Where the Action Is: Feuding inside the GOP over John Bolton

[housewolf]

from Steve Clemons of "The Washington Note" - an article he wrote for UPI


The battle over John Bolton, President Bush's pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is not a competition between Senate Democrats and Republicans. It's actually a brewing civil war inside the Republican foreign-policy establishment. None of the dramatic events of the four public hearings to date on Bolton's nomination would have been possible without the active complicity of a large swath of the GOP establishment.

<snip>

behind the scenes -- lurking unofficially but offering cryptic signs of their own discomfort with Bolton -- have been former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his deputy, Richard Armitage, and even Brent Scowcroft. On the record, these three titans of the Republican foreign-policy world will not attack Bolton. They all say he's smart, knows a lot about the U.N. and is qualified. But as Scowcroft so cleverly put it: "What matters most about John Bolton are the instructions he is given -- and whether he 'chooses' to follow them." Suffice it to say that despite an occasional nod to Bolton's intellectual fortitude, none of these three has signed a letter or statement endorsing him -- and privately they have made their concerns known to any senator who asks them.

<snip>

the White House made this a war over executive-branch power. A loss on this nomination somehow morphed into the question of whether un-bolting from Bolton would trigger the true beginning of a Bush lame-duck presidency. The White House became stuck on the need to win at all costs. They never thought Bolton would matter to the American public. The White House counted on public ignorance about Bolton,

<snip>

The White House is willing to forfeit principle, ignore the delicate balance that exists between the legislative and executive branches of government and do all that it can to attempt to achieve monarchial pretensions. ... Congress is there -- as is the judicial branch -- to pre-empt abuses and unconstitutional expansion of government. .... Voinovich has created space for principled internationalists in his own party to defect from the Cheney-Bolton pressure cooker.

<anip>

Republicans at odds with the Cheney-Bolton wing of the party know Bolton is not someone with impeccable credentials and certainly not someone of whom Americans can feel easily proud. And as long as the White House leaves its moderates in that stance, Democrats can wage successful battle after battle against a president and vice president who can only lose from their obsession with winning.

<snip>

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/000621.html

[lala_rawraw]

1. OMG< the cons are jumping ship... lmao...

There is a reason for bolton... anyone consider that the White House may not want him either? Really, consider.

[housewolf]

3. What are you implying?

I agree that it's possible that the White House may regret making this nomination, but WHO do you think DOES want him there? I'm not sure what you're trying to say....

[still_one]

2. i don't believe it

there are supposed to be three dems who may vote for bolton, and i don't see the repukes breaking ranks in a amount to cause him not to get in

[housewolf]

4. Well Voinovich has alread said that he's not going to vote for Bolton

and Hagel, Chaffe, and Murkowski might still be persuadable as they all have concerns, and there might be others - Collins, Snowe, Specter... we should all be writing these senators to counter the pressure on them from the right

[Kurovski]

5. I dunno

Republicans working in Washington have also been pissed about crappy handling of foreign relations for a long time now.

wasn't there a bi-partisan group of foreign relations folks who worked against Bush for the last pres election. Yes, but I don't remember what they were called.

John Bolton is despised by every person who is serious and sane about our ties to the rest of the world.

Howz that for a sweeping statement? Well, I'm not being very clear, I'm tired & so time to sign off.

G'night. Good post. Keep it alive!

Edit: It's more about the pressure from a long disgusted group in Washington putting pressure on the Republicans to vote against that far-over-the-edge nutjobber Bolton.

[necso]

6. The more or less

responsible wing of the Republican Party has like zero power now. And it's past the point when the neocons could have been easily dethroned. They are thoroughly entrenched now.

Besides, any (more or less responsible) Republican who votes against Bolton can expect retaliation -- that's how the neocons operate. And there are a plethora of convenient excuses (many thoughtfully furnished in advance by the neocons) that can be used as cover for a yes vote.

But this is a big deal. And if our Senate leader, Senator Reid, hasn't called for a party-line vote, then, IMO, he should do so (privately).

A "win" is possible here. -- And we would be better off sending a rabid dog to the UN... At least then no one would mistake the meaning of the appointment.

[patricia92243]

7. The feuding in the Republican party would probably curle your hair if we

knew all of it.

Can you imagine Arnold and company type of Republicans actually embracing the right wing that has take over their party. And taken over is the phrase. I'm sure most Republicans feel their party has been hijacked.

[Kurovski]

8. kick