Human Events: Right Angle

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.) may have publicly backed Bolton, but his inability to keep the committee in line prior to a vote set Bolton up for a humiliating defeat. Lugar’s failure to recognize—and address—Sen. George Voinovich’s (R.-Ohio) unease about Bolton handed Democrats what they needed: a Republican who objected to Bolton.

When the Senate, hamstrung by Voinovich, failed to act, President Bush was left with one option: a recess appointment for Bolton. During his time at the UN, Bolton proved his critics wrong. He won widespread praise, and this past July, even Voinovich changed his tune on Bolton, promising to vote for him.

When liberal Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) signaled he was ready to vote against a filibuster of Bolton, it appeared the once-embattled Bolton would finally have the Senate’s backing.

Except another misguided Republican chose to do the unthinkable. On the eve of the Republican primary in Rhode Island, liberal Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee chose to stage a protest, vowing to oppose Bolton because he didn’t agree with the U.S. policy in the Middle East. At the time, it looked like an election move to win over independents.

Sen. Liddy Dole (R.-N.C.), then-chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, instead of pulling Chafee’s funds to send him a message, decided to send money and staff to Rhode Island to save Chafee. It worked. On September 12, Chafee defeated conservative challenger Steve Laffey. The resources Dole provided were the boost he needed down the stretch.

What did Dole and the GOP get for their investment? Chafee refused to change his stance on Bolton, and even after losing on November 7 to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, Chafee remained adamant that he would continue to oppose Bolton’s confirmation.

Lugar, Voinovich, Dole and Chafee aren’t the only ones to blame for this mess. Bush and his congressional liaison team failed to accomplish what should have been a simple mission. Now, with Bolton having no hope for winning confirmation, the GOP has surrendered. Bolton, meanwhile, will end his tenure at the UN early, and the agency he sought to reform is left without the reformer it so desperately needs.