So I guess this UPI report from a few days ago was in error?
U.S. News
Obama submits Berwick for confirmation
Published: July 19, 2010 at 7:33 PM
WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) — President Obama, without fanfare, submitted Donald Berwick’s name to the U.S. Senate Monday for confirmation as the top Medicare and Medicaid administrator.
Obama had sidestepped the confirmation process two weeks ago when he appointed Berwick while the Senate was on recess for the July Fourth holiday. That bristled Senate Republicans.
Obama issued no statement with Monday’s announcement on the White House Web site that Berwick’s nomination as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had been submitted along with several others.
Just because NOW Obama is ‘sending’ Berwick for senate confirmation, does not mean he did not use abuse of power in the recess appointment.
He’s sending it for confirmation because otherwise Berwick will only be able to serve until January 2011. If he gets confirmed, he can serve until 2013. It’s unlikely that he will be confirmed if the GOP gets enough seats in November, so Obama is doing it now while there’s a Dem majority and a chance.
This doesn’t undo the recess appointment, btw, it’s just intended to extend it.
Good point. Unless I’m missing something, this is the wrong battle at the wrong time.
There is plenty to get angry about regarding Obama. A recess appointment is about the most constitutional thing he’s done yet, and as you said — it’s not even clear that he’s bypassing confirmation anymore.