NOTE TO WASHINGTON NOTE READERS:
Please immediately call the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Majority Staff) office at 202-224-4651 and state that while you are not opposed to the Bolton Hearings themselves, you are asking Senator Lugar NOT TO ANNOUNCE THE DATE OF THE HEARINGS TODAY.
The committee staff is now aware that this is a matter of contention. If Lugar does not announce the Bolton Hearings today — then they cannot be held next week. The first opportunity would then be during the week of April 4th.
This is important. Please call today — Friday — TODAY.
202-224-4651.
— Steve Clemons
Dear Senator Lugar:
You are the kind of outstanding citizen committed to principled American leadership in the world that our Ambassador to the United Nations should also exemplify.
Many of your fans and those who feel that America must make some credible efforts at rebuilding bridges with parts of the world that have traditionally been friends and allies are hopeful that America will begin demonstrating fresh and revitalized, principled global leadership. President Bush’s nomination of John Bolton as Ambassador to the United Nations inflames world opinion and may undermine America’s efforts to constructively assist in UN reform efforts.
John Bolton has served in government a long time and deserves a fair hearing — but that hearing must be fair for those who have serious questions and doubts about his candidacy.
The State Department is worried about the Bolton hearings and is pressuring your office to announce his confirmation hearings TODAY so that by the “six-day notification rule” those hearings can be held next week and before recess.
Please do the right thing. The fair and balanced thing to do is give advocates and skeptics a reasonable amount of time to make their case or lodge their concerns.
Please announce Bolton’s hearings at a later date — but not TODAY.
With sincere respect,
Steve Clemons
