Sen. Norm Coleman, Minnesota Republican and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said the past week -- both in terms of what an investigation had not produced and what had happened in world events -- boosted Mr. Bolton's prospects.
"One of the things that helped John Bolton's nomination was Zimbabwe being put on the human-rights commission last week. That was a very public indication of the need for U.N. reform, and I think my colleagues understand that," Mr. Coleman said. "And there is nothing that has come up in all the interviews that has moved me, and at this point any of my other colleagues, to move away from supporting the Bolton nomination."
Let me add this, as well. Until we stop executing innocent people; until we stop executing the mentally retarded; until we stop filling prisons like Stalin on a meth binge; until we stop the practice of extraordinary rendition; and until we stop abusing prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gitmo we have no standing whatsoever to complain about who is, and who is not, on a human rights commission.