Guest posted by David Lightman, Hartford Courant, at 10:43 a.m. CDT
Unable to overcome the wrath--and opposition--of key Democrats, the White House today withdrew the nomination of St. Louis businessman and major Republican donor Sam Fox as ambassador to Belgium.
The White House action, made without comment, came as the Senate prepared to take up the controversial appointment. Fox had become the target of Democratic scorn because he gave $50,000 to the Swift Boat veterans group in 2004, a group that tried that summer and fall to discredit party presidential nominee John Kerry.
Kerry led the charge against Fox, grilling him for nearly 10 minutes last month and then following up with written questions a few weeks ago.
But Fox continued to maintain he was not fully aware of the Swift Boat group's activities, and would not apologize for his action.
As a result, other Democrats began joining Kerry in opposition. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's second ranking Democrat, came out strongly opposed Tuesday.
Later Tuesday, a group of Swift Boat veterans sent a letter to committee chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del., and top Republican Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., also urging that Fox be rejected.
"As Swift Boat veterans who served together in Vietnam," they said, "we strongly believe that Mr. Fox does not deserve to be confirmed for this position. We have been frustred to hear some suggest that the 2004 election is past and we should get over it.
"Those who make that argument forget that this wasn't just an election," they said. Kerry, the veterans argued, "wasn't alone in having his military record falsely impugned."
Dodd had similar thoughts, saying Tuesday, "U.S. ambassadors need to be both responsible and credible, and Mr. Fox's support for an organization known to have spread falsehoods illustrates neither."
The Fox nomination became controversial in Connecticut because Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent, took the extraordinary step last month of appearing before the committee to offer strong support. Fox is highly regarded in St. Louis for his philanthropic and civic activities, and Lieberman praised Fox as an example of "what America is all about."
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Comments
KARMA!!!!!!!
Posted by: bill r. | March 28, 2007 10:46 AM
Paybacks are a ?. Keep em comin Dems.
Posted by: Raving Loon | March 28, 2007 10:47 AM
Wonderful news. Take that "Bush lite".
Posted by: c. perry | March 28, 2007 10:52 AM
Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!! He gone!!
Posted by: jethro | March 28, 2007 10:59 AM
"tried to discredit"
The word is "smeared". And they were completely successful, thanks to their friends in the media.
Posted by: goethean | March 28, 2007 11:34 AM
frustred?
Posted by: Al | March 28, 2007 11:36 AM
Now McCain has another swiftboat guy he can hire to work for his campaign.
www.therealmccain.com
Posted by: John E. | March 28, 2007 11:41 AM
"The Fox nomination became controversial in Connecticut because Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent, took the extraordinary step last month of appearing before the committee to offer strong support. Fox is highly regarded in St. Louis for his philanthropic and civic activities, and Lieberman praised Fox as an example of "what America is all about.""
Do we really need to know anything more about Lieberman, the alleged "independent"? 'Nuff said.
Posted by: myauntfanny | March 28, 2007 11:55 AM
Now they should go for charges of lying to congress for his repeated "I don't knows" when he was asked who told him to give to the SwiftScum.
Take the rich jerk down!
Posted by: Ron | March 28, 2007 12:05 PM
What goes around, comes around!
Posted by: Janstress | March 28, 2007 12:26 PM
Gore/Kerry in '08
or
Kerry/Gore in '08
Thats what we need!
Does this mean that he actually did or didn't throw his medals or his fake medals over the fence? Talk about impugning a military career!
Do you guys really want this guy in the news again? Seems to me, bad things happen to good Dems when he is he man..
Posted by: heartburn | March 28, 2007 1:04 PM
I think this is the best indication yet that Lieberman is about to switch parties. I also think this is all about Israel where Lieberman is concerned, he wants to keep Americans fighting in the middle east.
Posted by: Rory M | March 28, 2007 1:18 PM
Rory,
Holy Joe won't switch parties,if he did he wouldn't get reelected in Conn.
It'a all about power for Lieberman as his switch to an Independent after he got his backside handed to him in the Dem primary showed.
Hopefully the voters in Conn. will remember some of the things he's done and kick his sorry butt to the curb the next time he's up for reelection.
Posted by: John E. | March 28, 2007 1:53 PM
Well, then, John e., if Lieberman's just going to get his "sorry butt kicked to the curb" in the next election, anyway, then why wouldn't he switch parties? He's got six whole years to spend as a lame duck, why not vote the way he truly feels and not run for reelection if his demise pre-ordained by the far left, anyway?
Posted by: Jeff | March 28, 2007 2:33 PM
Sam Fox was a liar & smeared the US military by swiftboating Kerry. I'd like to say that's great, but ultimately, it's not a big deal.
What still baffles me, & should make anyone question basic logic about who gets appointed to be an ambassador anywhere, is why are people placed in these positions when they can't even speak the language of the country they're going too? Let's face it, Sam Fox is about as qualified to be an ambassador to Belgium as I am. He probably knows less about the country then Rick Steeds after one of his European tours he televises on PBS.
So this is how we go about representing this great country to the rest of the world? Can you now see why people laugh at us?
Posted by: RomanB | March 28, 2007 2:53 PM
Jeff-- I'll try to cut through your partisan bias to explain to you why Lieberman won't switch parties. With the status quo he has the leverage as the deciding vote to wrest concessions and power that he wouldn't otherwise. As much as you might wish, if he were to switch he would just be another Republican.
Posted by: coach | March 28, 2007 4:58 PM
As 'Chet Chit Chat' (AKA Bruce Wolf) would say;
'Booooommm-shaaakkkaaa- laaaakkkkaaa!'
So long ✺.
And that's the lobotomy line on,,,politics.
Whhaaaaa??? The cons no like-ee power politics now?? Hmmmm??
Posted by: C.Morris | March 28, 2007 6:21 PM
"So this is how we go about representing this great country to the rest of the world? Can you now see why people laugh at us?
Posted by: RomanB | Mar 28, 2007 2:53:26 PM"
Don't worry RB, GWB has been working diligently to change our image over the last 6 years.
We are no longer looked at as a great country, but a frightening giant slapping at flies.
Posted by: C.Morris | March 28, 2007 8:31 PM
Let's not forget: McCain hired the Swift boat team for his campaign. And Kerry hired another Swift Boat financier.
As 'The Dunghill" commented: those who go to bed with dogs wake up with fleas.
Posted by: Andrew Tuff | March 29, 2007 9:37 PM
Sunk? Sunk you say? What happened today was just plain awesome. Suck it, libs:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,264090,00.html
Don't recess appointments rhyme with rich?
Posted by: Jeff | April 4, 2007 9:50 PM