Hey, we got a win for the good guys today

[TayTay]

The best Bolton could get was a motion to forward this to the US Senate floor without recommendation. I never thought we would get this a month ago. I thought the Rethugs would march in lockstep to jam Bolton down the Dems throats. (Did I ever tell you guys that I hate Bolton the Bastard. Always have.)

We live to fight another day. (Well, after a nice nap and weekend off. That was exhausting.) Not only that, but we have a bruising floor fight coming up that might make the committee hearing look like an afternoon at Disney World in comparison. (This is what Kerry warned about if the nomination got to the floor.)

So, raise a glass in cheer tonight. The good guys, if they didn't win one, didn't lose one either. Nice job!

[JohnKleeb]

1. Well thats interesting

[politicasista]

2. That's true Tay Tay

P.S. Check you pm. :hi:

[sandnsea]

3. I'll take it!!

And I take it as a Kerry win too, don't you? Our guy is the one who put this one into play. Am I right?

In any event, Wohoo!

[ginnyinWI]

4. I'll raise a glass to each of the eight Dems on the committee

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[paulk]

5. what's kinda been amazing -

is watching the pundits. The Mclaughin crew all saying he'll pass. George "bring me my kneepads" Stephanopoulos, saying Bolton will win through in the full Senate. Really discouraging to watch our media at work.


Christ! Like it's a done deal. I still want to win this won, not just because it would hurt BushCo, but because this guy is such an absolute bad choice for the country. I hope enough Republicans will do what's right.

At least CBS played Voinovich saying that Bolton was a poster boy for what we don't want in a diplomat. Maybe once this hits the mainstream it will grow some legs.

[TayTay]

6. There is more to come

The floor debate on Bolton should be a real nasty event. (Kerry promised as much today. So much for the 'he's too much of a gentleman' meme. LOL!) Kerry hinted that there is more stuff on Bolton that will come out and will embarrass both the nominee and the Pres. I can't wait for that.

[whometense]

7. The whole Kos thing today wiped me out.

Where did Kerry say this? Did I miss something important? An interview?

[politicasista]

8. Hang in there whome

:hi:

[TayTay]

9. In his comments on Bolton in Comm on 5/12

Kerry built on the case that Biden, Sarbanes and Dodd had made. Biden was playing the Big Chief of the Dems on the Comm. He laid out, in an emotionally stated argument that Bolton was not a fit guy to go to the UN. He is not a fit representative of the US because he is a temperamental head case. Sarbanes concurred. Dodd kept up his arguments to prove that Bolton went out of his way to smear intel analysts under him who didn't provide the right set of facts for Bolton. Sen. Kerry then made the case that Biden is a liar. (Of course, Kerry is not going to say he is a liar in this forum. Instead he mentioned numerous times that the things Bolton testified to under oath before the Committee were, "not true.") Kerry stated at least two instances where Bolton testified that he had dropped matters against subordinates when, in fact, he had not.

Kerry also stated that the case for Bolton should end. That the nomination should never make it out of Committee because Bolton is unqualified to be UN Ambassador. Should the nomination make it to the floor, there will be a fight and other unpleasant things about Bolton will come out. Bolton's reputation will be further damaged, and, by extension, so will the motives and reps of those who nominated and supported him. Kerry said this explicitly and without undue innuendo.

Kerry: "Is he going to be sitting on one of those floors that he said shouldn't even be there."

Also, Kerry made the strong point that Bolton cherry-picked his intel and used what he wanted and disregarded the rest. Is the rest of the world going to have to wonder about a US Amb. that cherry-picks his intel and is the rest of the world going to consider him a liar as well. Is this what the US really wants in an Amb?

Kerry also delivered a slap-down to Sen. George Allen from VA (sorry Kleeb) that I found personally gratifying, since I can't stand Allen. Allen had made the ridiculous assertion that the sole reason to send Bolton to the UN is because he is the only one who can clean the place up. (Translation: The UN needs an ass-whooping. We have, in Bolton, a bastard who will kick butt and take names.) Kerry took Allen's arguments, both against the SFRC and for Bolton apart. (And he looked Allen straight in the eyes as he did so. I could see Allen's reaction on TV in a cut-away shot. The poor bastard was reduced to mumbling things at Kerry under his breath. I don't think those two were anything more than necessary colleagues before; I think they are far less than that now.)

Kerry was, as usual, superb. (Though he looked weary as hell. I hope the Sen. takes the weekend off and gets some rest.)

[JI7]

10. he did look and sound very tired

understandable as he had been going to different states in recent days to promote his health care bill.

but it was good to see him and he still looked great and had some great things to say. i pressed mute while Allen was speaking so didn't know about some of the connections to what he said and what Allen said. Allen is a really stupid guy. it must suck for him to have Kerry speak right after him so many times based on their ranking in the committee. if not Allen it's usually Coleman. i love how Kerry makes them look like the ignorant asses they are.

[TayTay]

11. Allen undercut the SFRC, as did Coleman, I think

The Rethugs made the case that, for them, the post to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a lesser assignment. (Then they tired to soothe Dick Lugar's feelings by saying that he made the Committee relevant again. Yeesh!) Someone, and I think it was Allen, pointedly said that the SFRC was in decline in the '70's and '80's and that it was not a prestigious assignment. (Hmmm, who testified in front of this non-prestigious committee in the early '70's in a riveting nationally televised appearance. Wonder if the Rethugs were implying that that was the start of the downfall of prestige in the SFRC? Screw them.)

Anyway, the Rethugs went out of their way to basically diminish the role of Foreign Relations. This fits with Rethug pronouncements about America being the only country that matters. (If only you matter, why would a Comm. dedicated to making sense of your relations with the rest of the world matter?) What a bunch of whiny, ignorant, self-impressed bastards. What a horrible thing to say out loud in front of the whole world. No wonder they want Bolton. He fits their shameful, narcissistic world-view. Disgusting.