memeorandum: As Archbishop, Benedict Focused on Doctrine (New York Times)

9:15 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, Mother Jones, Outside The Beltway, Federal Eye, The Caucus, Prairie Weather, 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

Tony Romm / The Hill:
Obama names 15 recess appointments, including union lawyer

Discussion: Commentary and The Hill

Jen Psaki / White House.gov Blog Feed:
An Unprecedented Level of Obstruction

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, The Hill, The Moderate Voice, The Daily Caller, Shopfloor, Liberal Values, Emptywheel, 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

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

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, Founding Bloggers, POWIP, Gawker, Gateway Pundit, Booman Tribune and Confederate Yankee

Dr. James / Founding Bloggers:
Harry Reid Supporters Threaten Violence Against Breitbart at Tea Party Protest

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

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: NewsBusters.org, Prairie Weather, JammieWearingFool and Wonkette

Matt Taibbi / Taibblog:

The Catholic Church is a Criminal Enterprise … Anyone who's interested in losing his lunch should read the above-mentioned blog entry by New York archbishop Timothy Dolan in defense of Pope Benedict; the archbishop's incredibly pompous and self-pitying rant is some of the most depraved …

Discussion: Political Byline, ATTACKERMAN and naked capitalism

Guardian:

Pope faces another 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 …

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: Commentary, Wizbang, The Volokh Conspiracy, Townhall.com, The Corner on National …, Don Surber, 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 and Advocate

Michael Smith / Times of London:

It's over: MPs say the special relationship with US is dead — BRITAIN'S special relationship with the US — forged by Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt in the second world war — no longer exists, says a committee of influential MPs. — Instead, America's relationship with Britain …

Discussion: Pajamas Media