Frist lacks votes to overcome Bolton filibuster

[deminks]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Frist_lacks_votes_to_overcome_Bolton_0725.html

The Republican leadership in the Senate may lack the votes it needs to overcome a filibuster of a confirmation vote for controversial US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton, RAW STORY has learned.

A report in today's Roll Call quotes senate aides on both sides of the aisle who believe that the Bolton vote may be difficult for the Republicans. While the declaration of support for the Bush pick by Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio means that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is likely to pass the vote onto the Senate floor, Republican Majority leader Bill Frist may not be able to persuade enough Democrats to invoke cloture and bring Bolton's nomination to a vote over a possible filibuter by other Democrats. By some counts, Frist is at least two votes short of 60.

Last year, Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) broke ranks with their fellow Democrats and supported an end to the filibuster of the nomination. But with Bush’s popularity sagging — in large part because of his foreign policy decisions — and with Democrats making a credible push to retake the Senate in November, Republicans said it would be premature to count those three votes for Bolton at this point.

[babylonsister]

1. Deja' Vu but it won't matter. Dimson will prolly 'select' him anyway. nt

[Canuckistanian]

7. You mean a SECOND recess appointment?

Un-bee-lievable. Yep, that's probably what he'll do, because it's the worst he CAN do.

[babylonsister]

8. That's exactly what I mean unless there's a legal way to stop him. nt

[ShortnFiery]

2. Good! Let's contact all our Democratic Senators and encourage them

to support a Filibuster. Bolton is THE Anti-Diplomat. :P

[msongs]

3. another second hand news report from raw story nt

[Robbien]

4. Bolton has been in position for a year, and what a year it has been

He has quickly doubled or tripled the number of countries who cannot stand our guts.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. To be fair, Condi helped. nt

[SensibleAmerican]

5. Will the Republicans go nuclear?

n/t

[Amy6627]

6. Isn't Voinovich the guy who was crying on the Senate flr over Bolton?

[babylonsister]

9. Yes. nt