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Bolton Watch
 "Bolton Waits" (The Telegraph) |
Bolton Watch
Team Agonist | San Antonio | Ongoing
The Washington Note - Lugar and Biden Unite on NSA Transcripts Request
Tomorrow the administration will receive a letter co-signed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar and Ranking Member Joseph Biden requesting that the 10 NSA intercept transcripts requested by John Bolton during his tenure as Under Secretary of State be made available to Senators and cleared senior Committee staff.
More at the link.
Just a Bump In The Beltway - Washington Times: Bolton's Problems are straight partisanship
The Washington Times does it best upfront to sell a story of Democrats who had made up their minds in advance to oppose Bolton out of sheer partisanship. But their own article doesn't support the proposition. They take as divine writ the White House claim that all the Republicans on the committee will ultimately support Bolton, and claim the nomination will turn on the Dems' willingness to filibuster him. They wish.
War and Piece - What Sen. Lugar doesn't say here is that he's pushing for his Foreign Relations committee members to get access to the actual ten NSA intercepts that Bolton requested and received along with the identities of the US persons whose conversations were monitored. As Sen. Lugar's spokesman told me today, "We’re working to get information relevant to the investigation here, but within the parameters of US law and national intelligence.
War and Piece - Bolton On The Hill?
What were Bolton's meetings on the Hill with GOP Senators notably not on the Senate Foreign Relations committee about yesterday? The Washington Post's Jim VandeHei and Charles Babington report that the White House and GOP leaders are maneuvering to bring a vote on Bolton to the whole Senate floor even if he does not get an up vote in the SFRC committee:
"With Bolton's confirmation jeopardized by allegations that he bullied colleagues who crossed him, Bush is planning a three-pronged strategy to win Senate approval next month of his nominee, aides said.
"The White House is providing detailed rebuttals to any allegations Republican senators find troubling. Bush is also looking to make the debate over Bolton about reforming the United Nations, not Bolton's temperament, and working with Senate Republicans to produce a vote count this week showing there are enough votes to approve the nominee on the floor."
From The Nelson Report: - Bolton gossip. . .comity on Senate Foreign Relations is a potential casualty of the "war" so far. Note the ill-feelings generated Friday when Republican staff wouldn't let Democratic staff sit in on the "debrief" of former Amb to Seoul Tom Hubbard, despite the Dem's role in bringing Hubbard forward to contradict claims that he "cleared" a controversial Bolton speech on N. Korea.
A meeting late yesterday was aimed at restoring cooperation, and we've not heard if it was black or white smoke which flowed out the window.
But for today, at least, it looks like nothing except a provable charge of criminal behavior is likely to defeat Bolton IF a Floor vote is scheduled. So all eyes remain on Lincoln Chafee, the Republican moderate who has flirted with voting "no" in Committee, which would theoretically doom the nomination.
The White House is putting "huge pressure" on everyone concerned, and Chairman Lugar is known to remain very displeased with being, as he sees it, sandbagged at last week's meeting.
So Dems and other Bolton opponents are pinning their hopes on the calendar. . .May 12 is a long time in politics, and "something may turn up". . .but if that "something" is a recess appointment, it's not clear how the Senate will react.
Stygius - The Times on Bolton's British Problem
In the wake of the Newsweek report on Bolton's ejection from the Libya WMD negotiations in 2003, The Times of London has some more details on Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's fury at John Bolton's 2004 attempt to sabotage Europe's negotiations with Iran:
As a series of new allegations against Mr Bolton put his chances of confirmation further into doubt, details emerged of how a furious Mr Straw told Colin Powell, the former US Secretary of State, that Mr Bolton was trying to destroy a European initiative on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Mr Straw made the complaint after he became convinced that Mr Bolton was the source of an article on the front page of The Times last July quoting an unnamed senior US official who dismissed the initiative as “spring training” and advocated “regime change” in Tehran. The Times has never revealed its source.
Upate: Also see this excellent backgrounder on the policy issues at stake.
More after the jump and more at the link
Laura Rozen has more on the UK-Bolton flap.
And Djerejian can't get off the fence. Remember what my father once said about fences? Awww, I'll save it for another time.
Meanwhile, another person has come forward claiming that Bolton threatened to fire her when she disagreed with him.
Bounded Rationality - Fun With Emoticons And John Bolton is an absolute must read. Hysterical.
The Washington Note - Those Opposing Bolton Need to Stand on Principles and Evidence
Time Magazine ran this little snippet:
. . .Bolton's confirmation looks far from assured. That has not prevented the nominee, however, from moving through his to-do list. Government sources tell TIME that after he was nominated in early March, Bolton requested that all American employees of the U.S. mission to the U.N. submit their resumes for review.
The move cast a chill over the operation, where some saw it as presumptuous. It may also have been premature.
Bangkok Post - New choice needed for UN post
It is encouraging that the United States Foreign Relations committee last week refused to act as a rubber stamp for US President George W Bush and decided to postpone a scheduled vote on the nomination of John Bolton for the post of US ambassador to the United Nations. The US is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and unarguably wields the most influence of any nation in the international organisation. At a time when the UN is undergoing a much-needed reform process and tensions in several regions of the world are rising to dangerous heights, John Bolton is simply the wrong man for the job.
Newsweek - Bolton's British Problem
Michael Hirsch | May 2
Colin Powell plainly didn't like what he was hearing. At a meeting in London in November 2003, his counterpart, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, was complaining to Powell about John Bolton, according to a former Bush administration official who was there. Straw told the then Secretary of State that Bolton, Powell's under secretary for arms control, was making it impossible to reach allied agreement on Iran's nuclear program. Powell turned to an aide and said, "Get a different view on [the Iranian problem]. Bolton is being too tough."
The Washington Note - The John Bolton Battle: Who is Winning?
Today is April 23rd, Saturday. Yesterday, major front page articles appeared throughout the major press that Colin Powell had entered the fray on John Bolton and apparently joined the "Bolton is Unfit" side of the equation.
Senate Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have agreed that the next "business meeting" on John Bolton will occur on Thursday, May 12th. Another hearing on Bolton may take place this day -- and it seems that Lugar intends to call for a vote on Bolton that day.
War and Piece - Did John Bolton commit perjury?Did John Bolton commit perjury in his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations committee? Amb. Thomas Hubbard is coming forward to say Bolton "grossly exaggerated" the truth in regards to a speech Bolton claimed to the Senators Hubbard approved. On the contrary, Hubbard made clear to Bolton the North Korea speech was unhelpful. More allegations of Bolton perjury are being examined by the Senate Foreign Relations committee regarding Bolton's claims he did not try to get Westermann and a CIA analyst removed from their jobs. As many as five witnesses interviewed by the Senate committee contradict that. Bolton also claimed he just dropped by the CIA on his way home from work to discuss his concerns over the CIA Latin America analyst. Sen. Biden says the day logs indicate Bolton made a special morning trip to the CIA. Senators are interviewing former deputy CIA director John McLaughlin and two other officials to get clarification on the matter.
The Washington Note - Lincoln Chafee is Now Doing the Right Thing: Going to Wage a Full Force Investigation of Bolton"I spoke with Senator Chafee's Chief Spokesman, Steve Hourahan, yesterday and was very pleased with the discussion. I think Senator Chafee is now moving from the 'passive' and 'reactive' in this matter on John Bolton -- to 'proactive' and 'aggressive' in trying to get to the truth about the many allegations about Bolton."
Liberals Against Terrorism - More Bolton inquiry infoAnne Gearan, AP's diplomatic writer, has shifted attention to Bolton and has some news. The committee will be talking with CIA folks about whether Bolton tried to get rid of an analyst.
"The Foreign Relations Committee is seeking information from [former CIA Deputy Director John] McLaughlin, a second CIA official and a National Intelligence Council official who were scheduled to meet with Bolton in July 2002 when Bolton was in the midst of a bureaucratic disagreement with a CIA analyst, a Democratic committee staff member said. The staff member spoke only on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way."
Democracy Arsenal has more as does Laura Rozen.
This is an open-thread/compilation thread on the Bolton nomination. Our aim here is to aid Steve Clemons' and other progressives to defeat the Bolton Nomination. Your participation is greatly appreciated. We will be updating this thread often, and what we want from you links in the comments on other blog posts and/or news stories. This is extremely important. And this is the kind of activism that Agonistas can do.Slate - Is John Bolton Going Down?
Could it be that John Bolton is about to go down?
Something amazing happened at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this afternoon. In nearly 30 years of watching Congress, off and on, I can't remember anything quite like it.
Bolton, the most dreadfully ill-qualified candidate ever to be nominated as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has nonetheless been an odds-on favorite to be confirmed because the committee enjoys a Republican majority and because George W. Bush's White House has a knack for iron party discipline.
The Washington Note - Three More Weeks
I have been on the phone non-stop with media during the roller-coaster issue of whether or not the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would meet and when. And this was followed up by dramatic, explosive, unbelievable commentary that has thrown the nomination of John Bolton into serious jeapordy.
It is not over. Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee have approximately three weeks to add further to the dossier of concerns and problems that John Bolton's nomination represents.
Laura Rozen and Kos have more.
Democracy Arsenal - Voinovich (R) says he ain't gonna vote for Bolton. Lugar pushing to vote now. Does this mean . . .The Washington Note - Barbara Boxer Objects. . .Things Stall Momentarily for Bolton, but Only Temporarily
Senator Barbara Boxer has now objected to the Senate going into recess while other Senate Commitees meet.
That means that Boxer's action is forcing other Senators to vote on whether to go into recess or not. The Republicans will win by majority vote. And then the Senate will go into recess.
Liberals Against Terrorism - Conscience has a price
Nadezhda nails it:
The latest overnight revelations? Bolton's suppression of Iran intelligence from two Secretaries of State. Rice now excluding Bolton from Iran debate.
A quite well-informed reader responds to the latest Bolton revelations:
The Washington Note - John Bolton's Deception Under Oath In Congressional Hearing: It's Turning Out that the "Big Lie Strategy" Is Not Working
Any Senator -- any and all -- who votes to confirm John Bolton on Tuesday this week (though there may be a further delay) not only has to sign off on the issue of Bolton's pattern of abusive behavior, they must also sign off on the connection of such abuse to the mismanagement of intelligence and his habitual role as a "loose cannon" undermining delicate and high-stakes national security efforts of other diplomats.
In addition, they must sign off on the fact that he lied under oath. Bolton got very pointed with Senators Dodd, Obama, and Biden -- as well as Boxer -- that he never sought to have an intelligence official removed or fired and that issues of difference with staff were over "management questions," not "substance."
Watching America - Pretense of Trans-Atlantic Thaw Ends With Bolton Nomination
When George Bush undertook his voyage of reconciliation and seduction to Europe last February, many governments and commentators of "Old Europe" had begun to hope. The American president affirmed his wish to reinforce trans-Atlantic bonds and revivify multilateralism.
An encouraging speech to the 25 [the E.U] was far from an admission of error over his Iraq policy, but it did seem to mark, at the dawn of George Bush's second mandate, a willingness to again give proper weight to international institutions.
The Washington Note - Bolton May Have Used NSA Intercepts in His Crusades: Did He Use Intercepts to Spy on Pritchard?
Big news this morning.
Douglas Jehl reports that Senator Chris Dodd is digging deeper into the reasons why John Bolton requested mega-secret intercepts from the National Security Agency.
From the article:
John R. Bolton, nominated to be the next ambassador to the United Nations, used his position as a senior State Department official to obtain details about intercepted communications involving other American officials that were monitored by the National Security Agency, according to Mr. Bolton's own account.
The identities of American officials whose communications are intercepted are usually closely protected by law, and not included even in classified intelligence reports. Access to the names may be authorized by the N.S.A. only in response to special requests, and these are not common, particularly from policy makers.
The Washington Note - Bolton Vote Pushed Back to Next Week
Senator Lugar knows that yesterday's hearings just made the Bolton confirmation process much more messy than expected. Lugar does not like messiness -- and leans over backward to assure that there is fair play in his committee hearings.
The Washington Note - Chris Nelson: Carl Ford Rep "Impeccable" -- Hagel Studying Bolton Questions -- May be Reconsidering His Position
Chris Nelson is just the best in town when it comes to fine-tuning the importance of good rumors.
Below is an excerpt from his 7 April Nelson Report:
Nasty gossip. . .always more fun than plain old gossip. . .there are indications that the Senate committee vote on confirming John Bolton for the UN may be more difficult than the White House (specifically VP Cheney's office) had hoped. Foreign Affairs chair Richard Lugar is known to be distinctly uncomfortable with Bolton, and Ranking Dem Joe Biden is actively opposing.
Update: Arms Control Wonk has the goods on Bolton and MEK.
More at the link.
The Washington Note - Big Time News: John Bolton Hearings to Expose Nasty, Internecine Fight Inside State Department over WMD Intelligence
I have heard for days that something very big was brewing regarding the upcoming John Bolton hearings -- but I'm rather floored by the news that just hit via Douglas Jehl and Steven Weisman at the New York Times.
For days, insiders sharing tidbits and rumors have been telling me that a real wave of Republican opposition was building to John Bolton's U.N. candidacy. I have reported before that most of the leaks and material I was getting on Mr. Bolton was not emanating from progressive or Democratic circles -- but rather from Republican ones. But the output was still somewhat thin, and I decided not to flirt with possibilities that didn't seem grounded in visible people or empirical fact that could be ethically and responsibly reported.
The Washington Note - The Tide Turns: Chafee Makes Political Space to Oppose John BoltonSenator Chafee is sending signals that he is considering opposing John Bolton. This is amazinig and important news.
Just in from the Boston Globe.More at the link.
The Washington Note - Balancing Respect for the Pope and the Politics of the Bolton Nomination
The big question that many of my like-minded friends who support American leadership in the world and who support American engagement in reforming the U.N. is whether it helps or hurts to postpone John Bolton's hearings because of the Pope's funeral in Rome.
Democracy Arsenal - Top 10 Reasons Why John Bolton Should Not Be Confirmed As U.S. Ambassador to the UN
"Bolton’s confirmation hearings start Thursday, and its not too late to weigh in, particularly with Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. While the chances of flipping any conservatives on the SFRC to vote against Bolton are slim, Chafee is thought to be the best prospect. For more on Bolton check out the Arsenal archive, the CAP website, and especially the washingtonnote.com which is on the forefront of this battle." Top Ten Reasons at the link.
The Washington Note - WHITE HOUSE WORRIED: Reports are that "Full-Court Press" On to Keep All 10 Committee Republicans Behind Bolton and from the same source - Citizens for Global Solutions has taken its video clip of John Bolton arguing against the very concept of the United Nations and has turned it into a compelling television commercial.
The Washington Note- Bolton Nomination In Trouble
"Fox News has not offered more than entertainment in its coverage of John Bolton -- which is not really good for advocates or opponents of his U.N. nomination -- but CBS News is getting serious."
Read the rest at the link
The American Prospect - "The Domestic Bolton" has ethical issues, reports Michael Tomasky:
The first wave of protest against President Bush’s nomination of John Bolton to be his ambassador to the United Nations centered, plausibly enough, on Bolton’s international track record, and specifically on his long history of bellicose commentary about the world body.
But there’s a domestic Bolton, too. While the international Bolton gives cause for concern, the real problem is the domestic Bolton, and Democrats and moderate Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who have reservations about the nomination should be looking at the domestic Bolton’s background, because it suggests not mere rhetorical bellicosity but possible sleaze.
Who Is John Bolton?
Brooke Lierman | March 7
Center for American Progress - He has been called a "treaty-killer" and a "guided missile."[i] He is known as the "undersecretary for chads" and the "anti-diplomat."[ii] Recently he called concerns over how many nuclear weapons North Korea possesses "quibbling." [iii]
"If the U.N. Secretariat Building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference." ~ John Bolton |
And, former Sen. Jesse Helms thinks of him as "the kind of man with whom I would want to stand at the gates of Armageddon."[iv] And, if President Bush has his way, John Bolton will now answer to the title of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
He started at USAID, and by 1984, he was assistant attorney general. His name is connected to a host of conservative causes during the 1980s. In the Reagan administration he conducted a review for the Justice Department to determine if any senior administration officials were involved in supplying arms to the Nicaraguan Contras. He also served as point-person in the doomed nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court.[x]
"The UN is substantially overextended and in danger of becoming more so." " It is involved in conflicts, or is considering involvement, where it has neither the authority nor the competence to be effective, and its instinctive reaction to difficulties it has encountered has been simply to do more of the same.'' ~ Bolton, January 2000 testimony before the House International Relations Committee |
Bolton was in South Korea on an AEI assignment when he received a call from long-time mentor James Baker, who was leading the charge on the Florida recount in 2000. Baker told him to get on the next plane, which he did. After working as a lawyer with the Republican team in Florida, he grabbed reporters' attention when he burst into a Tallahassee library announcing ''I'm with the Bush-Cheney team, and I'm here to stop the count."[xii]
...on the eve of talks with North Korea about their nuclear weapons, Bolton took a novel approach to public diplomacy and publicly called King Jong Il a "tyrannical dictator" and an "evil regime." The State Department was forced to send a replacement representative after North Korea responded by calling Bolton "human scum" and stating their objection to negotiating with him.[xiii] Bolton's resistance to carrots and multi-lateralism helped stall approaches to North Korea for months.
Though many on the left of the aisle do not agree with his views, few can claim him as incompetent. Indeed, Bolton has been effective: in his first one-and-a half years in office the U.S. pulled out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty with Russia, scuttled a protocol to the biological-weapons ban, ousted the head of the organization that oversees the chemical-weapons treaty, watered down an accord on small-arms trafficking and refused to submit the nuclear test-ban treaty for Senate ratification.[xv]
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