Anybody think that Bush secured his status as lame duck by the appointment

[nytemare]

Frist already is trying to distance himself from the administration with the stem cell deal. It would be pretty bad to be a lame duck when both houses are the same party, but I think he may have pissed them off just enough.

They stood by him just long enough to push the agenda and get elected, then, for popularities sake, they changed their minds.

[BillZBubb]

1. Politically, Bolton is a non-event.

Unless he really goes berserk at the UN for all to see. Then he will stick to Bush. Otherwise, the Chimperor gets a pass--as usual.

[nytemare]

2. I just wonder if he ticked off his buddies in the senate

by bypassing them.

[jmowreader]

6. That's always possible

Bolton was confirmable.

Yes, I know he's a certified nightmare, but he was confirmable. All Bush needed was 51 votes for confirmation, and he definitely had 55--every Republican senator would have voted yes. Frist might have had to go nuclear, but one way or another, Bush was going to get him in.

Bush's problem here is that actually going into open debate on Bolton in the Senate would have brought all of Bolton's (and, by extension, Bush's) dirty laundry into open air. This won't do.

Now here's where Bush really runs some risks. First, no one yet knows the breakdown of the Senate in 2007. We can talk BBV all day long, but the simple fact of the matter is that, given the proper set of circumstances, Bush could be facing a Democratic majority in the Senate when the opening gavel drops. Even if he's not, he's still facing a pissed-off Senate...and every one of those recess-appointed judges, ambassadors and so on has got to be confirmed by that body.

Second, he's got a Supreme Court justice he's trying to get confirmed. He may have just opened a major can of worms here. It is VERY possible that ten Republican senators could decide that a bit of payback is in order. (Yes, I know the breakdown is 55-44-1, but we'll need something to override Holy Joe and a few other DINOs.)

I believe Bush is sending Bolton to the UN to destroy it. I also believe that sending Bolton to the UN without a simple up-or-down vote will destroy Bush.

[robertarctor]

3. Those quaint "lame duck" rules only apply to democracies

You're forgetting that we live in an overt dictatorship now. Those old rules no longer apply.

[Mr_Spock]

4. He secured his status as a fucking ass hole moron fuck brained ass hole

Oh, did I say "ass-hole" twice? :D

[driver8]

5. I second that emotion!!

"fuck brained ass hole"...very well put.

[nytemare]

7. Yes, you did!

Hey, if the shoe fits!

[Mr_Spock]

8. One shoe for each foot

:D