BREAKING Colin Powell Raising Concerns about Bolton (WP)

[doxieone]

Jim Vanhelei on Keith's show on MSNBC just now.

He said the story is on the net on Washington Post site.

Can't see it, but will recheck. Powell is behind the scenes discouraging Bolton's appointment apparently!

Edit: Still not there. It will be in tomorrow's edition.

[Rowdyboy]

1. Here's a link to the story

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/21/politics/21cnd-bolton.html?ei=5094&en=55356160e48cadbb&hp=&ex=1114142400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all&position=

In private phone conversations, Powell has spoken of difficulties with Bolton to Sen Chafee and Sen Hagel

[doxieone]

5. Thanks for the link! I thought it was just a WP story.

[Career Prole]

7. It is now...

Good catch!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7420-2005Apr21.html

[Pirate Smile]

8. Here is 4 paragraphs.

Powell Plays Behind the Scenes Role in Bolton Debate

By Jim VandeHei and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, April 22, 2005; 7:50 PM

Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell is emerging as a behind the scenes player in the battle over John Bolton's nomination to the United Nations, privately telling at least two key Republican lawmakers that Bolton is smart, but a very problematic government official, according to Republican sources.

Powell spoke in recent days with Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), two of three GOP members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who have raised concerns about Bolton's confirmation, the sources said. Powell did not advise the senators to oppose Bolton, but offered a frank assessment of the nominee as a man who was challenging to work with on personnel and policy matters, according to two people familiar with the conversation.

"General Powell has returned calls from senators who wanted to discuss specific questions that have been raised," said Margaret Cifrino, a Powell spokeswoman. "He has not reached out to senators" and considers the discussions private. A Chafee spokesman confirmed that at least two conversations took place. Bolton served under Powell as his undersecretary of state for arms control, and the two were known to have serious clashes.

Powell has stayed out of the confirmation fight in public, but influenced it in direct and indirect ways, according to several Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. It is not Powell's style to weigh in strongly against a former colleague, but rather direct people to what he sees as flaws and potential problems, they say. Powell's views are highly influential with many Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.

[thebigidea]

12. "Powell's views are highly influential with many Republicans and Democrats

BWHAHAHHHHAH!

oh, stop. bwhahahhah!

ahahahahha!

Like, um - who?

[ScooterTramp]

19. Tee hee! Powell went on my ignore list after his UN lies!

[DrZeeLit]

75. Me, too... Holding up a vile of anthrax? SURE... it really, really was...

...anthrax. Why didn't anyone question that bit o'drama?

Then the fabrication of WMD "evidence" -- all of it with not only a straight face, but a totally concerned, warrior face.

All credibility shot to hell.

And now... he wants back "in" -- granted, he was treated horribly. But he brought it on himself. I don't feel the least bit sorry for him.

This ought to be interesting -- especially after what * said yesterday -- quit the politics and confirm Bolton.

I hope they all start in-fighting like cats and dogs.
I'll get popcorn and sit on the sidelines and snicker.
I'm holding my bellylaughs for the completely downfall -- and it's coming!

[blm]

16. In direct contrast to Condi's order telling all to keep their mouths shut

about the negative aspects of Bolton.

[Career Prole]

29. Thanks! I had to jump off as soon as I put the link up.

The missus needed the phone...mutter mutter mutter dial-up!

[Career Prole]

30. What a sorry state of affairs!

One of them does nothing more valiant or honorable than speak the truth (albeit in private) and it gives me a sense of elation.
:)

[ClintonTyree]

68. Is Condi going to put a gag order on Powell now?

She's subverting the investigation in any way she can. I wouldn't doubt that the Slugs would try some smear campaign against Powell now that his conscience is getting the best of him. He still has a long way to go in order to regain respectability with me. He sold his soul to the bush cabal, he has a LOT of atoning to do.

[underpants]

69. Come on say it with me "DISGRUNTLED FORMER EMPLOYEE"

I suspect that will be the standard line on RW radio and Fox.

[leesa]

73. So is he going to testify against him or is he going to be a coward again

[blm]

2. Exactly what I said. Biden is one of Powell's closest friends. It figures

that Biden would hang tough on Bolton. Lugar and others MUST have known that Powell was giving some inside tips to Biden. No wonder they looked vanquished when the Dems stuck together.

[joeybee12]

10. Absolutely! With Colin, it's all about Powell, all the time...

...never did a decent thing, only trying to salvage his reputation. At least the other repukes have the decency to be indecent.

[uppityperson]

20. He talked about condom usage if you were sexually active.

WH was pissed, but didn't fire him. That was a decent thing.

[UCLA Dem]

3. why didn't he do stuff like that before? i've lost all respect for the man

[splat@14]

14. Agree, I never understood that...

I was sorry to see him leave the Cabinet as he was the last among them that had ever been to war. But I to lost respect for him in the first Bush Administration.

[TheDebbieDee]

52. Welcome to DU, Splat@14!

:hi:

[calimary]

77. Welcome to DU!

Glad to have you here. We NEED you!

Good point you make - whatever can be said about Powell (and I for one have had plenty to say about him that isn't terribly complimentary), one thing is true: he's the only one of the snakes from that viper pit who actually wore his country's uniform - for REAL - and actually saw combat. He's the only one who saw and experienced first-hand what war really is, and what it does to people. He's a lot of things but he wasn't a chickenhawk - like the rest of them were and are.

[grytpype]

39. This is a bit too harsh.

Although he lacked the guts to resign from the Cabinet like Robin Cook did in Britain, he was the least corrupt and stupid Bushist.

He tried to steer things in a less bad direction, although he was ineffective in the face of Bush's pigheaded stupidity.

[Lindacooks]

41. Lying to make a case for a pre emptive war IS harsh.

I will never forgive Powell either, along with the rest of the Bush* cabal.

[Mad_Dem_X]

67. I agree - I used to really respect him

But then he sold his soul to BushCo.

[drdtroit]

80. Exactly, Powell in essence fired the first shot

In this utterly immoral, disgusting and illegal shakedown going on in the ME.

[KittyWampus]

40. Powell Is A Company Man, That's Why.

[Bluesage]

82. Powell has always been a "company" man

It began in Viet Nam when he was tapped to cover up as much as possible about the Mai Lai Massacre. He's been a yes man all his life and under that "oh so respectable" exterior lies a man who sold his soul long ago.

[RamboLiberal]

50. I used to respect Powell - no more

If this man was a true patriot he'd have exposed this neocon administration instead of trying to salvage his legacy!

[chelsea0011]

4. And so begins the process by Powell to resurrect a career

tooooooooooooo late.

[Algorem]

9. Who's his new massa?

[xultar]

22. BUhwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! n/t

[chomskysright]

35. yahsuh, yahsuh, yahsuh....lick yer boot suh?

[thebigidea]

6. I always thought Bolton was put in place to keep Powell in check -

and embarass the shit out of him, which he did on numerous occasions.

Then again, nothing is quite so embarassing as the spectacle of Colin Powell himself - disgraced loser.

Still, I'd love to see him come out and badmouth Bolton - then all the Republicans will gnash their teeth and attack Powell. Lovely circular firing squad fun!

[Fenris]

13. Can you imagine the amount of racist posts on FR?

The mind delights in that prospect, oddly.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Say goodnight, Gracie

You know the rest...;-)

[doxieone]

15. Can't Georgie appoint him anyway when congress is not in

session?

[aquart]

18. Does Georgie ever withdraw?

He doesn't think it's manly. And he's very worried about that every single minute.

[snippy]

26. Dear God why didn't Poppy Bush withdraw?

The world would be a much better place without Dubya.

[paulk]

48. I think he can

from "learn about Congress" website -

When a President makes “recess appointments,” how do these work? Don’t they go against the confirmation powers of the Senate?

No, both are found in the Constitution in Article II, section 2. Clause 2 gives the Senate the power to advise and consent to nominations, while Clause 3 says:

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
This enables the President to make an appointment during a Senate recess that would otherwise require the advise and consent of the Senate, including cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, federal judges, directors of federal agencies, and members of federal boards and commissions -- even Supreme Court Justices. Since 1791, 15 Supreme Court Justices began their tenure with a recess appointment, the most recent being Justice Potter Stewart in 1958.

President George W. Bush has made 42 recess appointments in just over 3 years in office

[Rose Siding]

17. NYT is running it too

Bolton Gets Unequivoval Backing From Bush, but Not Powell

snip>
Mr. Powell has not spoken publicly about the Bolton nomination. But his associates said he had told Senators Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, in response to questions, that he had been troubled by the way that Mr. Bolton had treated an intelligence analyst and others at the State Department who disagreed with him.

Mr. Chafee and Mr. Hagel are both Republican members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and both have expressed concern about Mr. Bolton's temperament, credibility and treatment of intelligence analysts. The senators' concerns, along with those of Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, were among the factors that have forced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to postpone until next month a vote on Mr. Bolton's nomination.

There were conflicting accounts as to whether Mr. Powell or the senators had initiated the phone calls. A spokeswoman for Mr. Powell said he had only returned calls from others, but one person familiar with one conversation said it had been Mr. Powell who had reached out to Mr. Hagel.

In testifying against Mr. Bolton's nomination, Carl W. Ford Jr., a former assistant secretary of state, told the committee that Mr. Powell had acted in 2002 to reassure intelligence analysts troubled by Mr. Bolton's harsh treatment of one of their colleagues, Christian Westermann, in a dispute related to Cuba. Mr. Powell's former chief of staff, Lawrence Wilkerson, said in an interview this week that Mr. Bolton would be an "abysmal ambassador" to the United Nations.

http://nytimes.com/2005/04/21/politics/21cnd-bolton.html?hp&ex=1114142400&en=55356160e48cadbb&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[matcom]

21. fuck Powell

who cares?

fucking murderous liar

[Malva Zebrina]

23. Powell--has no clout

after his disgraceful testimony before the UN and the American people.

Responsible, at the least tacitly, for the deaths of many human beings.

Why on earth is he getting this postive coverage? He is a disgrace, a man who sold out to all Americans, and we should NOT forget what he had done simply because he, on the sly, is reported to join in to the disgrace of Bolton?

Whatever for, Colin? Oh I think I can guess, given your past.

Go home and play golf or write a book. Your name connected to anything, is a blight.

[KittyWampus]

43. Oh, Powell Has Clout... Just Not With The Inner Clique Of The Neo-Cons.

[bunkerbuster1]

81. Right. I'm having one of those "what planet is DU on?" moments

the vast majority of Americans continue to think of Colin Powell as a respectable, intelligent, moderate Republican and loyal soldier. they don't think of him as "they guy who sold us on Iraq" or "Bush's houseboy," for cryin' out loud. He could probably, if he still wanted to (and I don't think he does), have a reasonable shot at the '08 presidential nomination.

If word gets out to Joe and Jane Sixpack that Powell thinks this guy's a jerk, it's plenty damaging. Make no mistake.

[lanlady]

89. au contraire

Powell does have clout on the Hill, lots of it, despite his UN disgrace. Congress is just as complicit in the mass murder of Iraqis as Powell since it authorized the war.

[Larkspur]

24. Is Powell out for revenge against Condi and the Neocons?

Who ran him out of the State Department. He sure seems to be undermining them. I'm no fan of Powel, but we'll take all the help we can get.

[matcom]

25. who cares and bullshit

Powell has thousands of dead Iraqi's on his head. just another stop on my grave-pissing tour someday

[rpannier]

61. Have to agree

I'll take any help. In times like these I remember the words of the late PM Winston Churchill, "If Hell itself went to war against Hitler, I'd put in a good word for Satan."

[Vickers]

27. Your warnings are too late, traitor...fuck you.

Oh, and your horse.

[Binka]

58. Post Of The Day LOL

Short Sweet Succinct and FUCKING Hilarious! Thanks!:thumbsup:

[snippy]

28. Someday (soon I hope), once decent Americans like Powell will have to

denounce the republican party for the criminal enterprise it has become. When that day comes, decent republicans will have to either reclaim their party or leave it.

[Joey Liberal]

31. It's too late for Powell

Powell could have done good things when he was the Secretary of State. But he chose to keep quiet and go along with the Bush Cartel's lies. I lost all respect for Powell.

[ECH1969]

32. Honestly, I have yet to understand why

people care so much about the choice for the UN. It is not like it will change how the world sees the US or how Bush sees the world. And, the relationship with the UN isn't going to get better regardless of who is picked.

I don't give a shit if he nominated David Duke, at least then his real policies would be totally transparent. The main reason some GOPers are holding him up right now is that some of them worry that intelligence that Bolten presents to the UN about Iran's WMD program would be alot less credible to the UN then if someone UN friendly presented the info.

[peacetalksforall]

33. OK Colin, you are coming up from a minus 100 in my book - you have a

long way to go to get to the plus side because of Iran-Contra.

[chomskysright]

34. Powell's CONSCIENCE PRICKING HIM?

[calimary]

46. I'd all but concluded he didn't have one. Maybe what's left of it -

the last burning embers anyway, are starting to bother him a little... Maybe he's doing a lee atwater - with his version of a deathbed apology.

Hey, whatever. If this will help nail bolton's coffin shut, then good. It hardly begins to serve as penance for all the sins on Powell's soul by now, but at least it's one good thing. I'm sure he thinks he's done a lifetime of service to his country. This allows him to be truthful in that claim, albeit ever so slightly.

Not that I'm giving him a pass for the UN lies and all the cover he gave the bushies and the cowtowing and the asswiping and the complete loss of self-respect and completely trashed and compromised reputation and whored, sell-out soul that he now has to take with him to his grave... It's like offering a grain of aquarium gravel to rebuild the Twin Towers that you knocked down. It won't begin to fix the problem, but at least it's a small gesture back in the proper direction.

[Binka]

59. Not Conscience REVENGE

Colin is a vindictive snippy Fuckwittage. Man has no conscience his ego replaced that looonnggg ago.

[kliljedahl]

36. I posted the same thing earlier

Guess its all in your description

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3522699&mesg_id=3522699


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[chomskysright]

37. 'Powell's frank assessment' valued over our pitiful little complaints....

for a man who SOLD US OUT: IF POWELL HAD RESIGNED INSTEAD OF DELIVERING HIS MASSUHS MESSAGE TO THE U.N. WE WOULD BE IN THIS FREAKIN MESS NOW.

[chomskysright]

38. rather we would NOT be in this freakin mess now...

[LibeMatt]

49. Maybe...

...or maybe Condi, or Bolton the Cantankerous himself would have delivered the same lies to the UN, albeit with even less credibility. And perhaps the Coalition of the Bribed would have started out with a few less members, and fallen apart a little more quickly. However, I will grant that if Powell had LOUDLY and PUBLICLY resigned over the issue it might have sapped public support for the then-impending war just enough to scotch the whole thing.

[Judi Lynn]

42. I'm glad he's adding his presence.

If he does anything at all to help this reeking piece of garbage lose his chance to degrade the U.N., it's a big, big assist.

[Ilsa]

44. Powell is still too chicken to come out and speak his mind.

He'll answer questions and discuss Bolton if the senators call him; otherwise, he's silent. Why? Is he planning another political career?

[Jose Diablo]

45. Hmmm, I wonder, are we seeing Powell

being set-up to takeover from Cheney(bad health you know) after the powers dump Delay?

[AlCzervik]

47. The times is running this too, the normal one not the moonie owned one

me thinks Powell is exacting some type of payback here or he really thinks Boltons fucking nut or both. Maybe he's trying to apologize to the UN in his way.

[The_Casual_Observer]

51. Makes condi look rather stupid

after her big push. Makes bush look even more stupid, if that is possible.

[Mr.Soul]

53. Amazing

From the "memo" to this, all have been blaming the dems when the pubs have been doing it to themselves.

Pure comedy.

Colin, great, good for you man.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

54. Has anyone stopped to notice...

The interesting fact that this story was fed to the media by repukes?

Fissures are forming.

[Turn CO Blue]

55. " Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said ..."

Who the hell cares what that whore said!?!

Anyway,

(snip) Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on the Senate floor that Bolton's temper should not disqualify him. "I believe John Bolton could provide the medicine the United Nations needs," he said. (end of snip)

Let's see here, so McCain "thinks" (and I'm using the term loosely) that the consistently irratic and angry temperament of our chief DIPLOMAT to the rest of the fucking world should not disqualify him?

Quick, somebody send the dictionary definitions for the words "ambassador" and "diplomat" to John McCain.

Apparently John has his head so far up *'s butt that he needs some oxygen...

[Judi Lynn]

63. If John McCain didn't break under pressure as a P.O.W.

what IS it _Bush is doing to make him act like the King's Fool for him? Are they threatening to kill everyone he knows if he doesn't make an absolute ass of himself?

With Richard M. Nixon:

"Public photo of President Richard M. Nixon greeting released US officer and POW and future US Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) after Vietnam war"

[Jacobin]

64. Actually, McCain DID break under the vietcong pressure

He signed some documents admitting he was a war criminal for bombing North Vietnam.

I don't blame him for it. Torture is not endurable beyond a certain point.

However, I don't like the re-writing of history in regard to his service.

He's obviously broken to the junta's demands and is now nothing more than a whining voice for BushCo.

[Turn CO Blue]

78. Well, I saw a TV special about McCain and the other POW's

in vietnam.

It was a powerful and moving piece of film, and I agree with you that no POW should try to withhold the limited and out-of-date amount of info they would have - during extreme torture. It's ridiculous that the military would have insisted on maintaining silence (and they don't now).

But more to the point, you can have done much or suffered much in your past, but once you "sell out" your integrity and values (like McCain did to BushCo), then your past successes or contributions just don't count for much.

edited for clarification

[daleo]

56. Powell says "Bolton's a bigger liar than me!"

"And that's big. There's no way you can ratify this - it wouldn't be right."

[Binka]

62. No Ratifying

To paraphrase Daffyd Thomas character on Little Britain "I am the only RAT in the village."

Thomas of course says " I am the only GAY in the village."

If you can get a hold of the Little Britain series get it NOW! Some really really fucking funny stuff.

Daffyd's website

http://www.daffydthomas.com/

[daleo]

71. I have heard some buzz about it.

I will keep on the lookout - maybe PBS or CBC will pick it up (CBC has the latest Dr. Who series, which is excellent).

[Binka]

72. I'll burn you a CD (or five) if you want.

Let me know it is a five parter.

[Binka]

74. Ooops Meant DVD

[daleo]

79. It is a generous offer.

I will keep it in mind if the show doesn't appear on one of my various cable channels soon.

[thebigidea]

76. way too catchphrase oriented and samey for my taste

I adored Matt Lucas on any of the Reeves and Mortimer shows, and the double act was fun on ROCK PROFILES... but Little Britain leaves me cold, cold, cold.

At least the Tom Baker stuff is fun!

(then again, I haven't seen season two so maybe i'm completely wrong. which happens about every two hours.)



"I swear on my neck... and lips."

[Binka]

88. Dave Walliams Is Brilliant In The Second Season

Matt Lucas is one of the funniest people on the planet...behind you and me Andre.

[robink]

57. Colin and the rest of the world...

You can see the world's reaction to this inspired (?!) nomination at

http://www.watchingamerica.com/lefigaro000019.html (France)
and
http://www.watchingamerica.com/diezeit000002.html (Germany)

at Watching America which translates articles about the U.S. in the foreign press

As one of the articles from Russia points out, Bush's consistency, at least, is not lost on the rest of the world...

This is a hilarious piece from Russia, also picked up by Watching America, where they write tomorrow's news today, based on what they know about George W

http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/1062/opinion/o_15475.htm

[pacifictiger]

60. I remember seeing Powell

interviewed - may have been cspan coverage - and I think he may have been in Jordan at the time - perhaps a couple of years ago.
Anyway, someone asked him about something that he had said, and wanted clarification because Bolton had said something else. Powell very emphatically said that he was the boss at the state department and that Bolton was not. There was a sort of aside comment to someone that was picked up by the mike, I think unintentionally, and I remember hearing Powell say something to the effect "the man is insufferable."
Dont think many people saw the verbal exchange and body language, but it really caught my attention at the time.
So I am absolutely not surprised if Powell is doing this. He can't stand the man.

[Maestro]

65. Colin Powell's slight recrimintation of Bolton is playing

on Air American right now.

[Dawgs]

66. I don't understand the 'who cares' posts on this thread...

This isn't about Powell. It's about Bolton. The right loves Powell, so it only hurts them.

I personally don't like Powell, but I'll take it when he hurts the others in the right.

[Wizard777]

70. Amazing

You take Colin Powell out from under Bush's thumb. He goes right back to being a good decent human being that cares about this country. George Bush is the worst thing that ever happened to Colin Powell.

[Moderator]

83. kick to combine

[emad]

84. Bush's hawk is not fit to be UN envoy, says Powell

April 23, 2005

Bush's hawk is not fit to be UN envoy, says Powell
From Roland Watson in Washington



THE prospects of John Bolton becoming the next US Ambassador to the United Nations have suffered another setback with Colin Powell, his former boss, raising doubts about his fitness for the job.

General Powell told key Republican senators that President Bush’s controversial nominee was a man of suspect temperament who clashed with colleagues.

The general’s intervention comes after lurid accounts of Mr Bolton’s volatile temper and ill-treatment of subordinates raised eleventh-hour doubts about his confirmation.

In a further blow, the former US Ambassador to South Korea has suggested that Mr Bolton misled the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when under oath earlier this month.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1581058,00.html

[Ilsa]

85. Bush* thinks that if he says a nominee is a "good man", that seals

the deal. If Bush* doesn't understand that there are plenty of good people in the world that aren't cut out for certain jobs, then he's an idiot (what else is new?), or he thinks we are idiots (most likely scenario).

Fortunately, Powell and Hubbard are finding a way to make their opinions known. At first I thought Powell was being chickenshit about how he was handling this. But I'm beginning to think that doing it this way helps insulate his opinion from coming under direct attack.

[iamjoy]

86. Can We Trust Powell Again?

I mean, we can't just laud him as a hero when he says something that supports our side after bashing him for being Dubya's whore for years.

One must wonder if he feels free to say it now since he is no longer employed by Dubya and has nothing to lose politically. But what does that say about him? Not exactly a profile in courage.

[AlamoDemoc]

87. This is very good news

another scumbag bites the dust

[leesa]

90. Powell's setting up his court defense. "Bolton made me lie to the UN."

[DARE to HOPE]

91. Analyst John Kokal had reported to Powell at least weekly...

specifically on the Iraq war, before falling out of the sealed sixth or seventh floor of the State Department building, shoeless and coatless.

Could THIS be why Powell and the Senators are drawing this line in the sand, against some very heavy pressure, and somewhat reticent about the details? Everyone should read the Madsen article.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/042105Madsen/042105madsen.html

Too many CIA analysts falling out of buildings before their "massive intelligence failure."