Interestingly, the Congressional Research Service reports that there has been no recess appointment in the last 20 years that has occurred during a recess shorter than 10 days.
Thus, if the White House does resort to appointing Bolton to the UN Ambassadorship this way, it would also be precedent-setting. And it would be remarkable that the Bush administration would send someone to the UN to do battle over reform efforts, over Iran and North Korea Security Council resolutions, and over other global policy challenges who was not stamped with a "mark of legitimacy" by the United States Senate.
Lastly, Bush could pound his feet and wag his finger at Democrats blocking him on Bolton, thump and holler that this is all the Dems want to do -- obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. And then blame the Dems for taking out someone Bush called a "good man."
Bush could then withdraw Bolton, offer him a position on Vice President Cheney's staff, and suggest someone else for the job -- probably Paula Dobriansky who is currently Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs. Some folks have a problem with Paula, but she is simply vastly better than Bolton, and if not Dobriansky, then nearly anyone else would be better.
It's impossible to tell which option the White House will choose. They are losing this battle after a series of flamboyantly bad decisions and miscalculations.
Bolton is now practically a household name. Doonesbury spoofs him. Jon Stewart as well. The White House thought they would get Bolton through on the basis that he was an obscure bureaucrat being appointed to a job Americans really didn't care about.
Now everyone is watching -- and the Bolton battle has become enormously consequential to the White House, to Republican moderates, and to the Democrats.
The White House now loses whichever direction it turns. The question will be to what degree
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/6/21/115616/853