Bush Working to Avoid Setback Over Bolton

[DoYouEverWonder]

May 3, 2005, 2:02 AM EDT

WASHINGTON -- President Bush, stunned when John R. Bolton's nomination for United Nations ambassador hit a Republican road bump, is working hard to avoid a political setback at the outset of his second term when senators hold a showdown vote next week.

<snip>

The confirmation battle has enormous stakes for the president, potentially providing him with either a boost or a blow at a critical time. The panel vote on Bolton is set for May 12.

Bush's poll numbers are sagging. His proposed Social Security overhaul -- like much of his agenda -- has been met with skepticism in Congress, his nominees for judicial posts are tied up in the Senate and ethics questions surround a prominent member of his party and fellow Texan, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

<snip>

Allegations of professional misbehavior have trickled out, including claims -- some unsubstantiated -- that he:

* Angrily chased Melody Townsel, a Dallas businesswoman, through hallways in a Moscow hotel 10 years ago in a dispute over a government contract.

* Sought the removal of intelligence analyst Christian P. Westermann when he refused to endorse a speech Bolton was preparing on Cuba's weapons capability.

* Threatened to fire several underlings who crossed him.

* Asked a U.S. spy agency for details of secretly recorded communications of 10 U.S. officials.

The administration is portraying Bolton's style as exactly what's needed to whip troubled world body into shape.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-un-ambassador-politics,0,2828933.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines


Bush working? Mr. Presidenting is Hard Work must be getting desperate. When has Bush ever 'worked' at anything?

[LynnTheDem]

1. TWO of the BIGGEST intell failures in US history...and bush wants MORE

OF THE SAME by installing Bolton, who consistantly IGNORES the real, actual intell.

Like he did on Iraq.

I really wish we had a leader who actually knew WTF he was doing concerning our national security. Coz bush sure as hell doesn't have a bloody clue.

[surrey405]

2. SOB BUSH

man...my anger is taking over me.

[MaineDem]

9. Welcome to DU

:hi:

We understand your anger.

[HughBeaumont]

3. Concerning our security?

I wish we had a leader who knew WTF he was doing on ANYthing (you know, like President-in-Exile Kerry, for instance)!

I hope Yosemite Sam Bolton gets dropped. This, like *'s other many, MANY failures, will expose him dramatically for the lame duck that he is and always was.

[rodeodance]

10. In the Kerry said he would vote NO cause Bolton has not done his job

in the positon he is in. So, in essence Bush is rewarding poor performance once again.

[Gman]

12. The Iraq war was NOT an intel failure

The Iraq war was based on deliberate and SUCCESSFUL lies. There were people that knew better and they were drowned out and belittled. The Iraq war was a successful lie and by no means a failure of intelligence.

[ohtransplant]

18. Can I get an "Amen"?

This fact seems to have been drowned out.

It's the lies! It's the lies! Under oath even! Tell us Condi. Tell us how we're misunderestimating what's happened!

[LynnTheDem]

19. Yes you're correct, the REAL intell agencies didn't fail...

but I was meaning bush's intelligence failure; thinking the world would be fooled by his lies.

[central scrutinizer]

16. never in hisory has incompetence and dishonesty

been so rewarded. The more incompetent and dishonest you are, the faster and the higher you rise. The ONLY thing that counts is blind loyalty.

[truthisfreedom]

4. this is what happens when you run a mafia instead of a government for and

by the people. you end up chasing your tail to cover for your corrupt friends instead of actually being president. and of course, your corruption is revealed at the same time.

bush is going to fire rove over something like this, eventually.

[annabanana]

6. Fire Rove? Shyeah...... when pigs fly.

Without this particular buttboy, the chimpinator really has no clothes at all.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Huberis

Rove has made Bush what he is, that is true. But that doesn't necessarily mean that Bush, in his delusions of granduer, might not decide he doesn't need Karl. I think Bush actually believes much of the propaganda Rove created and if it comes down to it, wouldn't hesitate to send Karl packing.

[PennyLane]

8. I Don't Think So.....

.....or he (Bush) would have hung Rove out to dry over the Plame outing.

[rodeodance]

11. there is the loyality factor to consider. I do not think Jr would get rid

of Rove.

[xchrom]

5. ''When has Bush ever 'worked' at anything?''

well he's worked the american people over pretty good.

but yes, indeed, your point is very well taken.

[Hand]

17. Hey, it's hard work...

...gambling with other people's money and other people's lives.
:sarcasm:
:grr: :nuke:

[warrens]

13. Bolton's style

Is perfect. A bullying, ignorant, petty, vindictive thug. Yup, that's today's USA. I woke up laughing this morning listening to an NPR report about the heads of both El Salvador and Nicaragua, right winger, told the U.S. to fuck off when we demanded that they turn over all the SAM missiles we sold them in the 80s. Ortega gave a speech calling us thugs and he is suddenly REAL popular and may win the next election.

[gratuitous]

14. Style, not substance, causes Chimpy to work hard

The Bolton nomination, which looked like a sure thing as recently as three weeks ago, is in big trouble. Rather than nominate a more palatable candidate -- as any normal person in his position might do -- Bush has decided once again to hang his manhood on the success of this nomination.

In the past, this has been a sure-fire remedy for whatever is ailing this corrupt administration. What? This incompetent choad's failure could make our popular war-time president look bad? Well, let's just clean up that little mess, and give him a presidential medal!

The Senate Republicans seem to have enough problems of their own right now, and getting too closely identified with President Lame Duck may not be in their best interests. Bolton's nomination just might fail.

[anarchy1999]

15. "stunned", Georgie? Why? Oh, I know, you forgot all about Iran/Contra

scandal, right? Too much coke during that period of time in history?

Bush work? Never!

(IMHO, Bush works really hard at being a miserable failure. Poppy runs the show and jr. does everything within his power to show Poppy up with genuine sabotage, oh the webs evil can weave)

[Miss Chybil]

20. Whip the U.N. into shape? What's wrong with diplomacy?

We've been whipping a lot of things, none of it is in "shape."

[Moderator]

21. DoYouEverWonder

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