http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050801-4.htmlMCCLELLAN: Ambassador Bolton is planning on taking the oath of office today and he is also planning on going to New York today to get about doing the important work at the United Nations. The President began thinking about the -- a nomination, a recess appointment of Ambassador Bolton after it became clear that a handful of Democrats were going to continue engaging in partisan delaying tactics and prevent him from having a fair up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. This was despite the fact that he had a clear majority of support from the United States Senate. On two occasions, as Chairman Lugar noted in his statement, the Senate showed a clear majority was in support of his nomination to the United Nations.
And the President, after it became clear that the Senate was -- that the Democrats were going to continue playing politics and blocking the nomination from receiving an up or down vote, the President began thinking seriously about recessing him, and he came to a final decision after the Senate had recessed over the weekend.
Q When did he begin thinking about it?
McCLELLAN: Well, if you go back and look at the votes, there was a vote on, I believe, May 26th, and then a follow-on vote June 20th, and then it was becoming clear that Senate Democrats -- well, even after that time period, I think there was a lot of outreach by Republican senators and Republican leaders in the Senate to find a middle ground to move forward on providing him with a fair up or down vote. But it became increasingly clear during that time that Senate Democrats were simply interested in playing politics and not allowing his vote to go to the floor for an up or down vote, where he would have been approved.
Q Setting aside the question of the merits, or demerits of Ambassador Bolton, just that aside, the reality now is he goes up there without Senate confirmation. Does the President regret this in a sense, and does he feel that Bolton's efficiency up there, his effectiveness is going to be damaged by not having confirmation?
McCLELLAN: Not at all. In fact, he has the full and complete confidence of the President of the United States and Secretary of State Rice. He has their full and complete confidence to get about doing the important work of reform at the United Nations and making sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective organization. Ambassador Bolton is someone who has a long record of working to get things done and bringing people together to move forward on important priorities, and he will take that record of accomplishment to the United Nations with the full confidence of the President of the United States and Secretary of State.
Q So Senate confirmation really makes no difference in how he carries out his job?
McCLELLAN: Well, I think it's clear to everybody that he had the majority support of the United States Senate. But, unfortunately, a handful of Senate Democrats were intent on using partisan tactics to delay the nomination from receiving an up or down vote on the floor of the Senate.
Q How do you square that, Scott, with the opposition from folks like George Voinovich?
McCLELLAN: Let me keep going on the first row, and then I'll come back to you, Carl.
Terry, you had something.
Q A lot of people say that he was very sharp with subordinates and that he was tough and too hard on them. Does he intend to moderate his behavior in this new job?
McCLELLAN: A lot of people that have worked very closely with Ambassador Bolton recognize that he is someone who brings a results-oriented approach to the position. If you go back and look at people who know him well -- like former Secretary of State Baker, former Ambassador to the United Nations Jeanne Kirkpatrick -- they recognize that he will be a strong advocate for the priorities that we want to see at the United Nations.
The American people want to see comprehensive reform at the United Nations. The American -- we spend some $2 billion-plus a year, I think that we send to the United Nations. They want to make sure that those resources are getting real results, and that the United Nations is an effective and strong multilateral organization. And John Bolton is -- shares the President -- John Bolton shares the President's commitment to making sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective multilateral organization.
Q In fact, Scott, what a lot of people accuse Bolton of is being a hard-charging guy, abrasive, abusive. I mean, some of his critics have used all of these words. Even Kofi Annan, Secretary General, saying essentially, hey, take it easy up here; it's good to push, but you've got to work with other ambassadors. Is in fact -- is that, in fact, exactly what the President is looking for?
McCLELLAN: I think the Secretary General actually said he looked forward to working closely with Ambassador Bolton. He put out a statement a short time ago.
Q Right, and what I said is also what he said.
McCLELLAN: Now, Ambassador Bolton is someone who has sometimes used a blunt style, but he is someone who brings passion and experience and a results-oriented approach to the position. That's exactly the kind of person we need at the United Nations during this time of war and time of reform. And that's why the President nominated him to be the ambassador.
Q And the President is a pretty plain-spoken guy, as well, so why don't we be -- why don't you be a little bit more blunt here. (Laughter.) Does, in fact --
McCLELLAN: I try to be diplomatic with you all.
Q Yes. But the rap here is the President has chosen somebody who is quite undiplomatic for a diplomatic post.
McCLELLAN: No.
Q Is that what he wants?
McCLELLAN: He is a strong and proven diplomat who gets things done. And that's the kind of person we need at the United Nations. That's why a majority of the United Sates Senate supported him. He is the right person for this position at this critical time of war and critical time of reform at the United Nations. He is someone who, like the President, wants to make sure that the United Nations is a strong and effective multilateral organization. And if you look at his record, he has worked to get things done whether it's stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction, or working to repeal a resolution that tried to equate Zionism with racism. John Bolton has a record of getting things done.
Q He's the finger in the eye of Democrats?
Q Scott, some of the Democrats are saying this is abuse of power, and if you'd given over some of the information that you had, he would have gotten a vote. How do you respond to that?
McCLELLAN: It was the -- well, first of all, there was a thorough confirmation process, and Ambassador Bolton spent more than eight hours before the committee answering their questions. He provided a number of additional responses in writing, when they came forward with additional questions. If you'll remember, Senator Roberts and other leaders in the Senate, I think Senator McCain tried to reach out to these Senate Democrats who claimed that they wanted more documents. It wasn't more documents that they wanted; they just wanted to play politics with this position.
And the President believed all along that he deserved a fair up or down vote on the floor of the Senate. I think the American people expect the Senate to do their duty and give people a fair up or down vote. It was Senate Democrats that chose to play politics and prevent him from being confirmed, which he would have been if it had gone to the floor of the Senate.
Q Scott, does the President envision Bolton being in this job for four years? And, if so, would he re-recess appoint him?
McCLELLAN: Well, I'm not going to speculate about things down the road. He has been nominated to -- or been recessed appointed to this position, and he will continue to serve through that recess period. And beyond that, I wouldn't want to speculate, but he is someone --
Q But one of the knocks --
McCLELLAN: -- the President believes in strongly.
Q Right, but one of the knocks on doing a recess appointment is you send someone in with a relatively short time period to actually implement the reforms that he would want. Does he think that you can do it in that short of time frame, or does he envision this being basically a --
McCLELLAN: Well, if you remember, first of all, the United Nations is coming back into session in September, so this is an important time for our ambassador to get in place after months of partisan delay tactics by Senate Democrats. And we want to move forward on major reforms this year. We've outlined a comprehensive reform agenda that includes management reform. It includes the establishment of a peace-building commission. It includes reform of the human rights commission. It includes the establishment of a democracy fund and the adoption of a comprehensive convention on counterterrorism. Those are important priorities.
And we want to move forward this year on major reforms. And that's why it's important to have him in place, in addition to the fact that we remain at war, we remain engaged in a global war on terrorism up against an ideology of hatred.
Q Scott, on Bolton's aggressive and abrasive managerial style, what does this send to --
McCLELLAN: Is that your characterization?
Q Well, no, that's not -- I didn't work for him, but others are saying this, others who testified against him. Scott, basically, what does this send to corporate America, that the President hires someone or appoints someone who has this kind of style -- as you say, results-oriented -- but definitely there were workers who were upset, many workers who were upset. And they feel that he is not qualified to run anything because of his style. What does this send to --
McCLELLAN: The United States Senate confirmed him on four occasions prior to this time. They would have confirmed him again, had not a handful of Democrats used partisan delay tactics to prevent him from receiving a fair up or down vote. And the President makes decisions based on what is right for the American people. The American people want to see reform at the United Nations. John Bolton is committed to reform at the United Nations and committed to making the United Nations a strong organization that is effective in getting real results, based on what its charter establishes.
Q Well, following up on what you just said, you're basically saying that a handful of senators, Democrats, are holding you up. What do you think about Senator Ed Kennedy talking about Bolton misled Congress by denying he had interviewed in the State Department CIA investigation of faulty pre-war intelligence on Iraq?
McCLELLAN: I think the State Department addressed that last week --
Q No, but you're saying that it's a delaying tactic.
McCLELLAN: No, I'm saying Senator Kennedy's views are well known.
Q No, but tell me -- no, but you made a statement; respond to this. You're saying that it's delaying tactics --
McCLELLAN: It's already been responded to.
Q No, you're saying it's a delaying tactic. This is concrete information that Senator Kennedy is throwing out, and that's not delaying tactics, that's something that needs to be addressed.
McCLELLAN: No, I heard your question. It was addressed last week.
Go ahead, Bob.
Q He goes to New York today into an organization where delicacy is oftentimes the watchword. John Bolton has a reputation to live down, as evidenced by the questions you're still getting. What is he going to do to do that?
McCLELLAN: Well, but look at the facts. Look at his record of bringing people together to get things done. Look at his record of resolving the payment issues to the United Nations. Look at his record of rallying the coalition for the Persian Gulf war. Look at his record of getting people to come together within the United Nations and repealing a resolution that tried to equate Zionism with racism. Look at his record of building a coalition of 60-plus nations to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction, one of the gravest threats we face, if not the gravest threat we face in this day and age.
Q So you're saying that he's going to operate up there as he has before?
McCLELLAN: He's going to continue to focus on getting things done, and addressing the important priorities that we face in the 21st century.
Q Well, if I could belabor it just a little bit, his --
McCLELLAN: You bet he's someone that is committed to getting things done.
Q But do you expect him to -- he is very, very proud of his hard-charging style. Do you anticipate that he's going to continue to operate that way in the United Nations environment?
McCLELLAN: Well, like I said, he's someone who cares passionately about these issues that are of concern to all Americans. And he's someone who brings a lot of experience and expertise to the position, having served for some two decades in various positions within government. And sometimes a blunt style is needed in order to get things done, and he has definitely gotten things done.
Q Scott, some Democrats are saying that this appointment will complicate the confirmation process for Judge Roberts. Did the President consider that? And does he have any strategy for trying to convince Democrats that they should abandon partisanship --
McCLELLAN: I haven't seen any comments to that effect and I really haven't heard much about that from the Senate. I think the Senate -- the Judiciary Committee, as I just pointed out at the beginning, reached an agreement to move forward on the confirmation process in a timely manner. And that's what the President has called for. All indications are that the Senate is committed to moving forward in heeding what the President's call was, which was to move forward in a way that will give him a fair confirmation process in a timely manner so that he can be in place by the time the court comes into session in October.
Q Scott, when was the last time the President spoke to George Voinovich about the nomination of Mr. Bolton? And to what extent do you square the criticism of Democratic stalling and partisanship with the idea that there was some Republican misgivings, led not least by Mr. Voinovich?
McCLELLAN: Well, like I said, he had a clear and strong majority support of the United States Senate. If you go back and look at the votes previously, on May 26th and June 20th, I think his views were expressed, well known. And in terms of the last time the President talked to him, I think it was the last time I informed you all -- I don't recall the specific date. I know our legislative staff reached out to let him know this morning, as well.
Q Scott, has President met with John Bolton, the concern he will be representing the United States at the United Nations during a critical time of reform and the 60th anniversary of the United Nations? As far as the Security Council membership for India is concerned, the Prime Minister (inaudible) with President Bush here at the White House --
McCLELLAN: Right.
Q -- where is the Ambassador John Bolton going to stand on the membership of the United Nations --
McCLELLAN: Well, we haven't made any decisions beyond supporting Japan for being a member of the Security Council at this point. We believe that Security Council reform ought to be criteria-based, that there ought to be some clear criteria for who should be a member of the Security Council. And we believe that Security Council reform ought to be undertaken in the context of broader reform at the United Nations, and that's how we're proceeding.
We have had good discussions with others who have expressed interest, but that's why we believe it's important to outline some criteria and make sure that it is in the context of broader reform at the United Nations.
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