Bolton’s nomination is in trouble:
President Bush is left with few options for reviving his stalled nomination of John Bolton to be U.N. ambassador. And all carry potential political liabilities, including what might be his last resort: an end run around the Senate with a recess appointment.
Increasing pressure on Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for an up-and down vote, as the president did on Tuesday, seems unlikely to pay off and could keep the Senate bogged down.
Vice President Dick Cheney, upper right watches as Republican members of Congress leave the White House after attending a luncheon meeting with President Bush, Tuesday, June 21, 2005. Reversing field after a meeting with President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, center, said he will continue pushing for a floor vote on John R. Bolton for U.N. ambassador. Frist switched his position after initially saying Tuesday that negotiations with Democrats to get a vote on Bolton had been exhausted. Left to right Sen. Robert Bennett, R, Utah, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., Frisk, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Others are unidentified (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) (Ron Edmonds – AP)
“He asked that we continue to work,” Frist said after lunch with the president. “And we’ll continue to work.”
Yet there was no indication Bush or Frist could pick up support to end the Democratic blocking tactics. Instead, the trend seemed heading the other way.
Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, who voted last month to break the filibuster, sided with Democrats on Monday’s 54-38 vote. That was six short of the 60 required to break a filibuster.
Bush could bow to Democratic demands and turn over more material on Bolton. But that would be seen as a stinging concession by the president _ and there’s no guarantee Democrats would drop their delaying tactics.
Is there no way to provide the documents they want? I thought they just wanted a select few people to access them. Anyone know what the scoop is?