Asked on “State of the Union” if he’s 100 percent against any lameduck confirmation hearing he replied: “Yes”. Senate Republicans have vowed not to give Garland a vote or a hearing, arguing the next president should fill the spot. The theory goes that the people would be, indirectly, choosing the next Supreme Court Justice by choosing who becomes next president.
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US President Barack Obama called on Republicans Saturday to hold a vote on his pick for the next Supreme Court justice and give his candidate “the respect he has earned”. Hillary Clinton is now the Democratic front-runner.
His comments, which also touched on how the confirmation fight could affect Senate races this fall, appeared to be aimed as much at McConnell’s Republican colleagues – some of whom indicated a willingness in recent days to consider Garland – as at the American electorate.
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said comparing Democratic opposition to Republican nominees with the current Republican tactics amounted to a false equivalence. “They’ve all been approved”, Reid said. “He’s marching these men, women over a cliff, and I don’t think they’re going to go”.
“And their excuses are lame”, Reid told Chuck Todd. They’re going to end up losing seats. “I’m kind of glad they’re doing it, but it’s so foolish”.
“The schedule in the Senate is set by the majority leader”.
“The American people should have a voice, not this lame duck president out the door”, he continued. They deserve Senators that do not collect a pay check for refusing to meet, refusing to hold hearings, and refusing to vote.
Certainly, there is political hypocrisy on display by all the politicians concerned, from the president on through Congress. And no one can claim the high ground in Supreme Court jockeying, including members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation. Mark Kirk, who is facing a tough re-election in a blue state. “He’s going to be re-elected in November”. McConnell failed to keep his own story straight to a dizzying degree: the Kentucky lawmaker ended up changing his mind about his own argument several times just yesterday morning, taking both sides of the same issue within the same interview.
“The strategy is a political strategy, and it made enormous sense for Leader McConnell to do before the announcement because it forced the White House to come to the table and put on the table the best qualified person that is the most attractive to the Republican Party”, he said.
On the same show, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough responded: “We think it’s clear in the constitution that when there is a vacancy the president proposes a nominee and that’s been practice for decades or centuries”. Susan Collins of ME when the chamber returns from recess in April.
“It’s very smart for the Senate to take every conceivable precaution to ensure the president doesn’t try to recess appoint his nominee”, Brian Rogers of America Rising Squared told The Washington Times.
John Bennett contributed to this report.
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Meet Merrick Garland: Next Justice or Historical Footnote? .
