[chiller]

Upon hearing this great news, I suspected this was the opening salvo in an attempt to make this a year long campaign issue. Sadly, I'm hearing that none of the other nominees, Brown, Owens, etc. wanted a recess appointment.

I hope this isn't the last.

[Turin_Turambar]

Well, Pickering is already a federal judge, so I don't think(not quite sure) that he has to surrender his district-level appointment in order to sit on the Court of Appeals in a recess appointed capacity. Kuhl, Owen, and Brown are all state judges currently, and they would almost certainly have to resign, and could easily end up with nothing.
So that may be the difference.