Senate Democrat may delay Pentagon spokesman vote (Levin)

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Senate Democrat may delay Pentagon spokesman vote


WASHINGTON - The leading Democrat on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee called President George W. Bush President George W. Bush‘s pick to head the Pentagon ‘s public affairs department unsuitable for the job on Tuesday and said he was considering whether to stall the nomination.

The panel held a second hearing with the nominee, Dorrance Smith, a former television producer who was an adviser to former ambassador Paul Bremer in Iraq , to question him on an article he wrote that said extremists like Osama bin Laden have "a partner in Al-Jazeera, and by extension, most (television) networks in the U.S."

Sen. C, , ) of Michigan, the committee‘s top Democrat, said Smith‘s article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal in April, was "really over the top, unfair, and not something which I believe should be the attitude of the representative of the Department of Defense ."

Levin said he would consult with colleagues on whether to put a parliamentary hold on the nomination. With Congress scrambling to complete its business for the year, that could prompt Bush to bypass the Senate and appoint Smith during Congress‘ upcoming recess.