Democrats block vote on Bolton

Democrats blocked an up-or-down vote on the nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations yesterday, opening their first filibuster of the year three days after a bipartisan deal to avoid filibusters of judicial nominees.

Three Democrats and 53 Republicans comprised the 56 votes against the filibuster, but 60 votes are needed to force an up-or-down vote.

On the other side, 40 Democrats and one independent voted “no,” as did Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Republican, who at the last minute voted against his own interests for technical reasons, so that he has the right to call for another vote after the Memorial Day recess.

“Actions speak volumes, and so does inaction,” Mr. Frist said. “Given the chance to advance the cause of comity in the Senate, the Democrats have chosen partisan confrontation over cooperation.”

Democrats insisted that they did not intend to actually block Mr. Bolton and want to give him an up-or-down vote. They said their objection is that the Bush administration has not provided two sets of documents sought for two months which they say could show whether Mr. Bolton “bullied” intelligence analysts.

“This is the first filibuster of the year, and maybe the last,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat. “I hope so.”

“It is a diversion, but it is not the fault of the Democratic senators that it is a diversion,” he added.

The White House blamed Democrats for squandering whatever good will resulted from this week’s earlier deal, in which seven Democrats committed to end filibusters of some judicial nominees and to only filibuster in “extraordinary circumstances” in the future in exchange for seven Republicans’ pledge not to vote to change the rules to prevent filibusters of judicial nominees.

“Just 72 hours after all the good will and bipartisanship in the Senate, it’s a shame to see the Democratic leadership resort back to a partisan approach,” said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

Mr. McClellan ruled out a recess appointment.

“No, the Republican leadership is committed to bringing him back up for a vote,” Mr. McClellan said.

Mr. Bolton is undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, a position in which Democrats say he bullied intelligence analysts into distorting intelligence to bolster his claims.

Democrats want the administration to release e-mails and other documents concerning congressional testimony in 2003 on Syria’s weapons of mass destruction program and to release to select senators the names that Mr. Bolton sought from foreign communications intercepted by the National Security Agency.

There are enough votes to confirm Mr. Bolton if he receives an up-or-down vote, and Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat and a persistent critic of Mr. Bolton, said it’s not clear whether that would change based on the information his party is seeking.

“I don’t know that. But I know that is possible. I’m not predicting that would happen.”

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