The survey found nearly unanimous awareness of the death of Justice Scalia, strong support for originalist intent in interpreting the Constitution, and concern over President Obama appointing a liberal justice who would tip the ideological balance of the court.
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Thomson ReutersA general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House has narrowed its search for a Supreme Court nominee to three federal appeals court judges, Sri Srinivasan, Merrick Garland and Paul Watford, a source familiar with the selection process said on Friday. Democrats have criticized Grassley relentlessly in recent days for saying his panel will take the extraordinary step of not holding hearings no matter who Obama selects, and the ad could help take political pressure off him. Grassley lauded Biden for purportedly recognizing that confirming a Supreme Court nominee during an election year would be bad for the nominee, the process and the Senate.
Kelly is a judge on the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It comes down to what the Constitution says, and what prior Senates have done.
“It’s clear that Republicans vow to treat the president’s nominee like a pinata is not motivated by some sort of principle, but rather is motivated by party politics”.
“The fact is we have taken action every time there has been a Supreme Court vacancy”, Vermont Sen.
“We are setting a precedent here”, Graham said. White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and other White House officials were set to meet with Judiciary Committee Democrats later on Thursday on the nomination. “I voted for Sotomayor and Kagan not because I would have picked them, but because I thought the president of the United States deserves the right to pick judges of their philosophy, and that goes with winning the White House”, he said.
Watford, 48, a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, would be the third African American to join the high court, after the late Thurgood Marshall and current Justice Clarence Thomas.
In a White House chat Wednesday afternoon, Earnest said that the president is taking seriously recommendations and suggestions from senators and other experts, from both sides of the political spectrum. Grassley, R-Iowa, again cited remarks made in 1992 by then Sen. Republicans have also dredged up comments from Sen. Senator Orrin Hatch, another Judiciary Committee Republican, said in an interview that Garland, whose previous nomination to the appellate court he backed, is “a fine man” who would be “a moderate choice” for the high court.
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Around 30 representatives of conservative organizations met March 2 with McConnell and Grassley in McConnell’s Capitol office, with GOP leaders urging the groups to activate their members, participants say.
