Any recess appointment this year expires in January 2007. Comparing a UN Ambassador appointment to a SCOTUS appointment is just ignorant. What good will it do to turn SCOTUS appointments into short-term picks that the next President gets to select?
You missed the part where I set my hair on fire.
Anyway, my point was that the president has this threat that he could imply. Implyingthe threat might get the Senate to get off the dime. The President could make a bold nomnination in the mold to Fhomas or Scalia, and the Senate would have the hot potato. If the Senate doesn't ratify or reject the nomination, the President can recess appoint. It's a balance of powers thing, but it only works when the powers are exercized.
Dollars to donuts, a recess appointment would be confirmed on the next go around. Bush is still in the driver's set then.
President Bush made a timid pick.