Mitch McConnell was asked tonight what he would do if a Supreme Court justice dies next year? McConnell replied “We’d fill it”:
Watch:
In sharp contrast to how he handled President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016, Mitch McConnell says he’d fill a Supreme Court vacancy next year if one becomes available. pic.twitter.com/IX8Nr0elit
— Daniel Lewis (@Daniel_Lewis3) May 29, 2019
Note the the author of this tweet says he’s the Producer for CNN Digital Video and he suggests this is a reversal by McConnell in how he handled Obama’s SCOTUS nominee.
But that’s not true at all. As Gabriel Malor points out:
It’s so sloppy that this is being reported as a reversal. It really isn’t. It’s exactly what McConnell said all along. https://t.co/Y5cD9HVrBP
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 28, 2019
In 2016, Sen. McConnell argued that with a divided government (Dem White House, GOP Senate), the voters should decide who gets to appoint J. Scalia’s replacement.
That first condition does not apply. We don’t have a divide WH/Senate anymore.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) May 28, 2019
Felicia Sonmez works for the Washington Post and she’s calling it a reversal too. Geez.
Malor points out that McConnell said “It is a president’s constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court justice, and it is the Senate’s constitutional right to act as a check on the president and withhold its consent.”
But that is not the case in this instance, as the White House and Senate are in agreement.
McConnell also argued in March of 2016 that Obama was a lame duck president, which is why he said the people must decide via the election. This is not going to be the case for Trump in 2020.
In other words, 2016 and 2020 are not at all the same thing and this isn’t a reversal by McConnell. But I’m sure it will continue to be portray as one by the bitter Democrat media.