Barbara Boxer voted to CONFIRM Negroponte

[derby378]

Just confirmed it with her office in DC.

If you're not happy with her decision, here's her contact info:

Senator Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
[phone]

[Solly Mack]

1. Did they offer up an excuse?

per chance?

[derby378]

3. Not yet - her office just learned it, too

But I certainly would like to hear her explain this decision of hers.

[Solly Mack]

4. Yes, I want to hear the justifications as well

Not just from her either

[libodem]

2. OMG

Why? How could she? That man is an evil monster. I thought she was on 'our' side?

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. Perhaps Senator Boxer doesn't believe that he is an man is an evil monster

That would be the most reasonable explanation.

[alfredo]

5. The Dems decided to fight fights worth fighting.

Negroponte was a bad guy, but in a few years he will be back in the private sector. Federal judges and Supreme court justices will be around for a very long time. Best to put your efforts where you can do the most good.

Picking your fights is just as important as the fighting.

[babylonsister]

15. Amen, alfredo. It wouldn't do any good

to contest every nomination. All the names the dems are being called because they're thwarting Bolton's nomination would be intensified if they fought everyone. And with justices coming up, I think the dems have to be selective.

[NewJeffCT]

66. agreed - the problem with voting "no" on Negroponte now...

Is that Negroponte had gone through Senate confirmations previously with hardly a peep. If they suddenly started fighting now, it would look like pure politics or that they didn't do their job before. Which would you prefer to admit to? You were lazy before, or you're opposing Negroponte now to fire up your base?

[CarefullyLiberal]

6. I'm sure she made a deal

What makes you think Senator Boxers vote isn't for sale like all the other Senators?

[jojo54]

7. New acronym here

Sitting
At
Computer
With
Jaw
On
The
Floor

I'm stunned. What's wrong with that woman?????

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I'm waiting for the inevitable chorus of DINO, DINO .... toss her ass out!

From Hero to Goat in a Single Vote.

Gasp! Is she pure enough?

/sarcasm off

John Blackbridge (I hate to admit he, like me, is of Italian descent) is a bad guy. But he's slick as can be and would be hard to nab. When you have no power, you need irrefutable facts ... and even then you might not win. We need to pick our battles. Not to limit them to the ones we think we can win, but to the ones worth fighting. As head of the Bushgestapo, his impact is 'only' internal. Bolton, by way of comparison, would be one of our "diplomatic" (ha!) faces to the world. We can fight Blackbridge's actions on a case by case basis. We have less political sway over our UN guy.

I don't like that she voted to confirm, but I respect her judgment.

[AlCzervik]

10. i love Boxer and i'm sure there is a method to her madness

she's the only senator that stood up after the election, she's been instrumentle with this Bolton thing and i'm not tossing her over for this vote.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. I agree. She's a shining light!

As an aside, she's also a very short, petite woman. I never knew that - particularly how short she was ... 5-1? 5-2?. A week or three ago, I had some business at the US Capitol. As I was walking to my meeting, I passed her and an aide (young man) crossing over from their office to the Capitol. It was one of our first really nice, sunny, warm spring days, so I suspect they eschewed the tunnel in favor of the outdoors. When it dawned on me who she was, I turned and called out "Hey Senator! Give 'em hell! You've got lots of supporters, including me!" She looked a bit startled at first, then just waved and smiled.

Besides, this 58 year old married guy thinks sheeza real babe! That encounter made my whole day! At the time, my wife (Sparkly) said I should post it here. So now I have. :)

[FreedomAngel82]

31. Is she really that short?

[Withywindle]

33. Yeah, she's a li'l thing!

I've never been in a room with her but I watch C-SPAN2 more than is healthy. It's fun to see her joking around with all the tall men.


Remember the lesson the Dark Lord himself learned the hard way: Never.underestimate.hobbits. :D

[Stinky The Clown]

40. Yeah ... and that's why I didn't recognize her at first

Now, mind you, I'm .... ahem .... 5'-7" ... with shoes on, of course .... anna hat ..... an' thick socks.

But having seen her on teevee, I just always assumed she was taller ... dunno why. I'm thinking like ... 5-4 ... 5-5.

Hillary Clinton's short, too. We saw her in DC at the Milliom Mom March, just before she ran for the Senate. Sparkly Jr's name is the same as Mrs. Clinton (but spelled a bit differently). When she and Sparkly Jr shook hands they were, literally, eye to eye.

And then there's Babs Mikulski. No doubt you remember her from the convention. 5-0 is above her head. But we love her!

[Pachamama]

70. Boxer is about 5" tall...she's tiny, but what a powerhousein a lil package

Good things come in small packages and Boxer is definitely that! :hi:

[mmonk]

38. No need to toss her over this

You're correct. She fights too hard for us.

[n2mark]

18. I agree with you Husb2Sparkly

At this point I respect her judement, and agree with need to pick our battles.

The fight over Bolton to me was more important.

[atreides1]

22. Maybe It's just me

But this administration seems to be trying to fill every position it can with those who are totally loyal to Bush, and this would include judges in the federal courts who are just a tad bit too conservative.

Maybe it's just my imagination, maybe there's something more to this.

First we have Chertoff, who gave up a federal judgeship, for what will be at best a temporary position, now it's Negroponte, who is best known as "Death Squad" Johnny. Porter Goss, a known ally and true follower of Bush is at the CIA, Inquisitor General Gonzales is the Attorney General, and Mueller is still head of the FBI.

And now you have the Majority Leader of the US Senate making an appearance with the Xtian Taliban, to tell the American people how the Democrats are doing things against their faith. And the White House just sits there and dose nothing. Tom Delay made a threat against federal judges, and now wants to have them investigated for the decisions that they make.

My senses tell me that there is something happening, and that it won't be good for the people of the United States.

I smell something rotten coming from DC.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. Weeeeelllllllllll ...... a part of it is that they have very few .....

.... completely trustworthy (to them) true believer footsoldiers who have even a chance of being confirmed to "draft" into their little inner circle.

Yes, these guys are slime.

But can you imagine those who also work for them but who they don't appoint to confirmable positions? These guys make the best days of the Mafia look like a Brownies marshmellow roasr.

[FreedomAngel82]

32. Of course

Bush purged the CIA with people who weren't loyalists. He fires people who tell the truth and promotes people who lie. He's a backward fool.

[babylonsister]

42. He fires people who tell the truth and promotes people who lie.

Great remark here, and true time and again. Someone hinted recently, probably John Stewart, that he's running out of people on his finite list to promote/nominate, so he's forced to recycle his sycophants.

[Just Me]

37. Throwing fundamentally good people away is NOT the progressive way.

I'm getting pretty disgusted at the reactionary persecution,...BEFORE an exploration of all the possibilities which explain the actions of a fundamentally "good person". I mean,...I thought only creepy freepers did that shit. :shrug:

[derby378]

53. I never mentioned TOSSING Boxer...

...but we do need to hold our Democratic senators' feet to the fire.

We all know what Negroponte did to Latin America, and he only needs a few years as intelligence czar to inflict deep and permanent damage upon our nation.

Which makes Boxer's vote that much more puzzling. I'm not leading a DINO chant; I just want her to explain where she's coming from.

[saltpoint]

9. I wish Negroponte had never been nominated in the --

-- first place, but I don't throw a beautiful lover in the ditch over one or two arm freckles.

I think alfredo has come very close to what may have happened here. I don't think Senator Boxer has "lost focus" and I continue to feel that she is one of the illuminating citizens of the U.S. Senate.

I reiterate my jealousy of California DUers for having Barbara Boxer representing them.

[Mend]

11. How would it have hurt her to vote him down?

Why do our people do these things? Nobody would expect a liberal Democratic senator to vote for him. She wouldn't lose her seat over this. Please explain what could motivate her to do this.

[Adelante]

14. They can't vote everybody down

They have to pick and choose their battles. I couldn't tell you why she didn't choose this one, but I trust her. And we will know soon, I imagine.

[B Calm]

52. Why not?

[Freddie Stubbs]

63. Perhaps she believes that he is qualified for the position

That would be the most reasonable explanation.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. I know exactly why she did it

Their first and foremost goal is to make sure we don't have Bolton at the UN. If they make hay over Negroponte when the truth is no matter who is nominated for that position will be as bad or worse, it diminishes the fight against Bolton and gives Bush fodder to say they are simply politicizing ALL of his appointments.

While I am not pleased that someone as diabolical as Negroponte isn't in jail, I think it matters FAR more to the world that we prevail on Bolton.

[Mend]

16. This is politics so politicizing is appropriate...

if bush would nominate good people, then they could be voted in. Every monster, even if it is all of them, should be voted down and we should stop worrying about what they will say....that's our problem, worrying about what they say all the damn time.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. Perceptions matter when they control the media

Negroponte has been pushed through in other positions including in Iraq where no doubt he has had death squads trained.
One wants the PUBLIC to worry about Bolton. If you block everything, it looks more like politics as usual and LESS like the abomination that Bolton is.

[Just Me]

29. How do you know this isn't a well-planned "setup"?

You don't. That's the problem.

Presently, being as cunning/wise as a serpent is appropriate.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. My guess: She believes the BOLTON nomination is more important and also

a winnable war. She may well have made a deal to strengthen the fight against Bolton. In any case, I trust her integrity and courage. If she did this - and I very shocked by it - she had a reason.

We need to ask her WHY, when she surely knows that Negroponte is seen as an abomination by so many of us. If there is a behind-the-scenes deal, she may not be able to tell us the true reason, but I want her to answer that question anyway. It's important.

[derby378]

54. My wife has the same thought

John Bolton reportedly holds the war plans for Iran and the blueprints for twisting the UN's arm into supporting an invasion of Iran without evidence that they have WMDs. So she thinks Boxer is just biding her time, too.

[Nothing Without Hope]

58. It's the only explanation that makes sense. It's sounding like Bolton is a

keystone figure in the worst cartel schemes.

This is a very seriously dangerous nomination, and Sen. Boxer is going to fight it as hard as possible. I'd like to know whether there was any deal behind her vote for Negroponte, but I have faith that she is doing the best she can for us all.

[QC]

20. Does this mean we all have to hate her now?

Seems like Democrats are either saints or human garbage around here, depending on their most recent vote.

[Just Me]

28. *LOL* We really MUST consider the possibility that there is "reason",...

,..which underlies every decision (which can fall anywhere between the stands on "right" and "wrong").

[ailsagirl]

57. I'm sure there's a legitimate justification for it-- she has never let

us down and I know she never will. She's sharp as they come and undoubtedly there must be "a method to her madness." (Apologies to Shakespeare!)

[tex-wyo-dem]

21. I'm sure this is a "choose your battles wisely" moment for the Dems...

And that includes Senator Boxer. She as well as many of the Dems have been been putting up a hard fight on several of the ** appointees and might just win with the Bolton controversy. On top of that they're about to head into what might be a historic fight over the filibuster.

Gotta save some of your bullets and aim carefully.

Negroponte is a bad, bad dude and it makes me very nervous to know that he will be in charge of all intelligence in the US. What I wonder is what substantiated dirt, if any, did the Dems have on Negroponte? If Condi was blocking info on Bolton, why wouldn't she or someone else in the cabal block sensitive info on Negroponte?

On edit: I'll add that the Dems also have to take some care in not appearing to be simply obstructionists. As much as we know obstructing every one of these crooks is justified, the media spin to the rest of the public will just make the "obstructionist" label stick in a negative way.

[Mend]

45. People question why we don't fight more....no one but repukes

say we are obstructionists. The independents ask me where are the Democratic balls.....this is one of the votes that is inexplicable to rational humans.

[Lone Pawn]

49. Actually, approval of Democratic congressmen is below that of Republicans.

And charges of "obstructionism" is the highest-ranked reason.

[Mend]

62. people in polls always say they want everyone to get along

but when it comes time to vote, they vote for the fighters, the most contentious politicians....this is my impression and one of the glaring inconsistencies of pollling: "we don't want mom and dad to fight but we don't want them to be Mr. and Mrs Fred Rogers either"

[Animy44]

24. CNN said it was a UNANIMOUS

confirmation.

[Freddie Stubbs]

61. The story on CNN's website says he "won overwhelming approval"

Negroponte wins Senate confirmation

Friday, April 22, 2005 Posted: 1:24 AM EDT (0524 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- John Negroponte won overwhelming approval by the Senate Thursday to become the nation's first national intelligence director.

The job created last year to better coordinate the nation's spy agencies following the September 11 attacks and other intelligence blunders.

Negroponte, 65, has called this his "most challenging assignment" in more than 40 years of government service. The Senate voted 98-2 to give the former Iraq ambassador the job.

He takes over an intelligence community that's been criticized in report after report for failures leading up to the attacks of 9/11, and for its prewar intelligence on Iraq.

more: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/21/intelligence.chief.ap/index.html

[Crazy Guggenheim]

25. Here's the link to ABC News.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=692255

98-2! What???

snip

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted against Negroponte, saying he doubts Negroponte's readiness to grapple with policymakers on issues such as the CIA's handling of terror suspects.

The other dissenting vote came from Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Negroponte, 65, until recently ambassador to Iraq, was quickly sworn into office at a White House ceremony attended by Bush, who predicted the intelligence community would be unified by the new spy chief's leadership.

snip

[mrdmk]

27. Negroponte could very well fail at this job badly

Just think, he will not have a few countries to hide behind when he goes on a mad one. Just watch!

[coreystone]

30. I am tired of GUESSING what the "behind the scenes" DEALS are!

I am tired of "guessing" WHAT political games are in the "smoked filled rooms"! If Senator Boxer wants to impress me, then she had best put EVERYTHING right in front of my face for the purpose of saving hers; at least to me. I, obviously am extremely disappointed by her vote on the "Negroponte confirmation".
The American people deserve more than "guessing" what "trade-offs" are going on "behind the scenes"! Any politician who speaks for the honesty and integrity as they represent the American people shouldn't have to rely upon anything but being FORTHRIGHT with the motives and purposes of their actions politically. Sure! That does sounds idealistic. But, it sure sounds better to me, at this point, to expect our representatives to "stand OUR ground" than to keep falling in the line of continual concessions of core substantive values upon which we voted these individuals into office as our representatives. Do we really know which ones are actually singing the song "Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say"!

There are many of us who are most skeptical about what politician is in the "pocket" of whom, and, what "deals" and "trade-off" legislative actions that they are signing onto in order to gain support for other legislative actions that they would wish to garner support from other legislators in support for other agendas.

I have been very supportive of Senator Boxer for many of the stands that she has taken in the last several months, but, I am very disappointed with this vote. I understand prioritizing the "evils" and "goods" of "back-room" government, but, it is time that the American people DEMAND a mode of conducting business of their representatives in lieu of conceding those interests; at least let us see IT. Most of it isn't classsified! Most important to the benefit of the citizens of our country, without mysteriously delivering "tarnished" votes in a political environment, must be the dedication of asserting the promises of integrity and taking political risks which may prove to be a vulnerability for re-election.

One may view this concept as a "short run" - "long run" scenario, but, it seems, over all, that the "long run" picture has only lead us into the bind we find ourselves in.

[Mend]

43. I completely agree with you.....eom

[Freddie Stubbs]

68. Perhaps there was no deal or trade-off

Perhaps she genuinely believes that this guy is qualified to do the job.

[meisje]

34. How long until the DU trolls turn on Boxer?

<Insert Jepordy clock sound here>

[coreystone]

39. Not a turn, but, "who's 'zooming' whom"?? eom

[Mend]

46. We have a right to know how and why our best and brightest are

voting for this monster...

[Crazy Guggenheim]

35. Boxer is my Senator. And I am astounded by this. It's not like

she's Feinstein.

[LatePeriduct]

36. Negroponte served as a distraction....

Who they really wanted in was John Bolton, and to put fake election reform groups out to start sweeping up.

[coreystone]

41. Sincerely, that's nonsense!.....

There are too many nominees for "only one" to be that important! Negroponte is just as important as Bolton. Gonzales and Rice were rather important also! I hear that Rice has said "da, da" (yes, yes in Russian) for running for President. Y'a never know!

:-)

[Mend]

44. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Torquemada....

okay to vote for three as long as you don't vote for the bolton-fourth.

[Joyce78]

47. The Dems should vote against Bolt-head

... but should not fight this battle anymore. I've raised kids and realized when to conserve my energy for the "important" issues. Bolton will prove to be an embarrassment for the United States and all who have been supportive of this nut. Bush, Condi-Sleeze deserve GOP support of this nominee ... when they leave office Dem's can fumigate the place. However, my concern is with judicial nominations.

[oasis]

56. Boxer's a-okay with me. "Pick your battles": Wisdom of the ages.

:yourock:

[Lone Pawn]

48. So let's vote her out of office then!

After all, weren't we all ready to throw Akaka out after ANWR? After all, this is DU--one false move and you're out of the party!
:crazy:

[American in Asia]

51. I just got up, and started scanning DU...

And the thread I read just before this one was about the freepers' attack on Voinovich. And DUers laughing about how they eat their own, and how silly they were to get so emotionally wound up about one vote. :shrug:

Now I detest Negroponte - but don't we do the same thing? And, how many times has he been confirmed for various posts and vetted? Wouldn't tactically, opposing him despite that weaken the effect of her opposition to Bolton (remembering she has to keep one Republican on the FR committee opposed)? And I agree the judicial appointments and the filibuster are more important. She's a pro - she's been fighting tooth and nails. I'm not willing to rip into her over this one (admittedly awful) appointment.

[derby378]

55. There have been a lot of assumptions on this thread...

...that I was ready to throw out Boxer as if she were bad as Zell Miller. They are nothing but assumptions, and erroneous ones at that.

We've all seen Boxer's track record - since mid-January, she's given us much to cheer about when we desperately needed a champion for the party.

Some of the DUers, however, need to remember that we are not FReepers. I criticize her decision, and I have the right and the freedom to do so if my conscience dictates. But I don't forget what she's done for the Democrats, either. So I think those who are criticizing me the most need to take a chill pill. If they don't want to call her office to complain about Negroponte, they don't have to.

[stranger81]

50. Wow . . . . . I'm just floored.

I've always been proud to call Boxer my senator, but not today. Negroponte should be behind bars, and she knows that.

[Swamp Rat]

59. What what WHAT?!?

WHAT?!?

[Freddie Stubbs]

67. Perhaps she does not believe the death squad allegations

Or she doesn't care. My guess is the former.

[lonestarnot]

60. Everyone is entitled to a mistake ....fuck who am I kidding...they all

seem to suck at one time or another...If you want to be disappointed, just follow politics...

[theboss]

64. Well, she had a good run..she was bound to fail the DU purity test

The Dems simply can't block EVERY nomination. Being a complete obstructionist is what brought Gingrich down. The public wants to see a little agreement. So, you pick and choose your battles. To me, it's the judges and Bolton. Bush can have whoever he wants anywhere else.

Though, actually, Wolfowitz should have been stopped too.

[Moochy]

65. Horse Trading?

I hope she got a real big republican clydesdale in exchange for her vote.

[Freddie Stubbs]

69. She has voted to confirm his for other jobs before

Perhaps she actually believes that he is qualified.