Republican William Weld, who resigned as Massachusetts governor to fight for his nomination as ambassador to Mexico, Monday abandoned his effort after Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jesse Helms, R-N.C., refused late last week to grant him a confirmation hearing.
Weld said his chief reason for asking that his name be withdrawn was that he did not want his nomination fight to tie up business in the Senate and jeopardize the chances for legislation he feels is important, such as fast track trade negotiating authority and NATO expansion.
Weld said he thought there was "a fair chance" that he could have been confirmed if his nomination had gone to a Senate vote.
Weld had scathing words for Helms, saying the nomination failed partly because Weld refused to kiss rings "or anything" in the Senate.
Weld Sunday told the Boston Globe he was reconsidering his nomination because of the complications it presented for the White House. "For some reason I seem to be becoming a major bone of contention between the Senate and the White House," he said.
Clinton aides were caught off guard by the news of Weld's withdrawal. He had been expected to make courtesy calls on Capitol Hill today.
But one White House aide said Weld made his decision after Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, said, "The president, for the sake of our relationships with Mexico and all the other issues that we need to take up, needs to go ahead and find a way to move away from this nominee."
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