Political Quotes

“it is not easy for a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to oppose Ambassador Negroponte's nomination on the floor of this Senate. I am well aware that many do not share the concerns, and the views I will express this afternoon have not been arrived at casually. The Ambassador is the consummate diplomat, a dedicated public servant, a well-liked person who is popular with Members of the Senate of both political parties. He has been confirmed by the Senate for a variety of posts. I have voted twice for those confirmations, but I am not convinced that Ambassador Negroponte is the right man for this job. I have reached this judgment based on my strong belief that a prerequisite for this position should be a willingness to be direct and forthcoming with policymakers even when the truth is difficult. Unfortunately, directness was nowhere in sight in the Ambassador's responses at his confirmation hearing last week. At that hearing, the Ambassador was not even as direct and forthcoming in discussing controversial matters as he has been in the past. For example, at the hearing I discussed with the Ambassador his service in Honduras. I made it clear at the outset that I understand it makes no sense to relitigate a war that took place in Central America more than 20 years ago.…”