DeWine (R) Dismisses Speculation on UN Appointment

It was a strong enough rumor for the editors of the Cleveland Plain Dealer to herald the idea, calling him a "credible envoy with bipartisan backing," but outgoing U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-Cedarville) says nobody has talked to him about replacing John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and in fact he is not interested.

Meanwhile, at today's confirmation hearing Secretary of Defense nominee Robert Gates declared Iraq is the central battleground in the war on terror and the U.S. is not winning there. Not long ago that kind of talk would get him branded as an appeaser, an America-hater, and a friend to the terrorists.