http://www.nytimes.c...-appointment.html

There had been debate over whether Mr. Obama could have avoided a constitutional challenge by making the appointment on Tuesday in the short window between the end of the first and beginning of the second session of the 112th Congress. By moving ahead after the new session started, the president may have provided Republicans a chance to argue that, technically, the recess appointment was invalid.


Recess appointments end when the next Senate session ends - so they last at most 2 years. http://en.wikipedia....cess_appointments

He seems to have played this very, very well.

Cheers,
Scott.