Does the President have the right to appoint anyone he wants ??

[kentuck]

No matter how incompetent or insane or incapable ? I do not buy that argument. The question is: Does John Bolten fit the "qualified" criteria?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. "No matter how incompetent or insane or incapable"

You referring to the apointer or the apointee?

[kentuck]

4. Both.

:)

[vpigrad]

2. It's about balance of power!

The President, even if not elected, has the right to pick his candidate, but to maintain the balance of power, a second branch of the government has to approve it. The repukes are just too stupid to understand this! They just don't have a clue when it comes to government or social issues. Once again they show their stupidity.

[indepat]

11. Repukes are not stupid: they know exactly what they are doing

[LeftCoast]

3. and if so, why did the Republicans block so many of Clinton's nominees?

Inquiring minds want to know...

[kentuck]

7. Excellent !

:)

[yurbud]

5. Bush is fairly unique here. Usually it's just about how god they are at

hiding their corruption.

[AllegroRondo]

6. "With the advice and consent of the Senate"

yes, he can appoint whomever he likes, but they have to be approved by the Senate first.

[Hugin]

8. Word it this way...

The President has the right to "nominate" anyone he wants.

The "approval" is done by the Senate... Or, well, it used
to be back before one-party rule.

[bluestateguy]

9. Of course he does

and the Senate is free to confirm or reject at their pleasure too.

[bread_and_roses]

10. I could not understand the constant excuse given for Democrats voting for

Bush's appointees that "the President has the right to the people he wants..." This was cited here over and over as excuse for Democrats voting for Torture Gonzalez, etc. If that stance were valid, whatever would be the point of Senate confirmations? And what sort of opposition is it that votes for nominees of whom egregiouis policy failures and Crimes against Humanity can be cited?

[indepat]

12. Absolutely anyone he wants, with the advice and consent of the Senate

which means Repukes rubber-stamp anyone a Repuke president nominatess and throw up all possible roadblocks to any nomination by a Democrat president whenever any minute ideological reason can be used to obstruct. Simple enough.

[prole_for_peace]

13. Hell no!!!

[theboss]

14. I've always felt that the President should have great latitude

Here is my criteria: Is the person qualified? Can the person succeed?

Pretty much anyone outside of Carrot Top is qualified to hold post appointments.

Bolton fails the second test in my view because he hates the institution he is being appointed to.