The Great Compromise

Senate Inaction Could Lead to Recess Appointment for Bolton
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is keeping open the possibility that President Bush will bypass the Senate to get John R. Bolton (search) installed as U.N. ambassador temporarily if Democrats persist in holding up a confirmation vote.

Rice, on a trip to the Middle East and Europe, commented in a round of television interviews Sunday as Democrats defended their attempt to block a vote on Bolton's nomination. They said the administration's refusal to turn over information they seek is delaying an up-or-down decision.

To determine whether Bolton improperly used intelligence to intimidate officials who didn't agree with his views, Democrats say they want to check a list of 36 U.S. officials against names -- initially blacked out -- that Bolton requested and received from national security intercepts he reviewed. They rejected a list of seven names offered last week by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Roberts and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the lead Democrat on the committee, previously were briefed on the intercept issue and said there was no indication Bolton acted improperly.

Where are the mavericks now? I thought that they were the problem solvers. That without them the Senate would be doomed. I thought that thanks to their courageous action the Senate's bussiness would go on. I thought that no "Nucleur Option" was neccessary to obtain an up-or-down vote on nominees.

Really, I want to hear McCain come out and say it: Bolton is too "extreme." These worthless can't make up their minds mavericks made a "compormise" based on the premise that all nominees would get a vote unless there were "extreme circumstances." Bolton is not getting his vote and I want to hear these "courageous and free thinking" individuals stand up and say something. If those 7 Republicrats don't think that Bolton is "too extreme" then they should feel like asses right about now. They have been made into fools. We all knew it would happen.