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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCNN's Jake Tapper Challenges GOP Senator: "You Must Be Thrilled Obama Followed Your Suggestion"
CNN's Jake Tapper Challenges GOP Senator: "You Must Be Thrilled Obama Followed Your Suggestion" For SCOTUS Nomination
Tapper: "In 2010 ... You Said There Was No Question He Would Win Confirmation With Bipartisan Support"
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R-UT) Well, you know, it isn't a question of who he's appointed, it's a question of whether you should bring that up during this caustic, toxic presidential election process. It's something that really hasn't been done before, except in the case of in recent years, in the last 75 years, except in the case of Justice Kennedy, who after a long ordeal of Democrats smearing Bork and then going right down the line, everybody was happy to get that over with.
[...]
TAPPER: Senator, in 2010 you actually specifically addressed the possibility that President Obama would nominate Judge Garland. You said there was no question he would win confirmation with bipartisan support.
HATCH: Well, and he did. As a matter of fact, I led that fight for him. You know, he's a fine man. I have no problem with liking, you know, the judge. I mean he's a good judge. Now, I haven't looked at his opinions for 19 years, and we're not talking about a Circuit Court of Appeals judgeship. We're talking about the highest court in the land, the court of final decision making where you -- it's the court of final appeal in this country. So it's a much more serious thing, and I can quote you Democrat after Democrat who when Republicans were in control said you can't do this.
TAPPER: Right.
HATCH: You know, so now that the ox is gored, I mean they of course would like to just be able to run right over you, and the Republicans aren't going to let them do that.
http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/03/16/cnns-jake-tapper-challenges-gop-senator-you-mus/209324
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)I believe is President Obama's agenda anyway.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)If there's gonna be a fight, pick someone that would galvanize the Democratic populace in both the SCOTUS nomination fight *AND* the general Presidential election if the nomination is not confirmed by then.
Obama picked who he wanted to be on the court. Period.
He will get his guy confirmed.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)The great virtue of Garland is that he's someone it will be hard for the Republicans to convince the electorate they're opposing on his own merits, rather than out of sheer contrariness.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)President Obama did not select this nominee to make people look bad. He did it because that's the kind of person he wants on the court.
If he wanted to make Republicans look bad, he'd nominate Kamala Harris from California. (I still want her in the US Senate, though)
How would the GOP look blocking the first African-American female Supreme Court nominee? See? It would be game over for them if they confirm her (GOP base would be pissed) or if they block her (Democratic outrage brings even more to the polls in Nov.).
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)They are used to put people of the President's liking on the bench for life.
President Obama wants this man on the bench, period.
He does not act to make Republicans look stupid. They do that all on their own.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)THAT is a keeper of an exchange.
Mosby
(16,299 posts)Can't even own up to what he said.
Rex
(65,616 posts)I cannot wait for the GOP to die a slow and painful death.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Your hatred for Obama will be your undoing. So the Circuit Court of Appeals is crap, thanks Hatchetman, we can always depend on you to lie for the GOP to cover up your deep seated hatred for the POTUS.
the next one will probably be worse.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Texas was blue once...I can dream.
but as long as the State is run by the Mormons....
Maybe even that too can change. If you didn't know better, you would never believe Texas was once governed by Ann Richards. You would swear Texas must have always been a backward state voting for GOP troglodytes.
edhopper
(33,573 posts)Texas should turn purple, if not blue.
More like Houston or Austin than Ft Worth.
Can't happen soon enough.
surrealAmerican
(11,360 posts)I'm so glad to see Hatch squirming over this.
Gman
(24,780 posts)That argument, weak as it is, might appeal to the general public. But they no longer have control of the message and the GOP congress has no credibility to speak of. They approval rating is headed below Dick Cheney's and that's pretty hard to do.
renegade000
(2,301 posts)"Yeah, I mean I really wanted Garland to replace Souter or Steven's spot... not Scalia's!"