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• Monday, August 27, 2007 06:22 AM

  two words: recess appointments

  Glenn, you're right of course, except that you somehow underestimate how dishonorable Bush and his people are.

  You are relying on Bush to keep his word to Harry Reid that he would make no recess appointments, a promise he made in response to Reid's threat to keep the Senate nominally in session during the August recess.

  I always had the feeling that Gonzales would resign during the August recess and be replaced by a recess appointment, but I too was sucked into a false set of security by the Bush/Reid deal.

  It was a trick. Bush will use recess appointments to appoint Chertoff Attorney-General and will appoint another member of his inner circle Secretary of Homeland Security, possibly announcing the appointments at today's press conference.

  He'll offer two excuses for his treachery:

  1) He actually only promised Reid that he wouldn't fill any EXISTING vacancies by recess appointments; since these are new, "unexpected" vacancies, they are not covered in the agreement.

  2) He really truly meant to honor the agreement, but we can't have a long gap in filling a position so crucial to America's national security. Having a long vacancy in the Attorney General's office would send our enemies the wrong message about American strength and resolve.

  Do you doubt for a minute that he would do it?

  I hope I'm wrong, but is there anything in the last six years that makes you think he wouldn't?

  —jbloom Read jbloom's other letters
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