Posted on 11/10/2006 6:00:59 AM PST by Mrs Ivan
President Bush suffered a fresh blow today as the victorious Democrats moved to oust John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations.
Democrat leaders made clear they would not endorse President Bush's attempt to keep the hawkish Mr Bolton in the key diplomatic post.
In what has been dubbed "High noon for the neo-cons," Mr Bolton looks likely to be the second high profile member to leave the President's team after the sacking of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The mid-term elections saw the Democrats seize the Senate and the House of Representatives from the Republicans and they now have the muscle to block White House appointments.
Mr Bush appointed Mr Bolton to the job temporarily in August last year while Congress was in recess.
Under the constitution the appointment has to be re-submitted for Congressional approval.
But the Democrats, who regard Mr Bolton as a bully short on diplomatic skills, said his nomination was "going nowhere."
Democrat senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, who is expected to chair the Senate foreign relations committee, said: "I think John Bolton's going nowhere."
The row over his appointment was further evidence of the shift in the balance of power in Washington.
Despite promises by both sides for a more partisan approach - signalled in a staged meeting between the President and new House speaker Nancy Pelosi - behind the scenes the Democrats were starting to unpick a decade of Republican domination.
The Republican chairman of the Senate environment committee, who has questioned the science of global warming, is also expected to be replaced by a Democrat.
In Britain, former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind questioned whether the verdict in Saddam Hussein's trial had been delayed to help President Bush in the mid-term elections.
The White House has dismissed such accusations as "preposterous." At a meeting with Ms Pelosi, the President made clear the shift in power would not hasten the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
He said he would listen to all suggestions about Iraq except for pulling out troops before the mission was completed.
I hate that Bolton is one of the targets of the Dems...even though he has been all along..and this is nothing new.
BUT, everyone just think about these instances, and there will be many, maybe one or two a day for a while, as opportunities for the dems to shoot themselves in the foot..over and over.
What we need to pray for, is someone to have the spine, in the GOP to get on TV everyday and confront them..and get the news out to the Americans that the dems are only up to mischief, NOT working to make our country safe.
The fact that they caucus with them is what determines that they have the numbers to get the committee chairs etc.
There is a vote for Majority Leader. Those two will vote for Reid for Leader. That means the Dems get control of Senate chairmanships.
You don't base majority status on individual votes on various bills. It's a single vote: who do you elect to be Majority Leader. Republicans and Democrats and Independents can vote for anyone. Republicans usually vote for the Republican candidate for Leader and the same with the Dems.
We know that the media will distort every word the President says. Have ten democrats on TV to disupte his statements. Buying airtime seems a viable alternative...to me.
Absolutely that would work. The only issue is that Joe ran as someone who would caucus with the Dems. Voters chose him because he said he'd caucus with the Dems.
What's to lose?
Why not nominate Bill Clinton? It's a different game now. In a split government, you have to pick your battles. This one doesn't seem worth any of the little political capital Bush has at the moment to me. The UN is a vacous debating society, it's perfect for Bill. Would give Nancy and Harry some face with the moonbats and let Bush save the Presidential mojo for protecting our troops and holding the line on taxes.
Yeah but zillions of Repubs in Connecticut also voted for Lieberman.....I would expect that Lieberman would state that the Dem's were still the majority in the Senate as he "Caucuses" with them...but if he has always had an inkling to break free of the pack and to truly be bipartisan this is the way to do it!
But one that they will make anyway.
Carolyn
No surprise here -- as expected. And Bush and the Repubs won't have the stomach for a fight.
Another battle in the War against Islamofascism LOST.
See my post at 18....I'll bet Lieberman would go for Senate Majority leader if he was asked with the Vice president being the tie breaker. Now I understand he is a Dem at heart and Liberal...but to watch the fall out with the Dems would be Amazing...
We do have a Senator who is ailing from Leukemia so my strategy is somewhat in doubt, should he die. Lieberman might also be able to garner support from some of the newer Blue Dog Senators who will be emboldened to break and keep free of their would be Liberal leash holders!
I'm sorry "IamConservative", but this notion gags me!
In a split government, you have to pick your battles.
Seems to me we've been living with a split government for years now.
Would give Nancy and Harry some face with the moonbats
Call me ignornant, but I think both Nancy (I can hardly bear to print that name)and Harry have quite enough face!
and let Bush save the Presidential mojo for protecting our troops and holding the line on taxes
People often call me idealistic, but here even I cannot for the life of me see any presidential mojo.
I REALLY am trying to understand your point. it's just escaping me. But I will continue thinking about it.
Nancee
Ping!
It may be a very long couple of years for you. Republicans controlled legislative and executive branches and we didn't get much of what we wanted. We are now set to get much, much less and only on a give and take basis. This is a perfect opportunity to give on something (the UN) that is meaningless to us anyway and save the take for something that is central to conservatism. Who knows, perhaps Bill can find a new intern over there and sink Hillary's Presidential ship.
They will caucus with the Dems and the Dems do have the majority and the votes to put Reid in as the Majority Leader
In USENET the country club republicans are trying to act upset over this
Sorry for the doom and gloom, it's just that I feel that same sickness come over me that I had during the Clinton years.
Independents typically go along with Demoncrats.
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