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HERO VOINOVICH

Nice job by the Left Coaster (great name) explaining the Bolton non-endorsement. Nice work.

"The United States can do better than John Bolton"
--Ohio GOP Senator George Voinovich, today

Yes, the GOP majority on the Foreign Relations Committee still voted by a 10-8 margin to send John Bolton's name to the full Senate. But due to the slapdown Bolton got today from GOP Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, Dick Lugar was forced to send the nomination to the floor without a recommendation for approval, rather than risk a 9-9 vote which would have killed the nomination altogether (props to Matt and not stupid for picking up on this). And now it will get interesting, because there will be more damaging stuff coming out about Bolton between now and the eventual floor vote. Some of the various wire stories indicate that Voinovich already knows that other GOP senators will not vote for Bolton once it gets to the floor, so it seems that Lugar and Voinovich are offering Bush a face-saving exit here, one which he will not take.

It is interesting watching the good GOP slowly drifting away from the bushies. It is a very delicate adagio dance, but has a strong thrust. Watch for more.