On June 24, 2004, the Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of former Senator John Danforth to fill the ambassadorial position in the United Nations which was left open when John Negroponte moved to the position of U.S. ambassador to Iraq. He was sworn in on July 1, 2004. Initially Citizens for Global Solutions had several concerns regarding Danforth's nomination which were linked to his voting record as a Senator.

Those concerns included votes on putting conditions on funding for international institutions, cutting funding for UN peacekeeping, and to limit the funding of global family planning. These concerns were largely laid to rest during Danforth's nomination hearing.

At his swearing in ceremony President Bush said, "The U.N. must fulfill its mission of peace by holding outlaw states to account, by aiding the rise of stable democracies, and by encouraging development and hope as alternatives to stagnation and bitterness. The U.N. is serving these great purposes in many different places. In Iraq, the U.N. is helping that newly sovereign nation to prepare for free and fair elections, and will help to draft a new constitution. From Africa to the Caribbean, the U.N. is helping to turn societies away from old conflicts, to overcome persistent poverty, to fight AIDS and other diseases. 

America supports all of these efforts, and we know that more will be necessary. So I'm sending Jack Danforth to the U.N. with a clear mandate. America will work closely with the United Nations to confront terror, and to fight the suffering and despair that terrorists exploit. In all our work at the U.N., Ambassador John C. Danforth will be a strong voice for the humane and decent conscience of America." Full Text

One of Ambassador Danforth's immediate challenges will be securing additional funding for new UN peacekeeping operations, including the proposed mission in the Sudan. Don Kraus,  Citizens for Global Solutions' Executive Vice President of stated, "We are pleased with Ambassador Danforth's appointment. He will be able to skillfully represent the United States in New York and use his experience as a senator to communicate U.S. priorities to Congress as well."

There was one qualification for his new position that stuck out above all the rest at Danforth's nomination hearing: He was heralded as a man who knows how to bridge gaps and bring people together, as evidenced by his efforts and successes in forming bipartisan coalitions to pass legislation when he served as a U.S. Senator. Those speaking for him at the hearing left absolutely no doubt in the minds of onlookers that this quality would prove to be a huge asset in rebuilding international relationships that were hurt because of decisions made regarding the war in Iraq, amongst other important international issues.

During the hearing, several Senators including Senator Biden voiced concerns about the damage that has been done to the United States' international relationships and stressed the importance of rebuilding these relationships especially at the UN. Danforth agreed that this will be essential in order to foster good working relationships.

Not only is he expected to strengthen and repair international relationships, but also to make major decisions concerning the war in Iraq and the welfare of American troops. Regarding Iraq, Danforth said, "The more involved the U.N. is, the better off the people will be."

This comment demonstrates a major shift in attitude towards the UN by the Bush administration. In fact, John Deardourff, a long-time advisor to Danforth, said in a New York Times article, "He will be pursuing a line that will be much more Colin Powell than George Bush."

In addition to the situation in Iraq, Danforth was quizzed on how he will handle the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, peacekeeping issues, and his stance on what the United States and the United Nations should do to help curb the humanitarian disaster in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

Prior to his nomination, Danforth focused his efforts on trying to bring about an end to the conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Sudan. In 2001, President Bush named him the Envoy for Peace in the Sudan. During the nomination hearing, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voiced their regret that the committee had not said much concerning the crisis in Darfur and asked that Danforth give his recommendations on what course of action to take. Among other suggestions, Danforth recommended that a peacekeeping force be sent and that the use of sanctions be contemplated by the international community. It should be noted that perhaps because of Danforth's religious background being that of a Episcopal minister, he took the unprecedented step of bringing Sudanese Muslim and Christian leaders together. Before this meeting, the two sides had never met face to face.

Updated July 1, 2004