Bad Judge of Character.

Going over the heads of the Democrats in Congress, President Uniter-not-a-Divider gives segregationist Judge Charles Pickering a recess appointment (which he can hold until January 2005, after the seating of the next Congress.) In case you missed it, Pickering’s segregationist backstory was ably fleshed out by historian Sean Wilentz eight months ago.

Fighting Mad.

Emboldened by Dubya’s dividend fiasco, the Dems get ready to fight back against the White House on both the dividend tax plan and the renomination of Pickering. I’m surprised Dubya endangered passage of the rest of his program by shoving Pickering down the Senate’s throat again. But, nothing fails like success, it seems…and the dauphin must get what he wants.