President Barack Obama says he plans to fulfill his constitutional responsibility and nominate a successor to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
In a direct rebuttal to Senate Republicans, Obama says there is plenty of time for the Senate to confirm his choice. Some Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, say the decision should rest with the next president in January 2017.
Obama pointedly calls the decision “bigger than any one party.” He says it is about democracy.
Obama is praising the late justice as a brilliant legal mind who influenced generation of lawyers and students.
(AP)
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2 Responses
This is a tragic loss to the court and to the United States, as is the idea that Obama will now appoint his 3rd justice. However, Senator McConnell’s recommendation doesn’t square with Obama’s constitutional authority as President, particularly since the election is not yet decided. If this had happened right after the conventions, McConnell might have a point, with precedent going back to Thomas Jefferson’s frustrations with judges appointed by his predecessor, John Adams, only days before he took office as President. With the election as yet undecided, I don’t think this precedent applies to the present case. Obama needs to do his duty, and the Senate needs to do theirs, which is to confirm or not. If they want to delay until the next President, their options are to either delay confirmation, or to reject Obama’s nominee if, as in his prior appointments, his choices are somehow not qualified to hand down impartial justice.
Obama mourns Scalia and the moon is made out of cheese. Who in their right would believe that O is in mourning. He couldn’t be happier now that’ he has a chance to nominate yet another SC justice.