A Bolton Victory?

Frist Says No New Vote Planned for Bolton

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Tuesday he won't schedule another vote on John R. Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador and said President Bush must decide the next move. A State Department spokesman chastised Senate Democrats, saying Bolton has been left "hanging in the wind."

Frist, R-Tenn., said there was nothing further he could do to break a Democratic stalemate with the Bush White House over Bolton, an outspoken conservative who, opponents argue, would undermine U.S. interests at the world body.

[....]

Frist's comments intensified pressure on Bush to either withdraw Bolton's nomination, appoint him to the post without Senate approval when Congress is in recess, or give ground to Democrats. They are insisting that the administration release more records on Bolton's use of classified information when he was the State Department's top arms control official.

I think that regardless of what happens now this is a victory for the Democrats and the Republicans who didn't like the idea of being forced to vote for Bolton. At this point even a "recess appointment" will be a victory of sorts as the rest of the world would then see Bolton as someone who is speaking without authority and will be UN Ambassador in name only. It will do even more political harm to the administration.

Update
Bill Frist, playing the part of White House go to fer guy, did an abrubt about face on the Bolton nomination after being taken to the woodshed by Bush today. Steve Soto wonders if Bush is ready to force the Nuclear Option. More of "I always get what I want" from the White House. Is the Imperial Presidency still operating? Only time will tell.