What do you think of likely recess appointment for Bolton?

[sunnystarr]

"He'll take the recess" appointment, said the administration source, who is familiar with Bolton's thinking. "The president has made his selection, and the president is asking the Senate to confirm the selection, and if the Senate refuses to do that, then most assuredly will make a recess appointment."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/12/AR2005071201319_pf.html

It really makes my blood boil just thinking about that neocon PNAC jerk at the UN. Is there any fallout for the administration if they do this?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Disgusting, but exactly what we'd expect from the Little Cowboy.

He gets what he wants, no matter how he has to do it.

[donco6]

2. I just can't imagine he would bring this . . .

.. . heap of trouble on himself in light of the Rove debacle. Can you imagine Scotty dodging and weaving on BOTH of those issues? The poor guy's head would explode!

[samdogmom]

3. Under the current situation it will just be another nail in the coffin

I can't imagine a dumber move. The press is on to him now. This won't go down without a fight.

Edit: There are a lot of questions about Bolton's role in the current Rove debacle. This will only add to the problems.

[davidinalameda]

4. no fall-out

and it allows the Repukes that would have voted against him to save face

[enigmatic]

5. Right now: 65-35 recess appointment

Unless it comes out that Bolton was either the other leaker in the Plame case or helped speed it along.

[KnaveRupe]

6. At this point?

I hope he does send Bolton to the UN.

Bolton is a freakin' psycho, and he won't be there a month before he so thoroughly embarasses the administration that they'll have to yank him.

Then, the Democrats can spin that if the President had let the Senate perform their Advice and Consent function, rather than circumventing it, the US could have been spared this humiliation (whatever the humiliation Bolton brings on us turns out to be...)

When a rpresident with approval ratings dropping out of the 40's into the 30's circumvents the Congress, it's bad news. An unpopular president can't cry "obstructionism!"

[glaucon]

7. It's a victory of sorts...

Bolton would go to the UN without the backing of the Senate, and thus the American people. He'd be a wounded, gelded eunuch in the eyes of the other ambassadors. His efforts to "reform" the UN would be hollow and not taken seriously by his colleagues there.

The sad part is that NOW is when we need someone at the UN who does enjoy the full backing of the American public.

[Walt Starr]

8. EXCELLENT!

He fell into the trap.

Bolton will not be in once we win in 2006!

[fberknm]

9. W Puts Loyalty Above All Else

Including good sense. What I cannot understand is why W and the republicans are married to the Bolton nomination. With the disgrace the UN has earned recently with the Oil For Food fiasco, I understand how many feel about the UN, but Bolton obviously has a lot of baggage and W could earn some credit for backing off the nomination.

But W favors loyalty to a fault. I understand supporting people when they need or deserve it, but Bolton is a lightening rod who will distract the people and the media from the real issues at the UN that need to be addressed.

There is nothing that can be done, short of a back room agreement, to prevent a recess appointment. Presidents do it all the time, mainly as an exercise of convenience. They want to delay a confirmation until after an election or they want to fill a position when someone else has committed to only serving a partial term.

The most contentious recess appointment that occurred recently was President Clinton's appointment of an avowed anti-Catholic homosexual activist as ambassador to Luxembourg, an overwhelmingly Catholic nation. Not a real smart move, leaders in Luxembourg took it as an insult and it strained our relationship with them.

But not all recess appointments are a bad idea. President Kennedy knew that he would receive strong opposition on the Thurgood Marshall nomination, and made him a recess appointment. Once in, it became difficult for his opponents to overturn his session nomination.

Giving Bolton a recess appointment would not be a real smart move, which is exactly why I expect W to do it.

[Ready2Snap]

10. Another downside

In addition to the reasons stated above another negative to appointing Bolton
would be that it would be an embarassment to Bush that he had to "back door" his nominee for job.

He didn't get what he wanted. It makes him look weak.

It's gotta stick in his craw that the Senate couldn't deliver -- More good news for Frist.