Recess and Resist

The Administration is hunched over and assuming the stance of a embattled but powerful jungle cat ready to pounce in desperation. The attack of choice: that old-hat trick of the off-session "recess appointment" of downtrodden, excessively controversial UN Ambassador John Bolton:

The White House gave its strongest signal yet on Friday that President Bush will soon bypass the Senate and appoint John Bolton to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Senate Democrats have stalled the nomination of Bolton, a favorite of conservatives, over accusations he tried to manipulate intelligence and intimidated intelligence analysts to support his hawkish views while the top U.S. diplomat for arms control.

Bush can bypass the Senate and give Bolton a "recess appointment" when the Senate begins its August recess this weekend. Bolton would be able to serve until January 2007, when a new Congress is sworn in.

Asked about the possibility of a recess appointment for Bolton, White House spokesman Scott McClellan gave a strong hint.

"We do need a permanent representative at the United Nations. This is a critical time and it's important to continue moving forward on comprehensive reform," McClellan said.
"Clearly John Bolton is someone who has enjoyed majority support from the United States Senate, but unfortunately Senate Democrats have taken the path of playing politics," he said.

Now, it is no secret that we at the AntiCentenarian have no palate for Bolton, and has staunchly opposed his nomination, as have many leftists and centrists.

In fact, it was not "Senate Democrats" that stalled out the nomination of Bolton. The fact is that Senate Republican George Voinivich (OH), in a deep surprise, took the mantle of opposing Bolton's nomination under increased information during the committee hearings of Bolton's manipulation of evidence and staff; highly-charged personality and anger issues; and more. Voinivich stunned the Senate in his last minute denial of support for Bolton, and pushed Bolton to a Senate vote without having an endorsement from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This enabled Democrats to adequately stop Bolton's nomination from getting voted upon without full disclosure from The Administration.
At the time, The Administration was clear that they might pursue a recess nomination; effectively installing anti-UN advocate Bolton through 2007, when the next legislative session could vote on him. This has escalated, and looks to occur.

What The Administration wasn't counting on was the Plame Affair taking flight as much as it has. Along with Karl Rove's extreme ethical impasse and potential criminal choices; John Bolton has been caught in the cloud of penetrating nuclear dust surrounding The Administration's fraudulent claims of African Yellowcake uranium. Bolton, as Undersecretary of the State, was questioned in a legal preceeding: the yellowcake intelligence. Bolton during his Nomination proceedings perjured himself by claiming he had not been involved in any legal investigations in the previous 5 years; in fact, he was answering questions about Rove's CIA leak within the previous 1.5 years. Sen. Joe Biden exposed this fact, locking Bolton into one of the most dangerous and tangled scandals of our time.

DAMAGED GOODS.
That's what John Bolton is, Mr. President. Your inital choice of Bolton may have been made out of good faith. Your continued support and insistence upon him shows your intention to further damage the status of the US in the UN; as well as to further your own damage in the tangled net of the Plame Affair.

Rove lied to America; played dangerous, vicious politics. Bush supports Rove.
Bolton manipulates America. Bush supports Bolton.
Why does Bush hate America?