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Robert Ford appears before a full committee hearing on his nomination to be ambassador to Syria at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, in March 2010.
Republican Senator Tom Coburn, acting on his party's behalf, objected.
Republicans have said they have nothing against Ford but are skeptical of the merits of sending a new ambassador to Syria five years after then-president George W. Bush withdrew the top envoy there.
Democrats have said it is time for Washington to have more of a voice in Damascus, but some worry privately about making the case for engaging that government ahead of November mid-term US elections.
Republicans accused Democrats of bringing up Ford and other nominations on Friday to make "a political point" about what they consider the slow pace of confirming Obama's nominees.
Democrats are free to bring up Ford's nomination at a later date.
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Republicans have said they have nothing against Ford but are skeptical of the merits of sending a new ambassador to Syria five years after then-president George W. Bush withdrew the top envoy there.
Democrats have said it is time for Washington to have more of a voice in Damascus, but some worry privately about making the case for engaging that government ahead of November mid-term US elections.
Republicans accused Democrats of bringing up Ford and other nominations on Friday to make "a political point" about what they consider the slow pace of confirming Obama's nominees.
Democrats are free to bring up Ford's nomination at a later date.
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