The White House says Republican opposition to considering President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court is motivated entirely by party politics.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest is chiding Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina over recent comments. He says Cornyn’s suggestion that the nominee will be treated like a piñata suggests Republicans will tear any nominee down rather than consider that person’s credentials.

Earnest says their comments prove that the Republican position is unprecedented and rooted in the fact that Obama is a Democrat.

Earnest says Obama is still reviewing candidates. He says it’s possible that the announcement of Obama’s nominee won’t come until after Obama travels later this month to Cuba and Argentina.

(AP)