New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer are "seriously reconsidering” their opposition to the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.The reason: With war raging in the Middle East, the two are facing increasing pressure from pro-Israel groups to forgo another Democratic filibuster against Bolton.
"Given the fact that we face a world today where every decision every day seems to count, we cannot allow any disruption in who plays the lead role in representing the United States," said Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress.
"This is not a time for a void. It is not a time to take away someone who's represented us well at the United Nations, putting aside for the moment any squabbles or disagreements with the administration."
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing on the nomination on Thursday, and several Democrats on the panel have indicated they are still opposed to the nomination, the New York Sun reports.
But Schumer and Clinton, who voted to block BoltonÂ’s confirmation a year ago, have not yet stated their position regarding the ambassador.And the president of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, said that "important friends" of Schumer and Clinton have confided to him that the senators are "seriously reconsidering" their position on Bolton.
"If they came out against him, I would be somewhat surprised," Klein told the Sun. "I think there's a reasonable chance they might support him this time around."
Support of Bolton from Clinton and Schumer would seriously jeopardize any Democratic effort to filibuster his confirmation. Bolton has served as U.N. ambassador without legislative backing since President Bush appointed him during a congressional recess last August.
As NewsMax reported last week, Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio – the lone Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee who opposed the Bolton nomination last year – has now said he would vote to confirm Bolton as ambassador.
Committee chairman Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana "seized on Mr. Voinovich’s reversal last week and immediately scheduled a hearing on the nomination,” according to the Sun.
The American Jewish Congress’ Rosen said he believes that Clinton and Schumer "would understand that the Jewish community is supporting Bolton and that when you represent a large Jewish community in New York, politics matters.”