I totally agree, but I think he knows exactly what he's getting into, and I'm pretty confident he would've said no if he wasn't up for it.
I agree. And I really admire his willingness to be a sacrificial lamb here. It's a brave, selfless thing to do knowing it may end in disaster for him.
Maybe I'm naive, but I just don't think this will end up bad for him. If they refuse to hold a hearing, it's the Senate Republicans that are going to look bad. If they do hold a hearing and try to crucify him, again, the Senate Republicans are going to look dumb.
If he was young and/or really liberal, I might think differently.
I haven't read this entire thread, so not sure if we've speculated about the following.
1. What is this guy thinking? Figures it's an honor to be nominated and if it doesn't work out, no biggie? (Presumably has no skeletons that will damage him long term). Or did Obama check with HRC and tell him that she will continue the process, which made him feel better? Or is he a scapegoat and knows it and is OK with it because he's that nice a guy?
2. Can Obama withdraw the nomination if HRC wins in November and he figures, "now let's give her a chance for a real liberal?" Maybe the night before the election or something, so the Senate doesn't try to vote immediately afterwards.
3. Does this have to go through the Judiciary Committee or is there some loophole way to take it directly to the Senate? Obviously only useful if you can get 5-6 Republicans to break from the group, but still.
1. He seems like someone who takes his job and its role in democracy very seriously. There are a lot of people like that. I could see him being troubled by the politicization of this issue and feeling a sense of responsibility here.
2. Yeah, he can. Is the senate even in session during election week? They may not be.
3. Pretty sure it has to go through the committee first.
The senate still has to confirm by the end of the next regular session. If they don't, the spot is vacant again. When is the end of the next regular session? Sometime after the election, correct? If Obama makes a recess appointment and Hillary wins, they might confirm the moderate rather than giving her the chance to nominate someone even more liberal.
I haven't read this entire thread, so not sure if we've speculated about the following.
2. Can Obama withdraw the nomination if HRC wins in November and he figures, "now let's give her a chance for a real liberal?" Maybe the night before the election or something, so the Senate doesn't try to vote immediately afterwards.
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Yeah. I was wondering how the process works. Can they drag it out until november and if HRC wins, McConnell suddenly realizes they had better push this through?
I heard speculation on POTUS Morning Briefing on my way into work that this was a possibility.
ETA: Judging by the above post, though, that may be wrong.
I agree. And I really admire his willingness to be a sacrificial lamb here. It's a brave, selfless thing to do knowing it may end in disaster for him.
Maybe I'm naive, but I just don't think this will end up bad for him. If they refuse to hold a hearing, it's the Senate Republicans that are going to look bad. If they do hold a hearing and try to crucify him, again, the Senate Republicans are going to look dumb.
If he was young and/or really liberal, I might think differently.
His reputation in the general public will take a hit while people find out of context things from his opinions to smear him. On the one hand, that probably doesn't matter too much to him, as his profile in the judiciary is what's truly important. On the other hand, there's still a risk. Once the public knows his name and he's painted as a liberal Obama pawn, he's going to be low hanging fruit for litigants before him to discredit him. If he remains on the DC Circuit, he'll continue to decide very contentious, high stakes opinions. While they may not be high profile opinions, they will involve interpretations of regulations that impact huge, powerful industries. Industry lobbyists are going to use all the fodder that the Cruz campaign digs up on this guy to try to get him recused, to smear him after bad decisions, to try to get Congress to get him impeached, etc.