Voinovich Has ‘New Outlook’ on Bolton Nomination
CNSNews.com
April 27, 2005
By Susan Jones, Morning Editor
“We’ve received reassurances from very reliable sources that Senator
[George] Voinovich has obtained a new and fair outlook on the Bolton
nomination.” So says Move America Forward, a group that strongly
supports Bolton’s nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the
United Nations.
Move America Forward said it has “indefinitely suspended” its radio
ads blasting Voinovich for his surprise announcement last week that he
did not feel comfortable supporting Bolton’s nomination.
Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, joined Democrats in expressing concern
about Bolton’s dealings with co-workers and underlings. That forced
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to postpone a vote that would
have sent Bolton’s nomination to the full Senate for anticipated
confirmation.
“At this point in time we believe John Bolton’s nomination will
progress from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Mr. Bolton
will be able to receive an up-or-down vote from the full U.S. Senate –
which is the way it should be,” said Howard Kaloogian, co-chairman of
Move America Forward.
Move America Forward said it spent tens of thousands of dollars airing
radio ads throughout the state of Ohio on more than a dozen news/talk
radio stations. The ads ran from April 21-25, and the pressure tactic
apparently worked.
“On Thursday, the day the ads began running, Voinovich’s office phones
were jammed with callers and computer e-mail in-baskets were clogged
with messages related to the Bolton confirmation. It was no better
Friday,” Move America Forward said in an email message.
Move America Forward says the attacks on John Bolton stem not from his
qualifications, but from a “smear campaign” by anti-Bush Democrats.
“The U.N. has its lowest approval ratings in the history of the
organization, and John Bolton is exactly the kind of strong,
pro-American ambassador we need to take on the corruption and
anti-Americanism that is becoming a dominant presence at the U.N.,
Move America Forward said.
Move America Forward board members are now mulling an “effort to
persuade” Democrats Sens. Russ Feingold (Wis.) and Bill Nelson (Fla.)
into voting for Bolton.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote on Bolton’s
nomination on May 12. So far, all eight Democrats on the committee
have opposed Bolton’s nomination; and a tie vote would result if even
one of the committee’s 10 Republicans were to vote against him.
It’s still not clear what Republican Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R.I.) and
Chuck Hagel (Neb.) will do on May 12.