I just had a nasty thought.
There's been all kinds of talk about Bush forcing Bolton on the UN via a recess appointment. But what if he tried the same thing for the Supreme Court?
I know it sounds very silly, but hear me out:
Point one: The current Administration is not known for doing things that will garner bi-partisan support.
Point two: With attempts at the obliteration of Social Security and the elimination of the filibuster, the Administration has shown that even if they make something an absolute priority, that doesn't mean it's going to get through Congress.
Point three: It's nowhere near inconceivable that something in the near future - a downturn in Iraq, a financial meltdown, a partisan political play blowing up in the Administration's face, or maybe a strategically timed indictment in the Plame case - will leave the Administration without the political capital to get a Court nominee of their choosing through the Senate.
Point four: Defying the Senate and putting a radical, controversial nominee on the Court may be the only way for Bush to save capital with the religious reactionaries. And even if the appointment is only for one Court term, there may be a calculation that the next time the nominee is placed before the Senate, the Administration could point to the nominee's service as a "provisional" member of the Court.
If the blues hold together and the reds splinter over the next Court nominee, then we may see a stunt like that.
Any thoughts?