"Let him make whatever statement he's going to make and I'm happy to talk about this later," Biden tells reporters at White House when asked about Justice Breyer's retirement.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 26, 2022
.@PressSec: "The President has stated and reiterated his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court, and certainly stands by that"
— Justin Sink (@justinsink) January 26, 2022
Psaki won't comment directly on Harris-for-SCOTUS speculation, but offers: "the President has every intention, as he said before, of running for reelection, and for running for reelection with Vice President Harris on the ticket as his partner"
— Justin Sink (@justinsink) January 26, 2022
“President Biden’s nominee will receive a prompt hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and will be considered and confirmed by the full United States Senate with all deliberate speed,” @SenSchumer says in statement this afternoon on SCOTUS Justice Stephen Breyer retirement. https://t.co/sHJbkznPM7
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 26, 2022
Under current Senate rules, Supreme Court justices can be confirmed with 51 votes.
There's no 60-vote threshold.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) January 26, 2022
New – Yes, it is possible to do a confirmation process for a vacancy that is not yet empty, per senior Senate aides. Precedent as recent as 2020 shows how it is possible https://t.co/gnuc2VAXy7
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) January 26, 2022
With Breyer stepping down, here are your names:
Ketanji Brown Jackson: D.C. Circuit
Leondra Kruger: California Supreme Court
Michelle Childs: South Carolina District Court— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) January 26, 2022
My hot take is that Kentaji Brown Jackson is the pick and she gets Romney and Murkowski and basically obviates whatever BS Manchin and Sinema are planning to pull.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) January 26, 2022
Given Biden's promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, names like Ketanji Brown Jackson, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, Tiffany Cunningham, Eunice Lee, Holly Thomas and Michelle Childs, who have all been tapped by Biden for appeals courts, are going to make the rounds.
— Jacqueline Thomsen (@jacq_thomsen) January 26, 2022
Others who haven't been confirmed to the federal bench, like Leondra Kruger, will also be in the mix. But the upside to picking someone who's recently been through the Senate confirmation process is they've already faced the firing squad and it'll take less time to vet them.
— Jacqueline Thomsen (@jacq_thomsen) January 26, 2022
We saw that play out with Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation, given she had been before the Senate relatively recently. And the midterms time crunch, and the sting Dems still feel from Barrett, means Dems might want to move faster than they normally do with a SCOTUS nominee.
— Jacqueline Thomsen (@jacq_thomsen) January 26, 2022
it took them less than an hour to start cranking out totally wacky conspiracies https://t.co/3c83dgdSTp
— kilgore trout, cryptopolice chief (@KT_So_It_Goes) January 26, 2022
(*I* think the only thing Vice-President Kamala Harris wants less than having to ‘work with’ Mitch McConnell… is having to work with Fratt Kavanaugh & Amy Cunning-Bunny.)
Alison Rose
I don’t know much about any of the possibles but I’m pulling for Leondra Kruger because California.
germy
I can’t be the only one who is seeing this.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
I stole this quote from somebody earlier today:
McConnell’s statement to the press (inside words): “It would simply be unfair and illogical to pick a new justice this close to a presidential election we’re preparing to steal.”
Baud
@germy:
I can just make it out.
Craig
My preference is for Human Rights and Women’s Rights advocate Kimberley Motley who spent years defending women in tribal courts in Afghanistan. Real hero.
germy
But is Kayleigh McEnany credible?
debbie
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
Is this snark or did he actually say this today?
Baud
@germy:
For the benefit of the reader, a president can’t “remove” a vice-president. The vice-president would need to agree.
germy
@Baud:
I think the Fox assumption is that Harris would agree to leave because it is a face-saving way for her to end the disaster that is her vice presidency. That’s the narrative Fox is trying desperately to push.
I can imagine Harris laughing at them.
Cermet
The writer of “Lawyers, Guns and Money” called this last week saying a source told him Breyer was going to announce retiring.
Better be as young as the current youngest – all I want.
schrodingers_cat
@germy: Not just Fox leftie bros hate her too.
Baud
@germy:
In another universe, I could see Biden doing it because he thought Harris was the best person for the job. But he would need to then replace Harris, which would require GOP votes. For that reason alone, it’s a non-starter.
Omnes Omnibus
@Craig: This as about as realistic as the people who are calling for Michelle Obama.
cain
What would be y’alls pick? (wrong answers only)
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@debbie:
Snark, hence the “inside words” part.
But everybody knows that’s what he’s thinking.
Grumpy Old Railroader
Well I guess Biden could assign Five (5) black women to the SCOTUS, then resign so President Harris can select another black woman as VP and then we can all sit back and watch the conservatives howl
debbie
I’m feeling spiteful enough that since there’s a foolproof majority, I want Joe to nominate Hillary.
Baud
@cain:
Omnes.
debbie
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
And I wouldn’t put it past him to say it out loud.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
Who would I pick? I don’t know. But I do know I want them to pick someone super bright who has been thinking about these deeper issues for a long time. I want their opinions to be bullet proof.
As for the troll vote, as I said in another thread, I want Anita Hill somehow involved in addressing the issue of conflicts of interest and corruption in the judiciary, whether she’s on the board or heading it up. I just want Ginny Thomas screaming into her pillow (which admittedly is not nice of me).
Omnes Omnibus
@debbie: That is not a good idea.
Mike in NC
She never was before, and now she’s at FOX News. So NO.
schrodingers_cat
@cain: Baud.
He can go pants less under the robe.
*scandal
The Dangerman
Does an environmental impact report have to be filed for Harris for SCOTUS? So few fire hoses and so many heads exploding…
debbie
@Omnes Omnibus:
No, but it could be fun.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: Well, I am not a Black woman, so that definitely makes it a wrong answer. Then there’s my whole history. And person habits. And….
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
I hope I get to sit next to maskless Gorsuch.
germy
Omnes Omnibus
@debbie: The internet has been full of fun ideas today. I’ve rather lost patience with them.
Benw
The plan is almost complete y’all! Harris takes the SC slot, then Biden replaces her with Antifa and fakes his own death. And voilà, Antifa is President and all of our children become BLM!!
NotMax
Fox chyron already nestled in the hard drive:
[Inset name here]. Not black enough or too black?
//
@cain
From downstairs, Simone Biles.
Any potential choices with the initials CRT?
;) //
Baud
@germy:
OMG what does that mean!!!
germy
MisterForkbeard
@germy: Yep. This only makes sense if you think Harris has been an incredible disaster (Note: Nope, she’s been a pretty good VP! Certainly more substantive than Pence) and even then it would be kind of nuts.
No one with any sense thinks this could happen, so of course it’s a popular Fox News idea.
S. Cerevisiae
The Harris conspiracy talk is just nuts, they really must fear her.
I trust Biden to make an excellent pick and I trust the wingnuts to freak out no matter who it is.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
@Benw:
Fixed for extra head explosions.
schrodingers_cat
OT : Today was India’s Republic Day when the Constitution was adopted.
Instrumental version of the Indian national anthem
Baud
@germy:
There isn’t a rush.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat:
Hoping for a better, less BJP future.
germy
Bloody Bill has given it some thought:
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: I hope so too. BJP is going to do more damage till it is ultimately kicked to the curb.
Omnes Omnibus
@germy: I will quote my reply from twitter: Idiocy.
Baud
@germy:
People need better hobbies.
zhena gogolia
@germy: Oh, for fuck’s sake.
NotMax
@germy
Better chance of RuPaul being tapped.
//
zhena gogolia
@germy: I like the reply, “Don’t do drugs, kids.”
germy
Mike E
Elie Mystal
@ElieNYC
There are about to be more Black Supreme Court justices than Black head coaches in the NFL.
12:57 PM · Jan 26, 2022
Another Scott
@germy: That won’t work. Biden will never win Utah, there’s no upside in picking Rmoney.
He should pick Gym Jordan instead to increase his chances of getting Ohio.
Cheers,
Scott.
Booger
@Benw: Needs more CRT.
Benw
@Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony: and CRT becomes the law of the land!
Benw
@Booger: WHOA
debbie
@germy:
Well, he’s lost his job. How else is he supposed to make a buck? //
JPL
@germy: omg I had no idea what a whacko he was.
NotMax
OT.
SiubhanDuinne
@germy:
One of the Twitter replies:
NotMax
As it’s Open Thread, somehow missed this noxious nugget the other day.
dm
Has McConnell spoken up to say he expects Biden to appoint an American to the Supreme Court yet?
Ken
July 6. Biden announces Romney has resigned, picks Graham as VP.
July 7. Biden announces Graham has resigned, picks Cruz as VP.
July 8….
I could get behind this plan, especially if he picks some (R) senators from states with (D) governors.
WaterGirl
@Baud: I did wonder for a moment whether that is intended to threaten or to reassure.
Craig
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m just spitting on a blog, my preference doesn’t have to be realistic.
NotMax
For any who were following the story,
Cameron
@Another Scott: I’m more a Louie Gohmert man, myself.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Our government issued covid tests arrived today. Now we need to score some of those free masks.
danielx
So six months, end of July – I can see McConnell proclaiming that since it’s only three months and a few days until the 2022 election, he feels it would be better to hold the seat open until “after the election so that the Senate may take into account the will of the people as expressed by their votes”. Not to mention his personal conviction that Democratic presidents are not to be permitted to name Supreme Court justices.
I wouldn’t bet against it.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@NotMax: I remember when certain quarters of the internet were clamoring for Rogan to host a Dem primary debate between Biden and… somebody
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@danielx: and how does McConnell enforce his will?
Brachiator
@germy:
Dude is on some serious drugs.
Jinchi
This is one of those “We are all dumber now for having listened to it” theories, isn’t it.
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
They love to invent fake rules.
Kirk Spencer
@S. Cerevisiae:
No, it’s fear and an escape.
Joe Biden is an old man. Old men die even without an assassin’s aid. But that would make a black woman president of the United States, and that is their fear.
Thus the talk, because while they don’t want her at all, better one of nine (and outnumbered) than the possible alternative.
NotMax
@Kirk Spencer
“Why can’t he pick a leggy blonde scarecrow like real Murkins do?”
//
Ohio Mom
@NotMax: A friend’s college-aged son acculmulated too many DUIs (IIRC, the magic number was three) and was given a choice between jail time or enrolling in the court-sponsored rehab program. He took the rehab option and was billed upon his “graduation” for his room and board (jail would have been free but we all agree that even so, he made the right choice). They had a payment plan, so nice of them.
The criminal justice system is an extortion racket. Other sheriffs, after reading about this anklet bracelet scam are no doubt now busy planning how they could do that.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Fox News guy advises Republicans to try not to look crazy, stupid, racist and sexist in the next few months
Marsha Blackburn lights a candle and kneels before a picture of Rebecca Latimer Felton to seek guidance.
Starfish
Harris takes up a lot of space in the conservative imagination because if they believed that more than one black woman existed, that would be critical race theory and banned in numerous school districts.
Patricia Kayden
Sure Lurkalot
@germy:
Wow, just when I thought his idea of Constitutional responsibility was to uphold an archaic and oft modified Senate rule not mentioned in the Constitution and to bow down before his donors.
Learn something every damn day.
Baud
@Patricia Kayden:
?
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
That would be the smart move, but a black woman will be like a red cape to a bull to the modern GOP.
geg6
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Jesus Christ. Not only is Rogan an expert in virology and epidemiology and Petersen the expert on gender, women and LGBTQ issues, but now they are experts on Blackness?
I hate these people so much and I hate this timeline I’ve been sentenced to.
NotMax
@Sure Lurkalot
Entries now closed. Manchin wins Anodyne Statement of the Month.
//
RaflW
@germy: I expect I’ve talked about her here before, but Harris Faulkner cut her teeth on a Twin Cities station. It’s just wild how she’s willing to degrade herself. Fox is quite the cult.
Omnes Omnibus
@danielx: He can proclaim it all he wants. He currently has no power over what happens.
Gravenstone
@germy: From the file of “with friends like these…”
prostratedragon
Stewart Rhodes denied bail:
Omnes Omnibus
@Craig: Good thing the world has infinite pixels.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@prostratedragon: gonna be a lot of ex- and estranged family and friends talking to the Feds over the next few months, I think
@Gravenstone: I might be wrong, but I’m fine with hearings on the Supreme Court being closer to the November, and after the 16 Committee hearings
smedley the uncertain
@germy: Your Not.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gravenstone: She is right. There are six months until he retires. That is plenty of time for the White House to vet and choose somebody. There is no reason the new justice can’t be chosen, confirmed, and set up in chambers with clutch of clerks by the first Monday in October.
West of the Rockies
The Harris hate utterly escapes me. I was thrilled to vote for her for Senator and VP. I don’t see any missteps: no Quayle foolishness, no Cheney arrogance… it’s bizarre.
Starfish
@West of the Rockies: People are really that sexist and racist.
JMG
@West of the Rockies: 1. All Vice Presidents are unpopular, because they all get negative media coverage. Why? Hard to say, but I think careerist cowardice has a lot to do with it.
2. She’s a black woman and hence hateful to a wide majority of white voters.
mrmoshpotato
Seth Meyers addresses Fucker Carlson being sexually attracted to M&M’s, and more.
prostratedragon
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Even with the smaller fry, there have been some cases where someone was clearly happy to rid themselves of a domestic problem.
RaflW
@mrmoshpotato: I hadn’t know that T. Swanson Carlson was hoisting beers with the ‘sexy boot’ M&M after work. I’m so grateful to Seth for that Closer Look!
Steeplejack
@germy:
@jjbiggle: “In her defense, she thinks six months from now is tomorrow.”
Gin & Tonic
@Steeplejack: I’m impressed that someone that old is thinking about six months from now. Most people her age don’t buy green bananas.
Gin & Tonic
So I may have been premature last night in speaking of Germany. While the US is delivering Stingers and Javelins, and the UK is delivering NLAWs (anti-tank missiles) Germany is delivering military equipment as well.
Edmund Dantes
@Baud: the actuary tables and number of Dem senators from states governed by GOP disagree with you.
zhena gogolia
@Starfish: Yep.
zhena gogolia
@mrmoshpotato: Brilliant!
Edmund Dantes
There is no reason the Dems should waste anytime getting their nominee setup and ready to go. They already should have had a strong vetting going on with a good preselection of choices.
And move as quickly as possible. Last SCOTUS took a month. No reason for the Dems to not repeat that speed.
Omnes Omnibus
@Edmund Dantes: I would guess that the shortlist is already prepared.
Nelle
@Edmund Dantes: Our friend, Susan Collins, said that we should take the necessary time to do it carefully. Just as she did with Amy Bony Carrot.
apocalipstick
@germy:
Counteroffer:
McConnell agrees to confirm Biden’s nominee sight unseen.
McCarthy agrees to force Matt Gaetz and Gym Jordan to fight to the death on the house floor.
MTG agrees to give AOC a pedicure.
About as likely as Kristol’s scenario.
Starboard Tack
@prostratedragon: Stewart Rhodes dropped a gun and shot himself in the face, and he wears the eye patch like it’s a fucking medal.
James E Powell
@germy:
Very creepy putting his daughter’s image like that, but curing depression with “meat only”? I know almost nothing about that guy except that everyone I’ve met who claims to admire him is an asshole.
James E Powell
@West of the Rockies:
She is a woman and she is not a right-wing religious fanatic & gun nut, therefore Republican voters despise her and “independent” voters are uneasy with her running for any high office.
Miss Bianca
@germy: So, I guess he’s back to being Always Wrong Bill Kristol again? Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Wait…you don’t think he could possibly be snarking, do you?
Miss Bianca
@NotMax: Damn. I was really hoping it was going to be Joe Rogan who got bumped.
Gvg
@West of the Rockies: Aside from sexism and racism, in the current Senate she breaks ties in the democrats favor over and over. We are the majority simply because of her. McConnel is not majority leader anymore because of her. I think that has got to be a factor. She will be in the news more than most VP’s because of it.
Boy republicans like stupid non real world scripts.
J R in WV
@schrodingers_cat:
Not just racists, but misogynists also too… I personally think she is a brilliant and beautiful person, but that’s just me, which is worth exactly what you paid for that datum. Haters gonna hate.