Obama Finally Has a Deputy AG

Obama has managed to install a long-awaited Justice Department big at long last—while he was on an extended vacation, no less. Thwarting objections from Congressional Republicans in a "recess appointment," the president appointed James Cole to the second-highest perch at the Department of Justice, a move that had been held up for three months by the GOP. The holdup was the longest anyone in that position has been waiting for the Senate to act in more than 30 years. Republicans had taken issue with a 2002 report Cole wrote advocating civilian trials for terror suspects. Obama also appointed five other officials, four of whom are ambassadors, during the Congressional hiatus.