Swift Boater Gets Recess Appointment

President Bush doled out three major recess appointments yesterday to  conservatives Democrats found distasteful. Ambassador to Belgium went to Sam Fox, a top-tier donor to Republican causes including Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the 527 that sank John Kerry’s shot at the White House.

Besides the overseas sinecure, Bush put regulatory policy at the OMB in the hands of an anti-regulation activist, and served a top job at the Social Security administration to a would-be Social Security privatizer. Democrats are apoplectic, while conservatives like Bill Kristol think the behavior's a good sign: Bush “had a 'kick me' sign on his back, and it shows he's taken the sign off," Kristol said. (More Bush administration stories.)