Bush Straightens Frist Out on Bolton

Earlier today I was surprised to hear that Senate Majority Leader Frist had decided not to schedule any further votes on John Bolton, which means he basically conceded defeat. Apparently President Bush didn't agree and a short time later the Leader was backpeddling:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist first announced today that he was finished calling votes on John R. Bolton's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, calling it a pointless exercise. But about an hour later, after a meeting with President Bush, the Tennessee Republican did an about-face: He will continue pushing for a floor vote on the controversial nominee after all.

"The president made it very clear that he expects an up-or-down vote," Frist told reporters in the White House driveway after he joined other GOP lawmakers for a luncheon with Bush. "It's not dead."

The Senate majority leader admitted, however, that the controversial Bolton nomination was going to require "some continued talking and discussion."

"We'll continue to get an up-or-down vote for John Bolton over the coming days, possibly weeks," Frist said.

Earlier in the day, Frist had told the Associated Press that it was useless going back to the Senate again because Democrats would only continue stalling the vote. "Whether it is politics or whatever their concerns are with, the goal post's constantly shifting. Bringing up another vote's not going to change anything," the Associated Press quoted Frist as saying.

Good for the President! The GOP shouldn't give up on the president's nominee, even if it means holding a new vote every day. I still think Bush should go ahead and make a recess appointment. It would end the rangling in the Senate on the Bolton issue, and by the time Bolton's term would expire in 2007 it would be obvious as to what type of UN Ambassador he had been. If he's been bad, turn him out. But if not, it will be very difficult for the Senate Dems to block him again.

Regarding Frist, this is not the kind of leadership that will endear him to conservatives. He's going to have to learn to fight a little harder if he ever wants to be president.