Colin Powell's Former Chief Of Staff Calls John Bolton An "Abysmal" Pick To Be UN Ambassador  2/3/2005
Category:  Bi-Partisan

A vote on the nomination of John Bolton to serve as President Bush"s ambassador to the United Nations is scheduled for today. The New York Times reports the top Democrat on the Committee -- Joseph Biden of Delaware –- is planning to ask the vote be delayed. A series of new allegations of Bolton abusing his power at the State Department have emerged since the committee last met. Much of the two-days of hearings last week focused on allegations that Bolton threatened intelligence analysts who disagreed with him and sought to have them removed after they challenged his claims about security threats posed by various countries. Since then, reports have emerged that -- during his time at the State Department -- Bolton often blocked then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and, on one occasion, his successor, Condoleezza Rice, from receiving information vital to U.S. strategies on Iran. Powell was not among a group of five Republican former secretaries of state who sent the committee a letter that endorsed Bolton"s nomination. On Monday, Powell’s former chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson spoke out in opposition to Bolton. He told the New York Times "He is incapable of listening to people and taking into account their views. He would be an abysmal ambassador."

During last week’s hearings, Bolton acknowledged making 10 requests, over four years, for names of U.S. officials whose conversations with foreigners were monitored by the National Security Agency.

Every Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote against Bolton. If one Republican joins them, Bolton’s confirmation will be blocked. Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island has said he is uncommitted, and over the weekend, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said he had some reservations. But the panel’s Republican chairman, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, said he expects all 10 Republicans ultimately to vote in favor of the nomination.

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Contributing Editor: Steven Clemons  [todd@strategicbydesign.com]