I wish I could find the original primary source from the CNN interview more quickly. If I had known that this need for the constitutional process of holding a special session during a congressional recess was so poorly understood outside our country, I would have clipped the original CNN interview at the time when it was easier to find. One month of news at CNN is mountain to sort through. Sorry! This source does cite the CNN interview though.
Yes, the opening of special sessions of the US Senate is a part of the checks and balances of our American constitution.
This constitutional process may seem childish to outsiders, as mentioned in a related clip at
ClipMarks.
It seems to me, the opening of a special session of Congress during the Congressional recess is a most adult response to the childish excesses of a president guided by the old/young men of the Nixon Cabinet who are trying to gather more power for the executive branch and punish the American people.
In my opinion, the current executive branch has proven that they need Congressional supervision, hence the opening of a Congressional special session. This is our American system working at its very best, whether a person is in favor of the action or not.
As far as the Chinese source, look more closely in the mainstream American media. The media were all over this story before the Thanksgiving recess.
By Christmas, this use of the special session was already common knowledge across the nation, because the Senators had already done this throughout the Thanksgiving recess. I saw freshman Senator James Webb, a Democrat from Virginia, being interviewed on CNN about his important job in this very significant protection of the American people.
http://dfa.meetup.com/194/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3999602
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Lott's replacement named, Webb helps block Bush's recess appointments, and Iowa/New Hampshire this week!
Also, it's good to hear that the Senate is staying in session to block Bush's recess appointments, and that Virginia's Senator Webb is using his close proximity to DC in order to help out:
"For Sen. James Webb (D-Va.), it's not exactly a call to arms resembling his tours of duty in Vietnam. But, as a local senator and a freshman, Webb volunteered to make the drive from his Virginia home to host the first of the pro forma sessions held during a two-week Thanksgiving break. His brief appearance presiding over the Senate provided a minor media bonanza for the rookie senator: CNN carried the brief session live and then broadcast a post-session interview with Webb.
bang a gavel and preserve the constitutional process,' |