Chuck Hagel has just announced that he intends to vote to confirm John Bolton’s nomination as Ambassador to the United Nations.
We regret to add Senator Hagel to the “America Alone Alliance” but must.
Whereas Reuters reports:
Hagel of Nebraska was the only Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who had declined to say whether he would back Bolton, currently under secretary of state for arms control. His support removes a possible obstacle to Bolton’s nomination advancing to the full Senate.
I don’t believe this is accurate. While Lincoln Chafee’s comments about Bolton cannot be classified as negative, there still exists enough wiggle room in what he said to vote against Bolton.
It will be an uphill battle to turn Chafee, but there is material soon to re-emerge on John Bolton that may complicate his campaign.
Bolton has been lobbying hard — but there is still some time to highlight key problems in Bolton’s ascension to this job.
Bolton is reportedly meeting Richard Holbrooke on Wednesday. Those who know Holbrooke ought to share their own views on Bolton’s nomination as soon as the meeting is over.
The two key senators in this battle are now Russell Feingold who tends to tip towards giving the President the appointees he wants — and Lincoln Chafee who is still straddling both sides of this debate.
— Steve Clemons
