&c speculates as to why Bush would renominate Pickering. They make some good suggestions, but I would like to make another: Bush did it because people were saying that he wouldn't be able to get him through without some serious damage. You see, Bush is nothing if not consistent when it comes to people questioning his will to follow through. It's almost a point of faith with the guy that, once he says he is going to do something, then by God he is going to do it, especially if a bunch of namby-pamby wimps in the media say he can't. That's muscular leadership for you. (Hmmm, I wonder if there might be some clever way to use this in a bit of reverse-psychology?)