shrubbies will still vote for him, but I bet they are all getting emails and calls from both sides to vote no on this guy. They have to worry more about their own re-election than they do about Shrub's ratings or what he wants.

Some very nasty things comming out about Bolton, and most people do't like it!

[cestpaspossible]

4. I almost fell off the couch

when I heard Voinovich call for a delay.

[saltpoint]

3. Voted 'No.' I think Mercutio has it right --

-- he'll withdraw once he sees that the votes are not there.

If this was a cookie-cutter green-light whatever-you-say-Mr.-Cheney kind of deal, he would already BE the U.N. ambassador.

For Voinovich to question him at all suggests that Bolton is in trouble.

I love DUer Little Clarkie's (?) comment the other night on DU that Bolton looked like the offspring of Adolf Hitler and Captain Kangaroo.

[cestpaspossible]

5. Yeah

I've been using that line a lot

[Robeson]

8. "Bolton looked like the offspring of Adolf Hitler and Captain Kangaroo"...

Thats funny. I think he looks kind of like Teddy Roosevelt with a mop top.

[punpirate]

7. Yeah, it looks bad for Bolton...

... but the machine goes to work right now. Cheney is not going to let this slide. Rice might want to have the nomination withdrawn, but she's not going to override Cheney.

They desperately want to "reform" the UN, and want Bolton there to remake the UN into a client of the US--that's the ultimate aim of the Bolton nomination--that makes him the best person for their purposes, even though, by almost any other standard, he's the worst person for the job possible.

Remember that his predecessor was Negroponte (discounting the interim appointment when Negroponte moved to Iraq). Nominating Bolton is a natural evolutionary move in their desired direction. They know his style better than we do--he was nominated to intimidate not just the Security Council, but Kofi Annan himself.

This is a lot more important to the neo-cons than it might seem, so my guess is that they'll pull out all the stops to get Bolton confirmed. I wouldn't want to be Voinovich for the next couple of weeks (well, I wouldn't want to be Voinovich at any time, but... :) ).

[Robeson]

9. I agree. They want their pieces in place. I don't think they're going...

...to fade away on this at all. And, yes, Voinovich is going to be severly squeezed on this.

[calimary]

10. Soooooo... no reason why we can't squeeze back.

:)

[ReadTomPaine]

16. Indeed it's all the more reason to shove back, and hard as hell.

[calimary]

19. TRULY. And Voinovich needs to be THANKED:

Here's his contact info from DUer K8-EEE:

Honorable George V. Voinovich 524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 [phone] Fax: [phone] TDD: [phone]

Got this from FR, he's getting Freeped, support Voinovich for doing the decent thing!!

[Robeson]

22. Aanndd....Who said we shouldn't try?....

...:shrug:

[tex-wyo-dem]

13. Agree...Bolton to the UN is a piece to the neo-con puzzle...

they also what him there in fairly short order to start strongarming the UN re: June-July '05 plans to attack Iran.

[ReadTomPaine]

14. I agree with this assessment. They want him badly.

If one doesn't use principles of normal governance as a guide to their behavior, Bolton's nomination is seen in its proper, scary context. It's right in line with Wolfowitz's appointment as well.

[jfalchion]

11. Optimism/pessimism

A pessimist is never disappointed.

[whometense]

12. I think Lugar's desperate attempt to ram it through

today was the last line of defense. Once all the truth gets out, I think Bolton will be exposed as the miscreant he really is, and he'll have to withdraw.

What a fine display of ferocity by committee dems!!! If they hadn't been so intense I don't know that Voinovich would have been convinced.

[AlCzervik]

17. "Spend more time with my family" is my bet

they ahve 2 weeks to further investigate and depose the people on their wintness list, my guess is it ain't gonna be pretty.

[katinmn]

18. No, The newspapers are going to have some stories

about all the questions about his character that came out at the hearing today. It will be the first time many Americans even notice Bolton. There will be interviews and some investigations between now and when the committee reconvenes.

I think the Right Wingers have to pick their battles and focus. Just like we do.

[cestpaspossible]

20. Yeah, two weeks is too much time

to keep everything swept under the rug.

[Vinca]

21. I can't wait to hear more from the woman who was chased

around the Russian hotel. Hope he doesn't fold until after she appears.

[cestpaspossible]

23. Kick

I want more votes :kick:

[AntiCoup2K4]

24. Only if Junior can find someone even worse

What's Perle doing these days?