The Hindu : International : Major blow to Bush over Bolton U.N. nomination

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Saturday, May 14, 2005

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International

Major blow to Bush over Bolton U.N. nomination

Sridhar Krishnaswami

U.S. can do better than him, says Republican Senator

WASHINGTON: In a major blow to U.S. President George W Bush, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has sent the nomination of John Bolton as Ambassador to the U.N. to the full Senate floor for a vote but without the customary recommendation.

The committee voted 10 to 8 with all Republicans voting in favour and all Democrats opposing.

The White House nominee would have been rejected but for the key vote of Ohio Republican George Voinovich who said while he opposed Mr. Bolton he did not want to stand in the way of a full Senate vote. A 9 to 9 vote would have killed the nomination.

"It doesn't appear that Mr. Bolton has the confidence of the majority of this committee," said ranking Democrat Joseph Biden. Mr. Bush should take note of the development, he said.

A second blow to the White House came later when Senator Barbara Boxer put on hold the nomination which means that the Senate cannot take this up for a vote.

Filibuster

Also the Democratic leadership has not made it known if there will be a filibuster should the full Senate take up the nomination. Republicans are confident that a vote could be scheduled before the Memorial Day recess.

What surprised many Democrats is the manner in which Mr. Voinovich opposed the nomination and his stinging remarks. "I have come to the determination that the United States can do better than John Bolton," he said and added that he was not going to be "arrogant" to impose his judgment on the full Senate by blocking the nomination

"Quite frankly, much of what I was going to say was going to be redundant — and not as elegant — as what we just heard," said Mr. Biden of Mr. Voinovich's observations.

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