With the new nomination of Bolt-On I want to take you all back to the issue that we were discussing in this thread.

http://tinyurl.com/y7glob

Now... I want those documents to come to light. The dems control the house and senate. Let the sunshine in.

Damn, Mr. Clemons, I thought I was going to come here and unload the "Bush is pimping Bolton" bombshell b/4 you knew about it, but I guess it makes sense that you know these things sooner than we.

I'll call it "dead" when there's another person being nominated. Until then, nothing's dead.

I have to say, this, more than anything, has made me rethink what I said about you supporting Chafee. A principled move on Chafee's part.

Still probably more important that Rovian politics be dealt a death blow. Would he consider switching sides?

I actually align more with Chafee than a lot of Dems (I'm a proud Democrat), but he has been disappointing overall in his acquiesence. Too little too late. To be fair, he has been stronger than Specter, who finds new and innovative ways to let me down.

Mr. Clemons, so what you mean is that his nomination is dead, but not his reappointment. There's ample ways for Bush to recess appoint him as a deputy (without a #1), and then have him become the "acting"...

However, I suspect a move like that would infuriate the Dems, and I suspect he may want to avoid doing this...

What's your thoughts on Bush doing something clandestine like this?

Is anyone surprised? Did anyone think W would change from bullying to cooperating? If so, I have a bridge for sale. Send me your bids.

I would vote for Chafee in a heartbeat if ran for PODUS.

He had a very high approval rating, but wasn't elected to the Senate as part of a wider purge of all things GOP ... even though he was one of the most moderate Republicans in the Senate.

More importantly, I believe he made a strong stand against an administration which has force fed Congress it's agenda without much tolerance for dissent.

Most presidential candidates run while holding a current high office (i.e. U.S. Senator, State Governor, etc.); however, given the circumstance by which Chafee did not retain the RI seat in the Senate, I believe there would be due justice for him to run for PODUS without the significant obligations of most other candidates which currently (or will) hold high office.

What is "PODUS"?

What is Joe Lieberman's position on Bolton?

49 Democrats
1 Socialist

= 50 votes against Bolton, presumably.

49 Republicans
1 Lieberman
1 Vice President

= 51 votes for Bolton, potentially?

This sounds like precisely the kind of conflict to sustain the power of the Executive which Cheney relishes.

This arrangement of votes may apply to other contentious nominations where Lieberman can be persuaded to support the administration's choice.

Let's see what kind of party discipline obtains in the new Congress.

I'm not clear on what Chaffee has got to do with the nominations process anymore.

Um, charles?

It's November. The new Congress arrives in January. It's not like Britain, where the moving van arrives the day after the election.

Two words for the time from now to Christmas:

Quack quack.

YES!!!

The acronym should be "POTUS" instead of "PODUS." POTUS is the government acronym for President of the United States. Worse is "FLOTUS" for First Lady of the United States.

Punchy - There's a handy little primer on recess appointments on the Senate's web site which I muddled through and it seems that Bush could theoretically nominate Bolton for another recess appointment, but it would only last until the end of the 1st session of the new Congress (i.e., to January 2008). However, it looks like the Senate could use its authority to prevent Bolton from being paid for the job.

the Senate could use its authority to prevent Bolton from being paid for the job.

If I didn't know better I would guess that the stubbornness connected to this appointment might be partly sheer laziness. It might be too much trouble to find someone who could get through committee. I am sure it is more than that, of course.

The 49+Lieberman+Cheney formula isn't going to work.

There are a bunch of Senators up for election in 2008 who probably don't want to be known as Bush partisans.

Ha, Chafee is now mulling leaving the GOP in the papers. He should have listened earlier when bloggers told him he had a choice: Switch parties or go down. ;)

But I suppose now that it doesn't matter he is free to full on oppose Bolton which is good.

The Kind of Republican I Can Like
By billmon

The self-loathing kind:

Two days after losing a bid for a second term in an election seen as a referendum on President Bush and the Republican Party, Sen. Lincoln Chafee said he was unsure whether he'd remain a Republican . . . When asked if his comments meant he thought he might not belong in the Republican Party, he replied: "That's fair."

When asked whether he felt that his loss may have helped the country by switching control of power in Congress, he replied: "To be honest, yes."

If Chafee had quit the GOP when Jeffords did, he could have stayed in the Senate for the rest of his life if that's what he wanted. I don't know whether to admire him for refusing to let the Rovians run him out of his own party, or ridicule him as a fool and a tool for not switching.

On the one hand, Chafee didn't seem to have any questions of conscience about accepting the GOP's money and help when he was locked in a tough primary race this summer. On the other hand, Chafee voted against Shrub's folly (given how many there have been, I should be clearer. I'm talking about the Iraq invasion folly). That showed a hell of a lot more courage than many Democratic Senators I could name (cough, Kerry, cough). So I'm inclined to give Linc a pass. His self esteem clearly has been damaged enough.

Fear not, Publius. 49 Dems + Sanders + Lugar + Hagel + 1 publicly emasculated POTUS = Bolton going back to his cherished pastimes of Cub Scout-mugging and cat-strangling.

And re POTUS possibilities for Chafee, I'd say no. Though I hold him and his unusual adherence to principle in high regard, I have heard that he is not especially intellectually sharp. It was said that FDR had "a second-rate intellect, but a first-rate character." It is my understanding that Chafee falls distinctly short of FDDR's standards. With a good staff, this isn't necessarily problematic for a senator. We have seen the disaster that it can lead to for a President.

Does Voinovich want to get in on some of that Bolton-opposing action also?

I'd like there to be a Republican Party in which Chafee feels comfortable. It frankly doesn't help politics when there's nobody left with which to have reasonable disagreements. And as some pundits have noted, Harry Reid may have a handful more senators to draw upon, but there are a couple fewer on the other side to join a filibuster-proof majority.

Steve,

do you archive anything on bolt-on say 2003/4.?

am looking at why the un, what or who does his access there achieve for ..

there are some things outside what you cover above, wider pov et cet..

genuine request,,

best now

Bolton should be put in the do not recycle , toxic file, along with Newt Gingrich. Many republicans are not worthy of recycling in another election.
I can hope the American people will remember the Bush reign when the Republicans start recycling some of these evil neo conned people. They certainly do not deserve to be called Americans all the while destroying America and its middle class.
Shame shame on Republicans who had the neocon revolution that just did not shake out.
To Mr. Bush and Mr. Bartlett.... you DO NOT create your own reality.

If Bolton does not get confirmed, I think Bush should not nominate ANYONE to replace him and not allow any deputies to appear on our behalf at the UN.

What the hell, did Revoltin Bolton personally pen the yellowcake from Niger forgeries? What is this undying devotian to him all about? As for Das Bush being 'bipartisdan", that's a joke. The only kind of "bi" he can be is something Jeff Gannon can answer.

George does not seem to be endowed with an overabundance of imagination. There was a plan which relied on personality traits, not just ability, but a loyal hit man ( so to speak ). GWB just wants his "arm" in place and is giving a last desperate push.