Did Bolton really have the votes in the Senate ?

[kentuck]

That is what Bush and Scotty McClellan would have us believe. I am not so sure. We know Voinovich of Ohio was against him and a few others have also raised questions. I do not think it was a sure vote for Bolton. But Bush has chosen him and there is nothing we can do about it. However, I think we have not heard all the bad news about Mr. Bolton yet and now he's become indispensable for Mr. Bush.

[stray cat]

1. If he had the votes they would have pushed it through the senate

They were not sure they had the votes - meaning they didn't even have the full support of the republican senators.

[kentuck]

2. I think so too.

So they're trying to pull one over the eyes of the people?

[Lerkfish]

3. I think Voinovich made it safe to disagree for other republicans.

which made it a no go.

[wtbymark]

4. they didn't have enough for a cloture vote

and with no release of requested documents from the WH - it was filibuster city - same with Roberts, and now the dems should filibuster Roberts regardless of what the WH releases to the senate. M'Fuckers.

[NoPasaran]

5. He probably did

But if the Dems filibustered unless the WH released the documents they wanted the Repubs might not have had all the votes they needed for cloture, especially since it's looking like Bolton was mixed up in Traitorgate. That's probably why Frist didn't try to bring the vote to the floor before the recess.

[mike_c]

6. we'll never know, will we....

But I think that if Bush really believed Bolton had the votes, and more to the point if Frist really believed it, Bush wouldn't have made this pre-emptive move. On the other hand, the neo-cons are wetting themselves in eagerness to "reform" the U.N., i.e. to destroy it. Bolton is there as a neo-con mouthpiece and nothing else, so I'm not sure it actually matters whether his appointment has legitimacy. He's muscle for the thugs in the WH, and little more.

[EVDebs]

7. So how soon does Bushco start pushing for Iran operations ?

[Nite Owl]

8. I sort of doubt it

if he did they would have pushed it and gone with the nuclear option. The last vote was before any disclosure of the Rove involvement and the lying to Congress about being called to testify too so it would likely be less than it was before. Thought someone said that Chafee was no longer a yes for them so there are probabaly more that would have defected.

[kentuck]

10. Also, before Bolton forgot he had testified before committee..

But the news came out in the last week or so that he did not fully cooperate with his testimony...

[tsuki]

9. No, he did not. I don't think that even the DLC'ers would have

voted for him.

[Dudley_DUright]

11. Lincoln Chafee

said he would vote against Bolton after the revaluation that he "forgot" to report the state department IG interview. Of course, Chafee voted for Bolton in committee where it really made a difference so he is no profile in courage.