Bolton in the Senate, Take 2, Picks Up Just Where It Ended

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NYT
By THOM SHANKER
Published: July 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, July 27 — The second Senate confirmation hearing for John R. Bolton, who became ambassador to the United Nations under a recess appointment, played out Thursday like a summertime movie sequel.

The plot was familiar, although one major character switched sides. There was a little snappy dialogue, a fresh conflict to debate, but not that much action. And it ended, after three and a half hours, without any resolution of the central question: Will Mr. Bolton receive formal confirmation from the Senate this time? So the audience must return yet again to see how it all turns out.

Mr. Bolton came under attack from Democratic senators — led by Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut and Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin — who accused the ambassador of being ineffective at the United Nations, of having bullied an intelligence analyst and of abusing his authority by seeking names of Americans whose conversations were captured in eavesdropping operations.

And he was defended by Republican senators, this time including George V. Voinovich of Ohio, who has withdrawn his previous objection to the nomination. That switch creates a fresh political dynamic that could clear the way for a full Senate vote on Mr. Bolton, who became ambassador last year when President Bush used his powers of recess appointment to bypass Senate confirmation. The arrangement ends when this Congress does, in January.

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