Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana), one of President Barack Obama's point men in the health care reform debate, is the first Democrat to publicly criticize the president for his recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to oversee Medicare and Medicaid. Calling Senate confirmation of presidential appointees "an essential process prescribed by the Constitution," the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said he was "troubled" that Mr. Obama chose to bypass the legislative branch of government.