Beltway Buzz is liveblogging the Bolton hearing…reports that Sen. Voinovich “just announced he hopes Bolton will leave the Senate Foreign Relations Committee without a recommendation.”

Honorable George V. Voinovich
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3353 Fax: (202) 228-1382
TDD: (202) 224-6997

Online contact here.

1127am: Sen. Joe Biden is snarling about not having his info requests fulfilled by the Bush administration. “I repeat what my mother said, ‘Who died at left them boss.’” No President or administration has a right to tell me what is relevant. Biden notes his role in derailing Clinton’s Baird/Wood nominations. Laundry lists Dems’ attack on Bolton…

1140am: Bloomberg News reports on Voinovich…

Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio said he won’t support John Bolton’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador the United Nations when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee votes today.

Voinovich’s opposition would bar the panel’s approval.

“Bolton would have been fired if he worked for a major corporation,” Voinovich said as the panel opened final debate on the nomination. Bolton is “the poster child for what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be,” Voinovich said.

A vote on Bolton, as UN envoy, is scheduled after the five- hour committee hearing, which began at 10:00 a.m. in Washington. Republicans control the panel 10-8. A tie vote in committee would deny Bolton a favorable recommendation and reduce his chances of confirmation by the full chamber.

Now, ABC News: Voinovich to Vote for ‘Bullying’ Bolton

Republican Sen. George Voinovich (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio agreed on Thursday to let the contentious nomination of John Bolton as
United Nations ambassador go to the full Senate for a vote. But he issued a scathing attack on Bolton.

Voinovich portrayed Bolton, now the top arms-control diplomat at the State Department, as “arrogant” and “bullying.”

“John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be,” Voinovich said. He said Bolton would be fired if he was in private business.

“That being said, Mr. Chairman, I am not so arrogant to think that I should impose my judgment and perspective of the U.S. position in the world community on the rest of my colleagues,” he added. “We owe it to the president to give Mr. Bolton an up or down vote on the floor.”

It’s going to be a long five hours.

1156am. More Biden snarling. No one needs to tell me how to get tough with the U.N. Bolton is not the only one who can push the U.N.

330pm. Bolton gets out of committee on a 10-8 vote without a recommendation.

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