The Senate spoke loud and clear today. John Bolton is NOT getting the approval of the United States Senate unless the White House fully concedes on the document requests that Senators have requested since April that might help better inform them as to controversial and important parts of John Bolton’s record.
BOLTON VOTE CLOTURE RESULTS 38 Oppose Cloture — 54 Favor Cloture — 60 Votes Needed to Get Cloture CLOTURE ON BOLTON VOTE BLOCKED BECAUSE OF WHITE HOUSE OBSTRUCTIONISM ON DOCUMENTS John Bolton is the wrong person for the job.
We just gained George Voinovich, who favored cloture last time. We also kept Senator Joseph Lieberman whom the White House was furiously courting. The White House is losing more ground than expected.
It is fascinating that Senator Frist had Senator John McCain join him in a pro-Bolton press conference the other day, and I have no doubt that John McCain will vote in favor of cloture on Bolton and would probably support John Bolton.
There are two reasons why this cloture vote on Bolton is taking place today. First, Frist wants to try and paint Democrats opposing John Bolton as obstructionists, but the media covering the Bolton nomination are clearly not letting Frist have his way on that claim.
Debate began at 5 p.m. on the Bolton cloture vote, and a vote is scheduled at 6 p.m. but may come as early as 5:30 p.m. if the entire debate time is not used.
The Bolton market at TradeSports.com is dropping dramatically. The chances of Bolton now getting through as Ambassador to the United Nations are measured by the market at 45% chance of confirmation.
There is talk of a recess appointment for John Bolton bubbling everywhere which is the first serious admission by the main stream media that efforts to oppose Bolton have the edge. The media for more than two months has constantly parroted the line that Bolton was still likely to be confirmed.
