[jyl]

Well, then, let me put it this way.

Take one of Bush's key legislative goals that he wants to get done before he steps down - say, extending his tax cuts or immigration "reform" or whatever. He desperately needs the help of the Democratic Congress to accomplish this goal, all the bluster in the world doesn't change that - if he doesn't play nice with Pelosi Reid et al, that accomplishment doesn't happen.

Is it worth risking that legislation, just to install someone as ambassador to Belgium, one of the least significant diplomatic posts, for just the next 1 and 1/2 years?

It is plain stupid.

(And don't try to tell me that Bush is incapable of doing stupid things because he sees the intel that we don't see - that was disproved long ago, and anyway we're talking domestic policy here.)