In Your Face, Mr. Kerry

Sam Fox was nominated as ambassador to Belgium, but Mr. Fox's nomination had to be pulled when it was clear he could not get the votes to clear the Senate. Why not? Sen. John F'ing Kerry had real problems with Mr. Fox since Fox gave $50,000 to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Sen. Kerry believes that people should be punished for daring to contribute to organzations that oppose him, and Kerry wasn't about to let this guy get the cushy job in Belgium.

Today the President gave Sen. Kerry a little "in-your-face" by making Fox a recess appointment:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush has named Sam Fox the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, using a recess appointment to bypass the Senate a week after Democratic opposition forced him to withdraw the nomination, the White House announced Wednesday.

Fox's nomination stalled after several Democrats, including Sen. John Kerry, criticized his $50,000 contribution to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth -- a group that accused Kerry of lying about his Vietnam War record during his presidential campaign in 2004.

The Senate Dems can go on pretending that they're in charge, but the president is still the president and he has a few tricks of his own up his sleeve.