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shawa CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 2004
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject: McCAIN AT IT AGAIN--Another compromise?? |
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Another move to get 'savior' kudos from the media, while undermining Frist and the President!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/28/politics/28bolton.html?pagewanted=all
Quote: | McCain Urging Accord on Bolton and Secret Documents
By DOUGLAS JEHL and CARL HULSE
Published: May 28, 2005
WASHINGTON, May 27 - One of John R. Bolton's leading Republican backers, Senator John McCain of Arizona, signaled his support on Friday for a compromise in which the White House might allow Senate leaders access to highly classified documents in return for a final vote early next month on Mr. Bolton's nomination as United Nations ambassador.
The conciliatory signal from Mr. McCain came as Senate leaders traded blame over who was responsible for the miscalculation that led to Mr. Bolton's nomination being blocked Thursday. But the White House showed no sign that the Bush administration might change course.
"The Democrats who are clamoring for this have already voted against John Bolton," Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said in a telephone interview. "This is about partisan politics, not documents. They have the information they need."
Appearing on the Fox News Channel, Mr. McCain reiterated his support for Mr. Bolton. He also praised an argument made by, among others, Senator Richard G. Lugar, Republican of Indiana, who has urged the administration to provide the Senate with more information related to Mr. Bolton's conduct. Senators calling on the administration to share the documents "have some substance to their argument," Mr. McCain said.
"I think that we can resolve this over the recess and get this thing done and get John Bolton to work," he said. "I'm sorry there is going to be a delay."
Forty Democrats and one independent were able to delay a Senate vote on Mr. Bolton until after the Memorial Day recess, demanding that the White House first hand over information related to his conduct in two areas, involving an intelligence dispute over Syria and the handling of intelligence reports from the National Security Agency.
Mr. McCain was among 53 Republicans left stunned by the Democratic move, which foiled a Republican-led effort to bring the nomination to a final roll-call vote.
The senator had played host at a meeting on Monday night in which seven Republicans struck a deal with seven Democrats in the Senate to avert a showdown over filibusters of judicial nominations. Three of those Democrats - Senators Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana - joined Republicans in voting to end the debate on Mr. Bolton.
Mr. McCain's comments on Friday suggested that he might once again see himself as playing a broker's role, though he did not say what he believed a compromise might entail.
Only two of the 55 Republicans in the Senate have said they would oppose Mr. Bolton, making it likely that he would win confirmation in a roll-call vote.
Mr. Bolton's critics say he has a record of intimidating subordinates and seeking to shape intelligence assessments to reflect his own policy views, which should disqualify him from serving as United Nations ambassador. His defenders say his assertive manner would serve him well in confronting critics of the United States at the United Nations.
A senior aide to Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, said Friday that Dr. Frist was told by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, his Democratic counterpart, on Wednesday that enough Democrats would join Republicans to invoke "cloture," allowing a final vote on Mr. Bolton.
The aide, who would speak only without being identified when discussing conversations between the two leaders, also said Dr. Frist had intervened with the administration to try to get an intelligence briefing that would satisfy opponents of the nomination.
Jim Manley, a spokesman for Mr. Reid, said the Democratic leader had not provided such specific guidance about a vote count
On Thursday afternoon, both sides agree, Mr. Reid and other Democrats warned Republicans that critics of Mr. Bolton had made headway and could potentially block a vote.
Republicans say it was then too late to pull back the nomination vote, and the embarrassing defeat was the result. While Dr. Frist was being criticized for his handling of the nomination, a fellow Republican said the fault also lay with Mr. Reid.
"I think Harry Reid will probably tell you he was a little surprised by this, too," said Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, a former Republican majority leader. Suggesting that Mr. Reid was undercut by the anti-Bolton efforts of other Democrats, Mr. Lott said, "He is being shoved around now by some of his own troops."
The Democrats who led the opposition to Mr. Bolton sought to persuade others that the administration's refusal to hand over the intelligence information, related to Syria and National Security Agency intelligence reports requested by Mr. Bolton, represented an unacceptable challenge to Congressional powers.
When the prospect of a filibuster was first broached at a lunchtime meeting on Tuesday, senior Democratic officials said, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware and two others found little appetite for the idea. Fellow Democrats dismissed the move as being at odds with the spirit of the Monday night agreement on judicial nominations.
The Congressional officials said three main factors ultimately turned the tide in favor of Mr. Biden and his main ally, Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut. One was the decision on Tuesday of Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio, the sole Republican to have opposed Mr. Bolton at that point, to campaign actively against the nomination.
A second was a sign on Wednesday from another Republican, John Thune of South Dakota, that he, too, might oppose Mr. Bolton. The third factor, and perhaps the most important, Congressional officials said, was the success of Mr. Biden and Mr. Dodd in convincing fellow Democrats in dozens of phone calls that the vote was not about Mr. Bolton but about standing up for the Senate and its prerogatives against incursions by the executive branch.
Of the three Democrats who sided with Republicans on Thursday, two of them, Senators Landrieu and Pryor, said through spokesmen on Friday that they would vote against Mr. Bolton in any roll-call vote. The third, Mr. Nelson, has said he was undecided but leaning in Mr. Bolton's favor. |
This is total hogwash!! Biden and Dodd saying the White House needs to let them see the documents. The documents have already been provided, with NAMES REDACTED, as it should be. After all, this was a NSC meeting.
Just another delaying tactic, and McCain wants to get his mug in front of the cameras again!!! _________________ “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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GM Strong Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 1579 Location: Penna
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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He's always willing to compromise everybody else's principles. What in the world are his?? Does he have any??
The great compromises in history have prefaced the great disasters. _________________ 8th Army Korea 68-69
Last edited by GM Strong on Sun May 29, 2005 1:10 am; edited 2 times in total |
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LewWaters Admin
Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 4042 Location: Washington State
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Does he rely on our great history of compromises? Seems anytime a compromise was made, America took it in the shorts. To me, history shows total victory is the only way to ensure freedom rings. _________________ Clark County Conservative |
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PhantomSgt Vice Admiral
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 972 Location: GUAM, USA
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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The Dems should just ask Senator Kerry what was in the classified documents that could damage Bolton. After all these documents were presented in their entirety to the Intelligence Committee of which Senator Kerry is a member.
Oh I forgot he never attends those meetings.
_________________ Retired AF E-8
Independent that leans right of center. |
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GM Strong Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 1579 Location: Penna
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 1:46 pm Post subject: Scott Ott Chimes in: |
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from Scrappleface
May 25, 2005
New McCain Deal Protects Democrat Electoral Rights
by Scott Ott
(2005-05-25) -- Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, who earlier this week brokered a deal over judicial nominees to protect the rights of Democrats in the Senate, today announced a compromise with DNC Chairman Howard Dean which would effectively give Democrats the White House for three of the next five presidential terms.
"The purpose of elections is to protect the rights of the minority," said Mr. McCain, "So, we've agreed to block the nomination of conservatives to the Republican presidential ticket and to lead our more progressive constituents to vote Democrat in 2008, 2012 and 2016."
Mr. Dean, whose party has won three of the last 10 presidential races, hailed the compromise as a "great stride toward restoring civility and fairness to political life in America."
"I don't know why people call John McCain a 'maverick'," Mr. Dean added. "From my perspective as DNC chairman, he's not bucking party leadership. He's a solid, party-line guy." _________________ 8th Army Korea 68-69 |
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GM Strong Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 1579 Location: Penna
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Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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Rush suggested McCain go to France and work out a deal for the EU and Chirac with the voters. McCain was caught in preparation to go and the EIB photogs got the following picture.
_________________ 8th Army Korea 68-69 |
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