Why Voinovich Hates John Bolton

We were not shocked when Ohio's Republican Senator, George Voinovich refused to recommend John Bolton to the full Senate as America's next U.N. ambassador.

We were surprised, however, by the Senator's performance on the floor of the Senate when, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer put it, he "choked back tears on the Senate floor as he pleaded with colleagues to vote against John Bolton's nomination for United Nations ambassador. "

Crying over John Bolton's appointment? Perhaps they were crocodile tears.

"This appointment is very, very important to our country," Voinovich concluded after a 45 minute speech denouncing Bolton. "At a strategic time when we need friends all over the world, we need somebody up there that's going to be able to get the job done.

Voinovich's stated reason for opposing Bolton: "I know, some of my friends say, 'Let it go, George. It's going to work out,' " said Voinovich, the only Republican opposing the appointment. "I don't want to take the risk. I came back here and ran for a second term because I'm worried about my kids and my grandchildren. And I just hope my colleagues will take the time and...do some serious thinking about whether or not we should send John Bolton to the United Nations."

His kids and grandkids?

Had the Senator been so worried about his children and Bolton's nomination, he might have shown up for most of the Foreign Relations Committee hearings about Bolton. But the Senator missed almost all the meetings.

The real reason Voinovich is angry was a series of TV ads played by a conservative group in Ohio criticizing the Senator for not backing Bolton early.

Bolton and the White House had nothing to do with the ads. But insiders say Voinovich was so ticked off by the local pressure he vowed to get Bolton.