Kowabunga

President Bush has used his constitutionally granted power to appoint John Bolton as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. We have been without proper representation to that body for sometime now while awaiting the Senate to hold a vote on Bolton's nomination. This recess appointment will expire at the end of the next session of Congress.

The Constitution, under Article Two, Section 3, states:

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.

Since the Senate Democrats refuse to allow a vote on Bolton's nomination, it is only appropriate that the President should such power as granted to him to fill this very important vacancy that has been allowed to lay fallow for far too long.

"This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about U.N. reform. So today I've used my constitutional authority to appoint John Bolton to serve as America's ambassador to the United Nations."

President Bush said during his announcement from the Roosevelt Room in the White House.

"The abuse of power and the cloak of secrecy from the White House continues. ... It's a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and only further darkens the cloud over Mr. Bolton's credibility at the U.N."

Senator Ted Kennedy bloviated his response to the announcement of Bolton's appointment to the United Nations.

Bolton's nomination became stalled some months ago, blocked by Democrats and their partisan bickering. It comes as no surprise that some would make such outrageous statements such as the one made by Ted Kennedy.

Somehow, it is only outrageous when a conservative Republican uses their Constitutionally granted power, but it is a-ok for a Liberal Democrat, such as the former President Clinton, who made 140 recess appointments. (Bush has made 106 such appointments.)