WASHINGTON, May 13: A Senate panel took the rare step on Thursday of refusing to endorse John Bolton, the controversial administration candidate for US ambassador to the United Nations, but nevertheless sent the nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. The move was a blow to the White House, which had hoped that Mr Bolton would receive the seal of approval of the committee’s 10 Republicans, whose backing would have improved his odds for success in the full Senate.
Instead, Mr Bolton barely squeaked out of the polarized Senate committee. His nomination apparently was saved by a deal in which several Republicans agreed to forward his nomination for the UN post, but refrained giving him their explicit backing. Despite the lack of a congressional endorsement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she was ‘pleased’ by the outcome, and expressed hope for Mr Bolton’s quick Senate confirmation.
“I am pleased that the Foreign Relations Committee has voted to send John Bolton’s nomination as ambassador to the United Nations to the full Senate for consideration,” Ms Rice said in a statement.
A date has not been set for the vote in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 55 to 45 majority. But Democrats promised they would continue to fight tooth and nail against the nomination as it moves to the chamber.
“If this comes to the floor, we’re going to have a fight,” Senator Barbara Boxer said during the committee meeting. Mr Bolton is currently undersecretary for arms control and international security at the US State Department, and would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the UN post, Ms Rice said.
“I recommended John (Bolton) for this critical position because he has the skill and dedication necessary to advance the president’s reform agenda at the United Nations,” she said.
Democrats have been united in opposition to Mr Bolton, while four of the committee’s 10 Republicans expressed serious reservations. Chief among Mr Bolton’s Republican critics was Senator George Voinovich, whose reservations scuttled a vote on the nomination last month.
At Thursday’s hearing Senator Voinovich expressed grave reservations about allegations that he had mistreated staff during his long career in Washington and shaped intelligence to conform to his views.
He also issued a scathing denunciation of the nominee, saying the president could have chosen any one of a number of equally qualified, and less controversial, candidates.—AFP
