Democrats Set to Reject Pick for U.N.
WASHINGTON — Democrats are likely to vote unanimously against John R. Bolton when his nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations comes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week, according to Democratic and Republican lawmakers and aides.
It would be the first time that committee Democrats unanimously opposed a Bush diplomatic selection, and it could put the nomination in peril if any Republicans defected to vote against Bolton.
But Republicans said they thought the outspoken conservative would win solid GOP support in the committee, including from moderate Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), who voiced reservations about Bolton's nomination to be U.N. ambassador.
Although Democrats have challenged a number of diplomatic nominees, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "they see this nomination as more distasteful, and they're more united," said one Democratic Senate aide.
The split on the panel is one of several signs that the proceedings, set for April 7, could be acrimonious.
Advocates have organized letter and ad campaigns for and against Bolton. Democrats said they intended to investigate Bolton's comments on a variety of issues, an exercise that Republicans said could stretch the hearing into a second day. Republicans said they were concerned that Democrats might attempt to filibuster the nomination if it reached the Senate floor.
Bolton, undersecretary of State for arms control, is controversial because of his criticism of the United Nations and other international institutions and agreements.
"He's been contemptuous of the U.N.," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). "There's a lot to talk about at this hearing. It's going to be very contentious."
Disarmament groups such as the Friends Committee on National Legislation and Citizens for Global Solutions have tried to persuade moderate Republicans, such as Chafee, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard G. Lugar of Indiana and Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, to vote against Bolton.
Citizens for Global Solutions is beginning an advertising campaign today in Rhode Island to try to influence Chafee, said group spokeswoman Harpinder Athwal.
On the other side is a Sacramento group called Move America Forward.
"We like the idea that he'll represent U.S. interests to the U.N., rather than act as a U.N. spokesman to this country," said Howard Kaloogian, chairman of Move America Forward. "We like the idea that he'll speak truth to power."
