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John Bolton UN Ambassador!!!

gordontravels

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President Bush made a recess appointment to the U.N. Ambassador post with his first choice of John Bolton.

Our media is already at work. MSNBC is reporting on the appointment immediately after the act this morning. MSNBC gives you Andrea Mitchell (Mrs. Alan Greenspan) who has shown in reporting that she is no fan of the Bush Administration. That is typically what she is talking about this morning; how the Democrats have all these reservations about Bolton and are "surprised" that President Bush would do something so ill advised as to appoint him outside the province of their "advise and consent".

John Bolton has been called mean and difficult by the Democrats. Isn't that two of the many attributes we need to deal with an organization like the U.N. that definitely needs reform? We need someone that will oppose as well as work with the other representatives in that body. I think the President should be able to appoint someone that will carry his message the way he wants it presented.

President Bush has made 106 recess appointments with this one being added to the tally. President G.H.W. Bush made 77. President Clinton made 140. A President is allowed by our Constitution to do this and it now gives us an ambassador to the U.N. and will put John Bolton in that office until January of 2007. I think it was the right decision.
:duel :cool:
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

galenrox said:
please explain this tactic, I haven't heard of it before.

Bush put Bolton on the job in a recess appointment - an avenue available to the president when the Congress is in recess. Under the Constitution, a recess appointment during the lawmakers' August break would last until the next session of Congress, which begins in January 2007.

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2005/08/01/192309.html


Basically what it means is that until this Congress starts a new session AFTER elections in 'O6, Bolton will be the guy. I'm not sure what amendment it falls under... I'd look but don't have the time.

Those wanting to "filibuster" should have seen this coming. Now they've wasted 5 months for what? They shot themselves and their credibility in the foot, because in the end, Bush got his nominee, didn't he? And they have what?
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

This is just another way the Democrats have proved there idiocy. They are going to try it again with Roberts and they are already trying because of the stupid excuse to have these papers about Roberts that really don't need to be released. Hillary is doing it and Kerry and Kennedy are doing it. So you never know they might try and filibuster but it really wont work.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Why won't filibustering work? The nuclear option? Bolton was a jerk who harrassed his subordinates and lied on an affidavit stating that he had undergone no grand jury or investigatory interviews in the last 5 years which has recently been proven wrong. He was interviewed by a representative from the State department about prewar intel. So now he's a jerk who lies and doesn't think the UN is a necessary global institution. I think a good, ole fashioned filibuster on the Roberts nomination would put Bush in his place for nominating this clearly underqualfied guy.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

fillibustering on Roberts would make the democrats lose yet again another presidential election and more seats in the house so it will not get them any where.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Aaron said:
fillibustering on Roberts would make the democrats lose yet again another presidential election and more seats in the house so it will not get them any where.
I haven't heard any serious rumblings about the democrats doing any sort of filibuster on Roberts. In my opinion, that would be a moot point.

As for this appointment, as gordontravels pointed out, this isn't a new concept or one that hasn't been used with some frequency. IIRC, Kennedy used this tactic to go Thurogood Marshall on the Supreme Court.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Aaron, you're only offering extreme speculation... Do you really think that a filibuster on the Roberts nomination will affect the dems chances in 2008? I don't think the failures of 'no child left behind' in 2001 and 2002 even slightly affected Bush's campaign last year. An act this far before the presidential election will have very little bearing.

Shuamort, the only rumblings of a filibuster I've heard have been in the last 8 hours due to the bypass of the senate on the bolton nomination. This is only speculation, but I do believe that it is a very real possibility.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
Aaron, you're only offering extreme speculation... Do you really think that a filibuster on the Roberts nomination will affect the dems chances in 2008? I don't think the failures of 'no child left behind' in 2001 and 2002 even slightly affected Bush's campaign last year. An act this far before the presidential election will have very little bearing.

Shuamort, the only rumblings of a filibuster I've heard have been in the last 8 hours due to the bypass of the senate on the bolton nomination. This is only speculation, but I do believe that it is a very real possibility.

It's not the Presidential election of 2008 anyone should be concerned about.

It's the Senate elections 0f 2006 that should be the immediate concern.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

cnredd said:
It's not the Presidential election of 2008 anyone should be concerned about.

It's the Senate elections 0f 2006 that should be the immediate concern.


THAT I can believe, though I don't think too many democratic candidates who WOULD filibuster would be likely to lose their seats (Kennedy, Clinton, Boxer, etc.) With a 95% incumbency rate in congress, I doubt even the 2006 senate elections will be that influential.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

MSNBC is telling you to stand by after their commercials for members of congress that are upset with the Bolton appointment. I have already seen FNC with upset Democrats and happy Republicans. Doesn't MSNBC know how to reach the Republicans?

John Bolton will be the first U.N. Ambassador from the United States with an agenda of reform. We already know that money we spend on the United Nations has been misappropriated by that organization. Since we pay 1/4 of the money that the United Nations receives and also provide the facilities for the site, it is time for reform.

MSNBC says "no surprise" that Republicans are happy and Democrats aren't. MSNBC quotes 1 Republican and 4 Democrats. To their credit MSNBC does point out that President Clinton had more recess appointments (140 to Bush 106 so far) and also points out that many of President Clinton's recess appointments were very controversial. Except for their quoting 1 Republican and 4 Democrats in this piece, not as biased as I would have supposed.

I will give the opinion that if the Democrats try to block John Roberts from the Supreme Court because of Bolton's appointment they will definitely shoot themselves in the foot. It is evident that the American public expect the work of the Congress, our federal government, to be accomplished. Do they not hold the key to new law? Do they not hold the key to improved lifestyles for us? Do they not have a job to do? Do we not give them the best retirement package the world has ever seen? Oops. Guess I should stick to Bolton.
:duel :cool:
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

I applaud President Bush for this decison........Bolton is a no nonsense guy exactly what we need in the UN..........

I dare the democrats in the Senate to try and filibuster Roberts.......Can you say Nuclear option?
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

The president can't even say "Nuclear Option". If you think the dems will get it hard for trying to filibuster, I can't tell you how bad it will be for republicans if they go with the nuclear option, especially with approval ratings so low. It's "Nuke-ya-ler".
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
The president can't even say "Nuclear Option". If you think the dems will get it hard for trying to filibuster, I can't tell you how bad it will be for republicans if they go with the nuclear option, especially with approval ratings so low. It's "Nuke-ya-ler".

And still he got better grades than Al Gore and John Kerry.

Before the 2000 elections I watched Harry Reid get up on the senate floor and read what he called Bushisms. In the middle of it he stumbled over the very words he was reading off the paper. No, it wasn't one of the Bushisms it was just regular words. Does that mean Harry Reid can't read?

A disparaging remark about anyone lowers the bar of the debate. President Bush has done what every other President has done and exactly what the Constitution provides for. That allows the business of the nation to move forward regardless of the politics that underly the decisions of purely partisan decisions.

As for approval ratings; the congress has much worse approval ratings than the President. Could be those few changes of seats in 2006 will make a big difference down the road. It has happened in the 94, 96, 98, 2000, 2001, and 2004 elections. Each time I believe the Democrats lost seats in the house and senate and governorships in the states. During this time I voted for both Democrats and Republicans and except for Bil Clinton in his second term I voted for every President that has been elected since I've been a voter. Doesn't make me special but it does say something for who runs, how they run and what they run on.

We have a good ambassador to the United Nations now and we will all see how he does his job. That should answer a lot of questions and downright distraction.
:duel :cool:
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

He got better grades than Kerry. He cheated off of Gore.

I hope you didn't take my mocking of the president as an actual talking point. I just find it amusing that the Repubs chose to name one of their tactics something that Bush can't even pronounce. It amuses me.

On a more serious note, I agree that Congress' aproval rating has dropped considerably, but that doesn't necessarily mean more conservative seats. Gubenatorial approval ratings are down as well, especially my governor, Bob Taft (R), who's approval rating is down to a whopping 19% due to his little 'coin' scandal. Whew! I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Ohio turn blue before 2008.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

gordontravels said:
We have a good ambassador to the United Nations now and we will all see how he does his job.
Well, we have an ambassador, yes. And since he's a recess appointee, he's a temporary man til the 2007 congress. The thing to consider is that Bolton is the person who best reflects the views of the current administration and the role that they want to play in the UN.

It does have to be said that while the majority of the opinions about Bolton fall along party lines, there have been dissenters such as George Voinovich, who didn't want Bolton and Richard Lugar who wanted to go more in depth with Bolton and his positions while three democratic senators supported Bolton.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Ohio turn blue before 2008.

So OSU (Ohio State) really could be an option for me? Ah...just kidding. I could never pick a college based on what color the state was...

I'm kinda worried about Bolton, but don't know too many facts. I've definately heard of some of his escapades and need to find out if there's any truth to them. If there is truth to some of the things I've heard (especially some of his quotes), I don't think I would want Bolton to be a man talking for me. Looks like I don't have too much of a choice...When are those 2006 senate elections? They may well be my first. Oh, how good it will be to have a voice...
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
He got better grades than Kerry. He cheated off of Gore.

I hope you didn't take my mocking of the president as an actual talking point. I just find it amusing that the Repubs chose to name one of their tactics something that Bush can't even pronounce. It amuses me.

On a more serious note, I agree that Congress' aproval rating has dropped considerably, but that doesn't necessarily mean more conservative seats. Gubenatorial approval ratings are down as well, especially my governor, Bob Taft (R), who's approval rating is down to a whopping 19% due to his little 'coin' scandal. Whew! I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Ohio turn blue before 2008.

Well as I read your post you were the one that brought up approval ratings. I don't put value on approval ratings any more than I put value on polls. How many polls or approval ratings have you participated in? How were the questions asked? What were the questions? In what order were the questions asked? Ad infinitum?

President Truman had a 23% approval rating in his own term as President. One thing that gave him that low rating was that he fired a top RepublicanI think that should put it into perspective. As far as mocking a President; I only read what you post. There was a time in this country when the President won an election and gained respect along with disagreement from the other side. Now disaffected former government employees can write a book and hawk it in the media regardless of who sources are or whether there is proof to back it. Both sides do it.

I think respect is lacking more and more in the political arena, political debate forums and is promoted vigorously by the out of control media. Some of us go along with that path; some don't. Which are we?
:duel :cool:
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

here's a link to all of the open seats for the 2006 senate elections

http://www.senate2006.com/

They're in November 2006, and although I don't have anything personal against Mike DeWine, he won't be getting my vote.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
here's a link to all of the open seats for the 2006 senate elections

http://www.senate2006.com/
Kennedy, Clinton, Lott, and Santorum.

:shock:

I'm glad I don't live in any of those states and have to watch the mudslinging commercials that are gonna happen.
 
*sniff*. No one from Oregon, eh. I guess I won't get to play the game until 2008. Oh well, more time to learn about the possible senators...
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

gordontravels said:
Well as I read your post you were the one that brought up approval ratings. I don't put value on approval ratings any more than I put value on polls. How many polls or approval ratings have you participated in? How were the questions asked? What were the questions? In what order were the questions asked? Ad infinitum?

President Truman had a 23% approval rating in his own term as President. One thing that gave him that low rating was that he fired a top RepublicanI think that should put it into perspective. As far as mocking a President; I only read what you post. There was a time in this country when the President won an election and gained respect along with disagreement from the other side. Now disaffected former government employees can write a book and hawk it in the media regardless of who sources are or whether there is proof to back it. Both sides do it.

I think respect is lacking more and more in the political arena, political debate forums and is promoted vigorously by the out of control media. Some of us go along with that path; some don't. Which are we?
:duel :cool:

I think republicans threw respect out the window when they issued the president's penis a subpoena in the 90's. Bush ignored the views of half of the people in America, including my own. If he has no respect for what I, and 50% of the country stands for, I have no respect for him.

As for approval ratings, apart from speculation, we don't have a lot else to go on. I CAN tell you that, generally with republican incumbant candidates, their approval ratings generally mark their expected vote percentage.

I don't know what to tell you to restore any faith you may have had in pollsters, but they truly do their best to remain impartial (unless they're push polling that McCain had an illegitimate black baby during the 2000 republican primaries).

Pollsters like Gallup, Mason-Dixon, Zogby, and Rasmussen have all been very reliable over the last 50 years in predicting the presidency and other elected offices.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

shuamort said:
Kennedy, Clinton, Lott, and Santorum.

:shock:

I'm glad I don't live in any of those states and have to watch the mudslinging commercials that are gonna happen.

I live in Cleveland but I go to school in Rochester, NY. I vote at home in Ohio, so I'm just going to keep my head low while all that mud going on around Hillary flies over my head.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
I think republicans threw respect out the window when they issued the president's penis a subpoena in the 90's. Bush ignored the views of half of the people in America, including my own. If he has no respect for what I, and 50% of the country stands for, I have no respect for him.

As for approval ratings, apart from speculation, we don't have a lot else to go on. I CAN tell you that, generally with republican incumbant candidates, their approval ratings generally mark their expected vote percentage.

I don't know what to tell you to restore any faith you may have had in pollsters, but they truly do their best to remain impartial (unless they're push polling that McCain had an illegitimate black baby during the 2000 republican primaries).

Pollsters like Gallup, Mason-Dixon, Zogby, and Rasmussen have all been very reliable over the last 50 years in predicting the presidency and other elected offices.

With the possibility of mutilating my own thread: Many would say that President Clinton had a lot to do with disrespect during his term in office by diddling an intern half his age; doing it while talking with a Major General in charge of our troops prosecuting the No Fly Zones in Iraq; being a married man and having that level of disrespect for his own wife and daughter and finally lying in front of a judge during a deposition which prompted her to take his law license away.

Otherwise, I think polls are a media event and I've seen the likes of Tom Brokaw look at a poll, declare Al Gore the winner and come back 45 minutes later to apologize and boy did he look sorry. Harry Truman was down by a large margin in the polls and the media declared Tom Dewey the winner. But castles made of sand fall into the sea, eventually!

Do you think Mr. Bolton will do a good or bad job or are you willing to wait and see. Maybe we should take a poll.
:duel :cool:
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Truman was a Democratic president, and they've tended to do better than pollsters expect by larger margins. As for Al Gore's victory, that was Tom Brokaw's mistake, not the pollsters. All polls come with a margin of error (usually not smaller than 3%), and Bush's "victory" came well within that margin of error. Same goes for his victory over Kerry in the exit polls.

As for Clinton vs. Bush? I have much more respect for a president who's good at his job and bad at his personal life instead of the other way around. Perhaps Clinton got some of what he deserved, but Bush misled the country into war, and still doesn't respect half of the country. He deserves every last bit of flack he gets.

Finally, as for Bolton, I think he'll be a horrible UN Ambassador. Again, Bush's views concerning the UN are hardly those of the majority of American people. Bolton has stated that he thinks the UN is a useless organization. I think we should at least be sending someone who respects the institution to go and change it. Many conservatives feel he is unfit for the job. Only time will tell, though, since you won't accept any polls concerning the matter. We'll see in 2007 if he's really good enough to keep his job.
 
Re: John Bolton Un Ambassador!!!

Mikkel said:
As for Clinton vs. Bush? I have much more respect for a president who's good at his job and bad at his personal life instead of the other way around. Perhaps Clinton got some of what he deserved, but Bush misled the country into war, and still doesn't respect half of the country. He deserves every last bit of flack he gets.

Lying to a federal grand jury is not considered "good at his job"...

If I went around giving out Million dollar checks to homeless people, and then go home and beat my wife...are you going to defend me by saying "hey...look at all of the good he's done?"...I don't think so.

BTW - I've thrown this out before and didn't get a response other than "he made the country feel good"....

When was Clinton good at his job? Be specific...What bills or legislation was enacted by him that made made him so good?

The only one I can think of is the Welfare Reform Bill....other than that, I contend he schmoozed his way through a time where he was nothing more than a caretaker President.
 
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