memeorandum: Obama Bypasses Senate Process, Filling 15 Posts (Sheryl Gay Stolberg/New York Times)

8:10 AM ET, March 28, 2010

Top Items:

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:

Obama Bypasses Senate Process, Filling 15 Posts — WASHINGTON — President Obama, making a muscular show of his executive authority just one day after Congress left for spring recess, said Saturday that he would bypass the Senate and install 15 appointees, including a union lawyer whose nomination …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Outside The Beltway, Federal Eye, Mother Jones, Prairie Weather, The Caucus, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Advocate, Shopfloor and The Atlantic Online

The White House:

Fifteen Appointees Have Waited an Average of 214 Days for Senate Confirmation — WASHINGTON -After facing months of Republican obstruction to administration nominees, President Obama announced his intent to recess appoint fifteen nominees to fill critical administration posts that have been left vacant …

Discussion: Shopfloor, Talking Points Memo, The Moderate Voice, Open Left, The Atlantic Online, Politics Daily, Main Justice, Townhall.com, The Impolitic and The Volokh Conspiracy

Jen Psaki / White House.gov Blog Feed:

An Unprecedented Level of Obstruction — Faced with an unprecedented level of obstruction in the Senate, the President announced his intention to recess appoint fifteen nominees to fill critical administration posts. While the President respects the critical role the Senate plays …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Hill, The Moderate Voice, The Daily Caller, Shopfloor, Emptywheel, Liberal Values, The New Republic and The Politico

RSmitters / CBS News:
Obama Makes 15 Recess Appointments

Discussion: Shopfloor, Big Brass Blog and Swampland

Kenneth P. Vogel / The Politico:

Palin: Media ‘lies’ about links between tea parties, violence — SEARCHLIGHT, NEV. - Firing back at critics who say that she and other conservatives had encouraged harassment of House Democrats who supported the healthcare overhaul, Sarah Palin Saturday ripped the media for casting her and tea party activists as violent.

Discussion: Associated Press, Sadly, No!, NewsBusters.org, Gateway Pundit and Conservatives4Palin.com

Dr. James / Founding Bloggers:

Harry Reid Supporters Threaten Violence Against Breitbart at Tea Party Protest — Supporters of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid staged a counter-protest today in Searchlight, Nevada, the Senator's hometown. Reid supporters gathered just down the road from the launching point …

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, GayPatriot, The Other McCain and Nice Deb

Jon Cohen / Behind the Numbers:
Sarah Palin and the tea party movement

Discussion: The Right Scoop, Politics Daily, msnbc.com, Hot Air and The Page

paracom.paramountcommunication.com:
Harry Reid Supporters Egg Tea Party Express Buses in Route

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, The Politico, Sister Toldjah and Townhall.com

Frank Rich / New York Times:

The Rage Is Not About Health Care — THERE were times when last Sunday's great G.O.P. health care implosion threatened to bring the thrill back to reality television. On ABC's “This Week,” a frothing and filibustering Karl Rove all but lost it in a debate with the Obama strategist David Plouffe.

Discussion: Prairie Weather, JammieWearingFool and Wonkette

Kate Zernike / New York Times:

With No Jobs, Plenty of Time for Tea Party — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — When Tom Grimes lost his job as a financial consultant 15 months ago, he called his congressman, a Democrat, for help getting government health care. — The latest on President Obama, his administration and other news from Washington and around the nation.

Discussion: Prairie Weather, ATTACKERMAN, Left Coast Rebel, POWIP, Founding Bloggers, Gawker, Gateway Pundit, Booman Tribune and Confederate Yankee

Colbert I. King / Washington Post:

In the faces of Tea Party shouters, images of hate and history — The angry faces at Tea Party rallies are eerily familiar. They resemble faces of protesters lining the street at the University of Alabama in 1956 as Autherine Lucy, the school's first black student, bravely tried to walk to class.

Discussion: American Power, Weasel Zippers, NewsBusters.org, Riehl World View, AmSpecBlog and Gateway Pundit

John / Power Line:

More Thoughts On Liberal Political Violence — The Democrats have tried to change the subject away from their health care debacle by claiming that conservatives are threatening violence against them. Their complaints are pathetic where they are not out-and-out lies (e.g., Clyburn and Lewis) …

Discussion: Instapundit

John / Power Line:

The Empire Strikes Back — We wrote here about the consequences of Obamacare that are beginning to be felt, even before its provisions are implemented: Caterpillar said Obamacare will cost it an additional $100 million in the first year; Medtronic warned that the new tax on its products …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Wall Street Journal:
The ObamaCare Writedowns — The corporate damage rolls in, and Democrats are shocked!

Discussion: Wizbang, The Volokh Conspiracy, Townhall.com, The Corner on National …, Don Surber, Commentary, RedState, Moe Lane and Pundit & Pundette

Bryant Jordan / Military.com Mobile:

Conway Concerned With Gays in Barracks — The Marine Corps' top officer said March 25 that even if the ban on openly-serving gays in the services is lifted, he would draw the line at forcing heterosexual Marines to bunk with gays on base. — “We want to continue [two-person rooms] …

Discussion: Frontlines, The SLDN Blog, Advocate, DC Agenda and pandagon.net

Guardian:

Pope faces new wave of scandal — The head of the Catholic church is bracing himself for a new round of allegations by victims of paedophile priests — in Italy — Pope Benedict XVI is facing growing pressure over his handling of paedophile priests as new cover-ups come to light in Italy …