Why didn't Voinovich just settle this at the committee level?

[sabra]

He is trashing Bolton right now on the Senate floor. He could of just ended all this, and taken care of things by voting No...

[PretzelWarrior]

1. he's a p*ssy. that's why.

the leadership has sufficiently kicked him in the family jewels enough times when he dared to vote the other way that now he is down to just empty words but ultimately slogging along the Christian Taliban Road to Redemption.

[asthmaticeog]

2. Because he's a spineless party hack.

He'll pull something like this every once in awhile (remember when he held up the budget and caved?) to get his Q rating up, but ultimately he's just a sniveling little shit. I'll bet he even votes for Bolton when it comes down to it.

[libertypirate]

3. When the fit hits the shan.... If he's clean he now is on the record as

standing against the *Co lie machine.

He is positioning as an outsider while giving them enough rope, this is at best my own interpretation of the BS.

BTW he said something that keyed me in, while talking about his colleague’s positions on the Bolton nomination he stated that the only reason they are supporting him is because he's the president’s choice. He separated himself directly from their position.

[meppie-meppie not]

4. how very democratic of him

sorry folks, but over the past 5 years of watching the Democrats fold every which way, watching them get screwed and then bending over for more..well, they should just call themselves Demopugs or Republican Lite.

[blm]

5. Because he is more GOP party loyalist than he is loyal citizen or patriot.

That's always been his tragic character flaw.

[gratuitous]

6. No idea whatsoever

Except maybe he's hoping that once Bolton is confirmed, no one will remember that he could have stopped this in committee if he'd just voted no instead of going along with the "referred without recommendation" jellyfish crowd.

In times past, this sort of committee referral might have influenced the larger body of the Senate to vote a nominee down, but in the ultra-partisan win-at-all-costs atmosphere currently pervading Washington, getting a Republican nominee to a floor vote is tantamount to confirmation, and Voinovich knows that.

[ewagner]

7. If he had voted in committee

against Bolton, he and he alone would have been responsible for Bolton's defeat and he would have suffered the full wrath of the administration. On the floor of the Senate, he is one of 100.....

[siliconefreak]

8. OMG!

He's starting to cry on C-SPAN! Wow.

[Zen Democrat]

9. Voinovich CRIED over Bolton. Why didn't he block him in committee?

[Stinky The Clown]

10. I'm absolutely NOT a Voinovich apologist, but consider this

as a possible answer to your question.

He doesn't want Bolton.

He's a Republican

He's allowing for the coveted 'up or down' vote

He's working to convince his peers to vote with him, against Bolton.

Again, I'm not a Voinovich supporter and really don't know a whole hell of a lot about him, but you asked the question, and this seems a reasonable answer that squares with what we currently know the facts to be.

[bunny planet]

11. Good question.

Covering his ass I suppose.

[BlueManDude]

12. because he cares more about Bush saving face than saving his country