[link|http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/157503,CST-EDT-novak03.article|Chicago Sun Times]
Sen. Harry Reid, leading the Senate's new Democratic majority, is framing next year's schedule in a way that will make it difficult, if not impossible, for President Bush to give recess appointments to nominees blocked for confirmation.

Reid's schedule limits Senate recesses to one week. Recess appointments usually are made only when Congress has been out of session for at least 10 days. That may kill any consideration of trying to seat federal appeals court judges whose nominations had been stalled even in the Republican-controlled Senate. The downside may be a rebellion by senators if their breaks are held to one week.

I don't think that will stop Bush, since violating another tradition at this point whould be a small step for him. But forcing him to go on record as directly doing so will exert some pressure. And given that his term in office is in it's end phase, he is liable to just give up on the less important ones, or the candidate my withdraw themselves in the hope of getting another chance down the road or to stay in their current office.

A footnote: Bush did not make his difficult course in the Senate any easier when he inexplicably failed to place a congratulatory phone call to Sen. Mitch McConnell on his election as Senate Republican leader. The president did call the new minority whip, Sen. Trent Lott. After McConnell revealed the presidential snub in an interview, Bush called him.

A rather major bumbling on Bush's parts. All Congressmen are very aware of their little privlages and perks and those signs of respect. The last thing Bush needed to be doing now is ticking off the remaining Republican members of Congress. Without their support he may end up in the posistion of facing an defacto hostile Congress, where the Democrats can pass anything because they know they can always pick up a couple of Republican votes.

Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, in a recent lunch with veteran Republican political consultant Ed Rollins, explored the prospects of his making a run for president. Rollins replied that he should run only if he could raise a sufficient war chest.

I expect to see a lot of second and third tier players publicly considering a run in the next few months. Put it out in public and see what kind of response they get. Many will back down when they see indiference from both the public and from money sources. But some will jump in. It would not surprise me to see as many as 10 people running for both nominations at the start of election season.

Jay