So, the failure to get a deal on the NSA intercepts and Syria testimony documentation is all Senate Majority Leader Frist’s fault?
So goes it if one thinks through White House spokesman Trent Duffy’s comments on the Bolton nomination at Friday’s press gaggle aboard Air Force One enroute to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Here is the exchange:
Q What about the status of John Bolton’s nomination to be U.N. Ambassador?
MR. DUFFY: Nothing has changed on that. The administration and the White House are still — hope that Ambassador Bolton will get a fair up or down vote.
Q What support is the administration giving Majority Leader Frist to make certain that a vote does happen on the floor? He’s tried twice and has been stopped twice. What now?
MR. DUFFY: I think the administration stands ready to help in any way Senator Frist asks for it.
Anything else?
Q Thank you, very much.
MR. DUFFY: Enjoy your lunch.
Two things going on here.
First, the White House just continually screws Senator Frist. The amount of abuse he has taken from the White House over John Bolton is incredible. The fact that Duffy essentially put this in Frist’s lap must be making some in the Majority Leader’s office a bit steamed.
Second, the White House has not budged on Bolton. They are just letting him swing. And many Bush administration officials have offered their personal views to TWN that they don’t mind at all seeing Mr. Bolton linger in nomination purgatory for a while.
Senator Frist — call me if you’d like to comment on Trent Duffy’s suggestion that this is ALL your deal.
— Steve Clemons
