[Cheburashka]

Recess appointments are temporary, and traditionally once one has accepted a recess appointment, the Senate will not confirm you and make the appointment permanent. So this only puts off the fight, which is what the Demon Rats want.

Fight now. Why risk losing Alito's presence on the bench for twenty years?

[Cboldt]

Recess appointments are temporary, and traditionally once one has accepted a recess appointment, the Senate will not confirm you and make the appointment permanent.

In the history of the Supreme Court, two Chief Justices and six Associate Justices have received recess appointments. They were all subsequently confirmed for full terms with the exception of Chief Justice John Rutledge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

This document -> http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/50146.pdf says there were 12 recess appointments, likely some of which were "repeat" for the same individual, and confirms that of these, only 1 (Rutledge) was not eventually confirmed.

Eisenhower was the last President to use the recess appointment power for a SCOTUS position, and the Senate promulgated a resolution expressing its opposition to the practice in the future.

That link is an excellent reference for the entire process, by the way. Repeat:

Supreme Court Justice Confirmation Process CRS-RL31989.pdf
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/50146.pdf

Supreme Court Nominations Not Confirmed, 1789-2004
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31171.pdf