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WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - Senator John McCain still has questions about the Obama administration's choice of veteran diplomat Chris Hill to be U.S. ambassador to Iraq after meeting with him on Tuesday, McCain's office said. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee plans on March 25 to hold a hearing on Hill's nomination, amid suggestions by some Republican senators that he lacks sufficient Middle East experience and had mismanaged delicate negotiations with North Korea. "Senator McCain and Ambassador Hill had a productive meeting but questions still remain," said McCain's spokeswoman, Brooke Buchanan, who did not describe the questions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veteran diplomat Christopher Hill on Tuesday won the support of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar to become the next U.S. ambassador to Iraq, even as other GOP senators bluntly urged President Barack Obama to withdraw the nomination. Lugar's backing is considered crucial to Hill's nomination because it would provide other moderate GOP senators political cover to vote for him. Indiana's Lugar is the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee and widely respected on foreign policy matters. A confirmation hearing was planned for March 25.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Christopher Hill, President Barack Obama's pick to become the top diplomat in Iraq, will meet privately next week with John McCain after the Republican senator said he opposes the nomination. Three other Republican senators have joined McCain in saying they were disappointed in Obama's choice. Sens. McCain, John Ensign of Nevada, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and Sam Brownback of Kansas say Hill does not have enough experience in the Middle East.

Dispirited Senate Republicans enabled Hillary Clinton to be confirmed to be Secretary of State by a vote of 94-2. Even conservative stalwart Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who had held up her confirmation because of the major conflict of interest posed by Bill Clinton’s foundation accepting millions in donations from foreign nations and interests, voted for Clinton. Cornyn’s vote came after Sen. John McCain (RINO-Az) went to the Senate floor to call Cornyn’s objections “gratuitous.” This week, Senate conservatives have another challenge to face: the confirmation of the radically-liberal Eric Holder to be Attorney General. It will be paralleled by votes...

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Hillary Clinton won confirmation Wednesday as US secretary of state from her fellow senators, who voted 94-2 for the former first lady to become President Barack Obama's top diplomat. The only two dissenters were Republicans Jim DeMint of South Carolina and David Vitter of Louisiana.

The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on whether to approve Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, after several high-powered senators voiced their support for the former first-lady's swift confirmation. Clinton's confirmation was delayed until Wednesday by a single senator, Texas Republican John Cornyn, who voiced concerns about foreign donations made to former President Bill Clinton's foundation. But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said on the floor that he had talked to Cornyn and that Cornyn has no objections to a voice vote. "We need to immediately, or as soon as possible ... move forward with the nomination," McCain said. He...