LAT: GOP Support for Bolton Might Be Wavering

[DeepModem Mom]

GOP Support for Bolton Might Be Wavering
By Sonni Efron, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska signaled Friday that his support for the nomination of John R. Bolton as U.N. ambassador was wavering after new reports that Bolton ordered an intelligence analyst removed from his job.

The analyst, a U.S. State Department employee who now works on Hagel's Senate staff, is the third intelligence analyst who was reported to have been threatened or intimidated by Bolton, who has served since 2001 as undersecretary of State for arms control and international security.

"Sen. Hagel is likely to be supportive (of Bolton) but he needs to be assured there are not additional serious areas of concern," Hagel spokesman Mike Buttry said Friday, adding Hagel was "troubled" by the new information.

Posing potential new problems, Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are investigating as many as five additional incidents in which Bolton's demeanor toward State Department subordinates has been questioned, according to Senate staffers from both parties. In a confirmation hearing earlier this week, testimony indicated Bolton demanded the removal of two intelligence analysts who disagreed with him.

Amid the developments, Hagel's remarks served as a warning that Bolton's confirmation, which had been considered assured, could falter if Democrats succeed in producing more evidence against Bolton....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bolton16apr16,0,3939442.story?coll=la-home-nation

[napi21]

1. Keep digging! If they found 3, I bet there's way more than that!

With the attitude I saw of Bolton at the hearings, I bet there's a whole lot of stuff burried, but not too deep. Once one or two people come forward, it's amazing how it emboldens so many others to speak up.

[knowbody0]

2. this is just the beginning

the media has no balls. msnbc ran a fox add tonight. they whore themselves to death

[Skittles]

11. balls are not required for courage nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. I hope this is true

I've heard Bolton's been a real bully in dealing with his subordinates. Politics aside this guy sounds very unprofessional.

We don't need a loose cannon representing us in the U.N. Bolton would make Nikita Kruschev look civil.

[NVMojo]

4. the ongoing "outing" of neocon policy is fantastic! The repukes need

to learn!

[Straight Shooter]

5. Bolton absolutely reeks of being a bully.

As if his words aren't enough, his posture, his mannerisms, his flippant, dismissive and contemptuous attitude towards the U.N., all these things add up.

Why can't Republicans do math?

[TahitiNut]

7. That's unquestionably true. He's the worst kind of authoritarian.

He's the kind who'll get some brown on his nose in order to rise in the organization so he can crap all over those below him on the org chart but above him on the evolutionary ladder. He's a contemptible, arrogant pissant.

[Terre]

6. In minutes - NOW on AAR - Minority Report RE: Bolton

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1398638

Click above for details

[MidwestTransplant]

8. It's pretty pathetic for Hagel that this isn't enough.

Shill.

[countmyvote4real]

9. Thank you for cutting to the chase.

Bolton is a pathetic excuse for our highest diplomatic position. It's beyond pathetic, it's inflamatory. Anybody that can't see that chooses not to see it. 'Nuff said.

[ixion]

12. yeah, that was my thinking.... how many instances does it take

before it becomes pathological?

When you can scrape 5 up without much effort, it means there are hundreds more instances that would be found with some good investigative journalism.

That would make Bolton (at the very least) a horrible choice for a diplomatic position (duh!) and more importantly a serial abuser who shouldn't be in a leadership position in the first place.

[Hekate]

10. The problem isn't that he's unpleasant, it's that he wants to fire...

...people who tell him what he doesn't want to hear.

I hate to say this folks, but I think a lot of VIPs have an arrogance problem with their underlings. I think this situation sucks, especially as I spent my entire worklife as an underling -- but nastiness to those below shouldn't be confused with a lack of competence in the job they (the VIPs) were hired to do, unless it begins to affect that job (which of course it eventually can).

The worst problem with Bolton, aside from his ideology, is that he wanted to fire people whose job it was to tell him the truth about the world around him. They were public servants who deserved better than they got from him, but they were also analysts with a lot of expertise in their fields. What his attitude toward them betrays most of all is an overwhelming desire to be told only what he wants to hear, to be given only information that will confirm opinions he already holds. He doesn't want his worldview challenged or expanded, only confirmed.

For that reason Bolton's not only incompetent, he's dangerous. In a post-9/11 world you'd think that would be glaringly obvious, and you'd think at least one committee member would have stated it, and you'd think at least one journalist or talking head would have commented on it.

I find it disturbing that I have not heard them do so, especially since his nomination seems to be sending a message that he is being sent to the UN to wreck it for his ideological masters.

Hekate

[oasis]

13. Bolton has been exposed this past week as a lying bully. He is unfit

to hold any job in government.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. Nebraska, Rhode Island DUers -- let these guys hear from you...

as well as others.

[opusprime]

15. Reports Rock Support for U.N. Nominee (Bolton)

Los Angeles Times
Reports Rock Support for U.N. Nominee

Sat Apr 16, 7:55 AM ET

By Sonni Efron Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska signaled Friday that his support for the nomination of John R. Bolton as U.N. ambassador was wavering after new reports that Bolton ordered an intelligence analyst removed from his job.

The analyst, a State Department employee who now works on Hagel's Senate staff, is the third intelligence analyst reported to have been threatened or intimidated by Bolton, who has served since 2001 as undersecretary of State for arms control and international security.

snip...

Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are investigating as many as five additional incidents in which Bolton's demeanor toward State Department subordinates has been questioned, say Senate staffers from both parties. In a confirmation hearing this week, testimony indicated Bolton demanded the removal of two intelligence analysts who disagreed with him.

Amid the developments, Hagel's remarks served as a warning that Bolton's confirmation, which had been considered assured, could falter if Democrats succeeded in producing more evidence against Bolton.

Hope I got this right... my first news post. Please advise if I've done something in error.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=6&u=/latimests/20050416/ts_latimes/reportsrocksupportforunnominee

[pscot]

16. Bolton is nuts

Which makes him the perfect Bush appointee.

[lyonn]

17. And this person didn't squeal

How many more have suffered his wrath? Let's hope other speak out. This is serious stuff.

[BlueManDude]

18. Personally I think Negroponte is much more dangerous than Bolton

the UN job is a nothing post. Negroponte who was up to his neck in the Central American shenanigans of the Ray-Gun Admin is a criminal and will be impacting every US citizen as intelligence Tsar.

Bolton is a kook who will embarrass the administration and further alienate the rest of the world from Bush - which I consider a good thing.

Negronponte is a ghoul who will be spying on every one of us.

[WillyT]

19. Looks Like Ya Did It Just Fine !!! - Thanks For The Report !!!

:hi:

Hopefully, it will be Bolton that gets the smackdown this coming week!!!

:bounce:

[DELUSIONAL]

21. That photo is so damned sad -- I get a sick feeling every time

I see it.

[ClarkUSA]

20. You did great. Welcome to DU!

Great news. This is the kind that makes my day.

:toast:

[AG78]

22. Blah, blah, blah

He'll be confirmed. They're on their way to confirming Negroponte yet again(as Iraq Ambassador after the "handover" by a vote of 95-3...95-3!!!!) since Cheney took office, so they won't start saying no to Bolton. It wouldn't make sense. Bolton and Negroponte are the same person. Part of the same clique that has almost every seat of power on the planet.

And I wouldn't trust Chuck "ES&S" Hagel to do much of anything.