The Hindu : International : Senate set to vote on Bolton nomination

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Friday, May 27, 2005

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International

Senate set to vote on Bolton nomination

Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON: Republicans and Democrats are bracing themselves for yet another battle of sorts with the key vote on the nomination of John Bolton as America's next ambassador to the United Nations set for early evening on Thursday.

That critical vote should draw at least 60 Senators to end the debate on the nomination after which the Senate will formally vote on whether or not to confirm Mr. Bolton for his new assignment. But if it draws less than 60 votes the Senate will start a week-long recess and the Bolton debate will resume in the chamber next month. Democrats who have generally slammed the White House for sending Mr. Bolton's name and staying on with the pick in spite of all that has transpired during the extended hearings process are pressing the administration for two more set of documents — one dealing with his 2003 assessment of Syria and the other his seeking of secretly intercepted conversations of foreign nationals and in some instances even American citizens. But even Republicans have expressed deep reservations on Mr. Bolton's temperament and the way he is known to treat subordinates.

Some analysts take the view that the Bolton nomination has actually been strengthened in recent weeks by the intense and bitter wrangling among Republicans and Democrats on judicial nominees; and the question has been raised if the Democrats would want to have one more contentious round.

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