Democrats Force Delay of Bolton Final Vote

[Bond]

Democrats forced the Senate to put off a final vote Thursday on John R. Bolton's nomination to be U.N. ambassador, the latest setback for the tough-talking nominee President Bush has called strong medicine for corruption and inefficiency at the United Nations.

Democrats contended the White House had stiff-armed the Senate over classified information on Bolton's tenure in his current job as the State Department's arms control chief, and demanded more information before the Senate can give Bolton an up-or-down vote.

Republicans needed 60 votes to end the Democrats' procedural delays and move to an immediate final vote on Bolton's confirmation. But the vote to halt the stalling was 56-42, four shy of that threshold. The final Bolton vote will not take place until at least June, after the Senate returns from a Memorial Day recess.

The dramatic roll call underscored that, despite the compromise the two parties' centrists forged just days ago in a bitter dispute over judicial nominees, most senators still had a taste for partisan confrontation over a polarizing figure like Bolton.

Democrats are delaying a vote on Bolton because they know he will win an up or down vote. There go those friendly Democrats again... filibustering away because they know they'd lose a fair up or down vote...

[The Germanator]

Democrats are delaying a vote on Bolton because they know he will win an up or down vote. There go those friendly Democrats again... filibustering away because they know they'd lose a fair up or down vote...

Oh, boo hoo. Yes, let's just end the process of the filibuster so the Republicans can do whatever they want. I'm sorry if you don't agree with it, but it's within legal limits, and if the Republicans want to end filibustering, then God help the Republicans when the Democrats have the majority again.

[Jonbo298]

If the Filibuster was gotten rid of, it would be a very bad day, probably of historical proportions. Because downt he road, Republicans will be the minority and wine they cant Filibuster what the Democrats want to do.

I dont care if Bolton gets in. Let the bastrd do so so that we as Americans can see what kind of job he does. I wanna see if he tries to pull something so outlandish the UN bans him or something else. I'm no political person who knows all so I could be speaking in the wrong sense, kinda

[Jason1]

Because downt he road, Republicans will be the minority


Do you mean in the country as a whole, or in the US senate and stuff? Because if your talking the US citizens as a whole, I'll be dammed if the Republicans arent the minority right now...

[GameMaster]

Neo: A young administrator named Bond, who was a pupil of mine before he turned to evil, helped the Republicans hunt down and destroy the Democrat Knights. Now, the Democrats are all but extinct

There go those friendly Democrats again... filibustering away because they know they'd lose a fair up or down vote...

Is the word 'filibustering' your way of saying 'exercising their rights'? Please don't pollute my forums with tasteless insults. The Republicans are nothing more than the blind leading the blind.

[Professor S]

1) The filibuster is a way of coersion from the minority party, and is to be used very sparingly, and until recently it has been used very sparingly. Now it seems that every time the majority, as in ELECTED BY MORE CITIZENS, wants to elect any official the demcrats throw in a filibuster. If they continue, the filibuster will be banned and it will be their fault. So far the democrats have used the filibuster to stop presidential appointments, something that has never been done before. This is abuse of a legislative tool by the minority. This is politics, plain and simple, and has nothing to do with the quality of Bolton, Owens or any of Bush's other appointments. The democrats just want to cry foul when they are the ones committing them.

The democrats are useing the filibuster to thwart democracy, and then accuse the republicans of being fascists. How amusing.

2) The Republican party one the election by over 3 million more votes than the democrats and they have far more representatives in both houses. I'd say that more Americans are in their corner. Just because the print and Tv media would makeyou think that they are supported by only a few bible beating radical KKK members, dosn't make it so.

[Blackmane]

The democrats are crying foul on everything lately. They have turned from having a voice and a position in todays politics into being simply the party of opposition, of dissidents, of haters.

[Jason1]

2) The Republican party one the election by over 3 million more votes than the democrats and they have far more representatives in both houses. I'd say that more Americans are in their corner. Just because the print and Tv media would makeyou think that they are supported by only a few bible beating radical KKK members, dosn't make it so.

I Know the Rupublicans control the House and stuff, thats nothing new. But I simply dont believe that there are more registered Republicans than Democrats. I think the reason Bush won is simply because a lot of Minorities/ The Younger Crowd didnt vote.

[Neo]

Democrats are delaying a vote on Bolton because they know he will win an up or down vote. There go those friendly Democrats again... filibustering away because they know they'd lose a fair up or down vote...


You mean like how the Republicans were filibustering during Clinton's term?

They deserve a taste of their own medicine.


Democrats have said Bolton lacks the diplomatic skills for the job.

At his confirmation hearings last month, senators heard testimony that Bolton bullied subordinates and manipulated intelligence.

Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a 63-page report last week saying Bolton tried repeatedly to discipline an analyst who disagreed with him -- and then misled the committee about the matter.

One of Bolton's former State Department colleagues testified last month that he was "a quintessential kiss-up, kick-down sort of guy."


Besides he sounds like an ***hole.

[Jonbo298]

Do you mean in the country as a whole, or in the US senate and stuff? Because if your talking the US citizens as a whole, I'll be dammed if the Republicans arent the minority right now...

Sorry, I meant just like in Senate or the House.

Plus, all this 'abusing of power' talk is boggling because if a rule exists, you use it if its going to be in your advantage. Filibuster is one of them rules that you take advantage of if you want to. It exists for a reason