Wow. In a spectacular triumph for the Senate Democrats led by Barbara Boxer, Chris Dodd and Joseph Biden, and those who have been working so hard to bring to light John Bolton's unfitness for the UN Ambassadorship (Steve Clemons, Citizens for Global Solutions, etc.), and with the courage of Sen. Voinovich (R-Oh), the Senate Foreign Relations committee has delayed for at least two weeks a vote on Bolton's nomination. See below and definitely Steve Clemons' site for details. It may not be over. But indeed it is a real short term victory for the forces of reason. It also gives all of us time to get more details about Bolton's history of outrageously mistreating subordinates, outrageous misuse of intelligence, including to attack his bureaucratic opponents, and ideological agenda pushing to light. And this is a defeat, if only a temporary one, for the most dangerously extreme ideological forces in the Bush administration, and they truly deserved it.

Update: Voinovich deserves special support and is going to take special heat from the GOP machine that brought us Misters DeLay and Abramoff. Let him know you appreciate his courage. And the other Senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should also be hearing from you, particularly the Republicans. Voinovich's courageous action today has given potential cover to one or more of his colleagues to vote their conscience.

Here's the NYT's take on the vote delay the minority achieved today: "But it seemed obvious today that even with 55 Republican votes in the Senate, the nomination is shaky."

Update II -- Does the White House Have Another Bernie Kerik on its Hands?: A reader responds to today's miraculous events:

It's great news, obviously. If I were John Bolton, I would see today's result as an unmitigated disaster -- nothing good comes out of a delay over his vote. And, even if the Committee somehow decided to vote out his nomination to the full Senate in early May, the entire chamber may well be in the throes of a complete shutdown over the filibuster issue, which would mean that John Bolton will not be reporting to Turtle Bay any time soon.

Who knows what compelled Voinovich to take such a dramatic stand at the last minute, especially when he didn't bother to show up for either of the hearings? Miracles do happen, even in the United States Senate.

The drip-drip of allegations will now intensify against Bolton -- folks at the White House may be wondering if they have another Bernie Kerik on their hands. It would not completely surprise me to see the nomination pulled in the next few days -- Bolton may well decide that he wants/needs to escape with at least a shred of dignity. Again, Bolton is in an unprecedented position -- he is now in a vulnerable and exposed position. The piling on is going to grow even more intense, as everyone he has pissed off/alienated over his career are coming out with knives.

Here's the deal. The truth is not on John Bolton's side. And time gives us an opportunity to get more of the facts out there.

Update III: Slate's Fred Kaplan was watching the stunning nomination hearing on C-Span and has great highlights plus analysis, already!:

The new allegations...are terrible in two senses. First, they make Bolton look like a thin-skinned creep who tolerates no disagreement from anyone around him. This is not an ideal quality for a diplomat...

The second factor is the key. An extended investigation can only make things worse. Every time there's been a delay, more and more bad stuff has come out about this guy; more and more officials, present and former, have mustered the courage to come forth and tell more. Beyond that, Bolton faces possible charges of perjury...

President Bush must choose between his two most trusted advisers, Cheney and Rice...

Update IV: John at Crooks and Liars has posted video excerpts of the hearing, including the surprise turning point.

Update V: Chris Nelson explains some of what's at stake in today's developments, that made it so dramatic:

...As we took the liberty of editorializing last night, the Bolton fight is not “merely” about the facts, at least not any more. It’s now mainly about power, specifically the power to force votes on ALL the president’s nominations, regardless of concerns.

That’s what this so-called “nuclear option” fight with Majority Leader Bill Frist is all about ... Frist wants to change the rules to make judicial nominations a simple majority vote, instead of the required super majority of 60. Lose on Bolton, which would take Republican “defections”, and the whole power play on conservative activist judges is at risk of unraveling. Many Republicans, not just centrist/liberals...have deep personal and political reservations about the White House decision to intervene in that tragic Florida right to die case. The President has since tried to pull back from the resulting, unprecedented Republican Leadership attack on an independent, secular-based judiciary. Quite rightly, this has politicians in both parties very uneasy, since the ugly threats are not new, but a cumulative process. In times where political intimidation is the coin of the realm, finding the courage to object can assume enormous consequence. Chuck Hagel and Bill Frist both want the Republican nomination to succeed George Bush in 2008...

Nelson gets everything right except the role Hagel played today, which wasn't especially heroic. Essentially, he spoke in favor of voting for Bolton in SFRC today, but didn't commit to voting for him in the full Senate. Then Voinovich said he'd missed so much the past week and the concerns expressed about Bolton were so intense he needed more time. Then Hagel came out in favor of a time limit on Dodd's proposal for a delay.

Update VI: As a friend and colleague just suggested, is Voinovich bulletproof to Republicans because he "is" Ohio for the GOP? Might the GOP's 2008 presidential candidate want to win Ohio? Vice presidential candidate Voinovich anyone?

Here's the Post's Dafna Linzer and Charles Babington, in a piece that is particularly interesting on the role of Voinovich. The AP has more on Voinovich who has become more popular in Ohio for opposing Bush's tax cut package.

Update VII: Democracy Arsenal's Suzanne Nossel gets this right -- the evidence debated by Senate Foreign Relations Committee members goes directly to Bolton's unfitness for the job:

Virtually everything ... negative I have heard about Bolton goes directly to his fitness for the job...All the other arguments against Bolton, including my 10 Reasons Bolton Should Not Be Confirmed, Bolton's indifference to genocide, his lack of respect for independent intelligence and dissenting views, his insubordination, his alleged abusiveness toward junior staffers, and his alleged lack of decorum and willingness to smear others (what am I missing . . .) all go directly to his ability to effectively represent the U.S. at the UN. The job of Ambassador is not one of ideologue, it is one of diplomat, policy shaper and manager...All the charges are germane to one or more of these key roles.

If you don't think this is about substance, about precisely why Bolton would not be an effective force for reform at the UN, you haven't been paying attention.

Posted by Laura at April 19, 2005 05:07 PM