John Bolton's Replacement: John Kerry

President Bush is pushing to get John Bolton Confirmed as the US Ambassador to the UN before the Democrats take control of Congress and kill his nomination. I am not sure of his chances of getting confirmed now, but the Democrats have basically said that they will not let him pass once they are calling the shots:

Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the expected chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a Democrat-led Senate, said on Wednesday he thought Bolton's nomination was "going nowhere."

"I never saw a real enthusiasm on the Republican side to begin with. There's none on our side," Biden said. Reuters

Redstate has the following comments:

Prior to the election Bolton had begun to draw praise from some of his past detractors, seemingly winning them over. This includes the alleged “unenthusiastic” Republicans.

Mr. Bush will now attempt to get Bolton confirmed before the new Congress begins. Look for some ignominious delay from committee Democrats to stall Bolton’s nomination until next session. Perhaps even some political horse trading from the few “moderates” that will be around in January. - Redstate

Bolton has been doing a great job at the UN (when you comment otherwise, please include facts!) so there might be enough to get him nominated now. At least the 'thumping' the Republicans got might encourage them to leave one last parting present for the Dems before they hanover the keys. However there is always the possibility that the bipartisanship really means once they have control bipartisanship. Which in the way that DC works is fine. It's their right.

So who should President Bush consider nominating next? Maybe nobody. Not for anything, but we have not been getting anything useful out of the UN so perhaps we see how leaving the seat empty for a while works. Would that leave Bolton to continue on until someone is confirmed to take his seat? Not sure, but lets assume that the President must appoint someone. Why not John Kerry? He has long proclaimed about his good relationship with foreign leaders. I would think that being America's Ambassador to the UN would be a perfect position for him. Of course he would have to give up his Senate seat, but he really doesn't need that any longer as his Presidential aspirations died when he failed to beat George Bush. sure the seat will go to another Democrat, but who cares. If Kerry is not interested, then Bush should work his way through the Dem ranks in the spirit of bipartisanship. They have critized Bolton being at the UN, surely they can do better. But first, one of them needs to step forward for the job.

Hopefully, Bolton will be confirmed, leaving this whole post as an excercise in theory.

Bush makes push for approval of UN envoy Bolton - Reuters
Democrats to Oppose Bolton - Redstate

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