Pirate's Cove

Before the Kosbat and DU kids getting going to far, getting their talking points together, regarding President Bush’s possible recess appointment on John Bolton, let’s review.

The US Constitution (that thing that the Lefties want to rewrite) states in Article II, Section 2:

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Could pretty much stop there, don’t you think? But let me forge ahead a bit. If Bolton is appointed, it will be some big deal to the Moonbats. You know the normal cast, Pelosi, Boxer, Kerry, Kennedy, et al, plus Kosbat, MoveOn, etc, will have calfs (kittens are tiny). Has this ever been done before?

• Over 300 judges have been appointed to the bench through recess appointment.
• George Washington appointed John Rutledge to the Supreme Crt this way, as the Chief Justice!
• President Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren, William Brennan, Jr, and Potter Stewart to the Supreme Court.
• 20 percent of JFK’s appointments to the Bench were through recess appointments.
• Carter appointed Walter Heen to the Bench on December 31st, 1980. This is less then a month before Carter would be out of office, having already lost the election to Ronald Reagan.
• Clinton averaged 9 recess appointments per year. He appointed Roger Gregory to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals less then 3 weeks prior to leaving office in 2000.

The point of recess appointments was to fill vacancies that occur while Congress is in recess, so that the job continues to be done. However, Presidents generally use this power to appoint someone who may not be approved by the Senate, or where it would take the Senate a long time to get through the confirmation process. Such as Bolton. The Dems will continue to pontificate on Bolton, and we need someone at the UN.

Here is the big point. The majority of recess appointments were confirmed during the next Congressional Critter session. Fait Accompli. President Bush would not have to consider doing this if the Senate Dems would follow Mom’s advice: "Play nice." But they are more involved in smearing anyone President Bush nominates. Poor losers.