But David Axelrod, a senior White House adviser, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said the Republican Party had “taken a position where they’re going to try and slow and block progress on all fronts whether it’s legislation and appointments.” He said 77 people nominated for high-level positions within the administration have not been voted on for months because Republicans have blocked any action in the Senate through such maneuvers as filibusters.

Presidents have the constitutional authority to fill vacancies without the advice and consent of the Senate when Congress is in recess — as they are now for a spring break. Other presidents have used that authority, with George W. Bush making 15 recess appointment by this point in his presidency and a total of 171 by the end, according to Congressional Research Service.

Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, also appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” echoed Mr. Graham, saying that “what the president has done here is throw fuel on the fire at a time when the debate about politics is a very angry debate to begin with.”

“What this is going to do is cause the election of a lot more Republican Scott Browns in November who are determined to come in and provide some checks and balances in Washington to stop the overreaching of the government,” Mr. Alexander added, referring to the Republican who was elected to fill Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts and caused Democrats to lose their 60-vote filibuster-proof majority.

In addition to the president’s recess appointments, Senator Graham said the Obama administration’s decision to pass health care without a single Republican vote would also make it harder to pass other tough legislation like an a immigration bill.