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What were Bolton's meetings on the Hill with GOP Senators notably not on the Senate Foreign Relations committee about yesterday? The Washington Post's Jim VandeHei and Charles Babington report that the White House and GOP leaders are maneuvering to bring a vote on Bolton to the whole Senate floor even if he does not get an up vote in the SFRC committee:
If they can't win playing by the rules, then their next move is ... to change the rules. Still a fairly astonishing loss of face with a ruling party majority in both committee and the floor, one that will be noted at the UN and around the world and erode Bolton's legitimacy should he get there, as well as the Bush administration's. And, as Steve Clemons is quite right to point out, the battle's by no means over. After all, it's worth remembering where we were just a week ago on the eve of the SFRC vote -- and how quickly dynamics shift. But people do need to be aware that the situation has moved in favor of Bolton getting to the UN by hook or by crook in the past couple days. Let's see what the Foreign Relations committee investigation turns up.With Bolton's confirmation jeopardized by allegations that he bullied colleagues who crossed him, Bush is planning a three-pronged strategy to win Senate approval next month of his nominee, aides said.
The White House is providing detailed rebuttals to any allegations Republican senators find troubling. Bush is also looking to make the debate over Bolton about reforming the United Nations, not Bolton's temperament, and working with Senate Republicans to produce a vote count this week showing there are enough votes to approve the nominee on the floor.