Chafee's take on Bolton

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Lincoln Chafee may have lost on Tuesday, and he may or may not be a Republican anymore, but credit him with taking a stand on the neverending saga of John Bolton and the U.N.

Thumbing his nose at the Democrats, President Bush apparently was planning to "make a push to get confirmation for John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations before power in Congress shifts to the Democrats" -- this after it looked like it was over for Bolton back in September (see here, here, and here).

But, as Steve Clemons reported earlier today, and later confirmed, still-Senator Chafee wasn't going to play along anymore. This afternoon, Chafee "put an end to the Bolton confirmation process by fomalizing his previous 'informal' opposition to Bolton in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee".

Here's how Chafee put it, according to the Post: "On Tuesday, the American people sent a clear message of dissatisfaction with the foreign policy approach of the Bush administration. To confirm Mr. Bolton to the position of U.N. ambassador would fly in the face of the clear consensus of the country that a new direction is called for."

He's right. And he's a good man.