On Tuesday, John Bolton lost the support of three Republican Senators: George Voinovich (R-OH), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI).

Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) is far too terrified of Karl Rove to openly announce his opposition to John Bolton. But he quietly made it clear that he will vote against Bolton.

Chafee, a Republican from Rhode Island, "is much less likely" to support Bolton after allegations arose yesterday about his credibility, Chafee spokesman Stephen Hourahan said today. Before yesterday's session, Chafee said he was likely to back Bolton.

Like the coward he is, Chafee needs all his friends at his side to break the news to Rove.

When reporters in the Capitol asked Chafee yesterday whether Bush should withdraw Bolton's nomination, he said: "It's too early for that. We all need to talk." When asked the same question later by CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Chafee replied: "We have to discuss that among ourselves, Republicans, I think," and he named the committee's GOP members. Blitzer said, "And you might pass a quiet message to the White House after a discussion like that?" Chafee replied: "Yes, I think that would be advisable."

Of course, Karl Rove never accepts defeat gracefully - or at all. The key to Rove's power is the perception that he cannot be beaten. For Rove, even the slightest defeat is a sign of mortal weakness.

So the interesting question is: whose head will Rove cut off to pay for Bolton's defeat?

Rove could take it out on Chafee, but Chafee is up for election in 2006, and he's already trailing in the polls. If Rove gets too rough, Chafee could easily follow Jim Jeffords out of the Republican caucus, which could deal a fatal blow to the "nuclear option" strategy, which requires 50 solid Republican votes.

Alternatively, Rove could take it out on Voinovich and Hagel, but they have real guts and would fight back.

This isn't Bush's first nomination defeat. Linda Chavez was supposed to be Secretary of Labor in the first term until it turned out she employed an illegal immigrant. And Bernie Kerik was supposed to head the Homeland Security Department, until his mob ties and Ground Zero "love nest" were discovered.

When Bernie Kerik turned out to be un-confirmable, Rove manufactured a convenient "nanny problem" to give Kerik an excuse to "withdraw." But Kerik's position was of little importance in the neocon master plan to create a World Empire, so it was easy to throw him overboard.

Bolton, on the other hand, would play an important role in the World Empire plan. His job would be to coerce the U.N. into accepting further U.S. conquests, starting with Iran. Without Bolton, it will be much harder for Bush to coerce the U.N.

Of course, Bush is losing many other battles at the same time. His Social Security privatization plan is dead even before arrival. Tom DeLay is melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. Alan "Hack" Greenspan is complaining about massive GOP deficits. There is even a revolution is brewing against Bush's "No Child Left Behind" program.

Could Bolton's defeat signal a turning point in Bush's plan to conquer the world? Could it be the beginning of the end of our long national nightmare?

Stay tuned...

Update: The cold war between Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sec. of State. Condi Rice is heating up again, after Rice reportedly told everyone in the State Dept. to scrub any complaints they might have about Bolton. According to President Boxer, Boxer smacked Rice around with a letter telling her the Constitution gives the Senate power to investigate nominees, including issuing subpoenas for witnesses. You go, Barbara!

Update: As Holden points out, Scottie McClellan has one simple response to all the charges against Bolton: they are "unsubstantiated." Memo to the White House press corps: Bush invaded Iraq because of "unsubstantiated" charges. So the obvious follow-up question to ask Scottie is: why did Bush believe "unsubstantiated" charges against Iraq but not against Bolton? And here's the key difference: those who are making the charges against Bolton have testified under oath to the Senate, unlike the "Curveball" liar who got Bush into Iraq.