BBC: Bolton vote delay a blow to Bush

[Stockholm]

US President George W Bush has suffered an unexpected and embarrassing blow after a new delay in John Bolton's passage to becoming the US ambassador to the United Nations.

Accusations that Bolton is a serial bully are being investigated Although some Republicans had reservations about Mr Bolton, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had looked set to vote along party lines and send his controversial nomination to the full Senate.

But in a fractious meeting on Tuesday, one Republican senator sided with Democrats demanding a fresh hearing to air allegations that Mr Bolton was a "serial bully" who intimidated junior members of staff.

Aides are describing as "stunning" the latest development in an already protracted, and now highly personal nomination process.

More http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4465527.stm

Some interesting quotes in there

[MADem]

1. love the BBC--Serial Bully, indeed! What wordsmithing! n/t

[still_one]

2. unfortunately, I would be surprised if the bastard wasn't confirmed

but I cannot think of one substantial victory we have had

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. Two related threads with many other articles and a VIDEO cited

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1736102#1736339
Thread title: "NEW MELODY TOWNSEL LETTER rebutting attacks on her credibility re Bolton"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1735671
Thread title: "Barbara Boxer to * : Nominate a new UN Ambassador!"
This thread has the full text of April 20 letters written by Sen. Boxer to Bush (asking him to choose another nominee) and to Condi Rice (informing her that her reported orders to State Dept staff to withhold from the committee any damaging info on Bolton would be UNCONSTITUTIONAL).

Both threads have links to a number of published updates, among which is a CBS video. During part of it, amazingly, Condi Rice dismisses all the allegations and declares that Bolton should be confirmed immediately because (a) the Senate is just complaining about his management style, and it's a GOOD management style; and (b) the US currently has no UN ambassador, and that's a Bad Thing.

The rest of the world is watching this tragicomic farce with horrified disbelief. And many people in other countries would think "serial bully" would apply quite well to the US government. Can't disagree.