Posted on 03/16/2016 11:12:16 AM PDT by pilgrim
This post has been updated.
Despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) flat-out rejecting Obama's Supreme Court nominee, a number of Republican senators said Wednesday that they would meet with Judge Merrick Garland.
Brian Deese, a senior advisor to the President who led the White House's SCOTUS process, highlighted some Republicans' softening their earlier hard-line remarks in a call with reporters.
"I am old enough to remember a few weeks ago when Republicans said uniformly they wouldn't even meet with our nominee," Deese said. "And just in the past hour since the President announced him in the Rose Garden, we've seen more than a handful of Republicans announce that they were willing to meet with our nominee."
Here's a running list of the GOP senators who have said they plan to meet with Garland.
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Keeping with his earlier remarks that he would meet with a nominee put forward by Obama, Kirk said Wednesday that he would assess Garland "based on his record and qualifications."
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
After saying last month the next President should choose Justice Antonin Scalia's successor, Ayotte said in a Wednesday interview she would meet with Garland "out of courtesy and respect."
"He's a current appeals court judge and out of courtesy and respect we will certainly meet with him if he would like to meet with me," Ayotte told Politico. "I would want to explain my position to the nominee...I would want to give him that courtesy."
But in a statement, she reiterated the Senate "should not move forward with the confirmation process until the people have spoken by electing a new President."
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Flake, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, also said he would meet with Garland.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
According to a report from the Washington Examiner, Collins said she would meet with the nominee.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
While Inhofe said he would meet with Garland, he said in a statement that he opposes the nomination and the next President should replace Scalia.
"I will oppose this nomination as I firmly believe we must let the people decide the Supreme Court's future," he said in the statement.
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
While The Hill reported Portman said he will meet with Garland, he said he would not change his position about Obama nominating a justice before leaving office.
"This is about the principle, not the person," he said in a statement. "After the election, I look forward to considering the nominee of our new President. Whether the American people elect a Republican or Democrat, I will judge his or her nominee on the merits, as I always have.”
TPM reporter Tierney Sneed contributed reporting in DC.
The “weak sisters”. I guess the reason McCain is not participating with the flake Flake is because McCain has a tough primary this year.
Sure meet then come out and say he is worse than imagined. List off a few things (e.g. 2nd amendment, religious freedom, etc) and call it a day.
You need 60 votes to pass. At best, with 44 Democrats and 2 Independents....they need 14 Republicans. I can only see maybe four to six going to this way. These would Republican senators who don’t intend to run again and don’t care if you recall them for a state election again.
He has to ‘jump back’ into the Conservative mode until after the election.
I pray for his loss this year.
They need to stall, so there’s nothing wrong with going through the motions. Slowly.
If Trump implodes during the general election, which is entirely possible, would this Garland be a better bet than whatever Hillary/whoever would nominate? Keep him on ice until then.
Sooooo many things yet to happen between now and November. We seriously don’t even know yet who will be on either ticket.
What has happened to Inhofe??? Early signs of dementia?
Well, Kirk is doing it just to look “reasonable” to his liberal base back home. Not sure what the rest of these guys hope to accomplish.
It was a GIVEN the GOP would have weak sister TRAITORS within the ranks.
The STUPID Party never fails to surrender!
It’s always the same group that shows up to ‘work with’ Obama...just amazing.
Ayotte is a No spine senator. New Hampshire is a far cry from the conservative “Live Free or Die” state that it once was.
Boston masshole immigration and feminization of culture & politics has ruined a once great state.
This needs to be their last term. Vote them out.
Needs to be reverse of the RNC rules for candidates. People’s vote needs to count!
These articles are a waste of time. There will be NO hearings.
Even the folks who said they would speak to the nominee are against holding hearings.
Even money bet Collins votes for the appointee.
The CUSTOMARY suspects. WHy the hell don’t these people become Democrats?????
Nope. Because Garland will lie.
It’s not a bad strategy.
If a Dem wins in Nov, you want to push this guy through if at all possible.
Although I’d bet he suffers a “health problem” and has to withdraw in favor of an even harder left candidate.
The usual suspects.
So where's the black man? 1st African-American President and no black man nominated?
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