[Vermont Lt]

No President is going to let this drag out a year. This is a big, big deal.

[Political Junkie Too]

There is nothing the President can do. The only thing he can try is a recess appointment, but that would expire at the end of the next session (2018?).

-PJ

[Religion and Politics]

No President is going to let this drag out a year. This is a big, big deal.

Plus, how in the world is a President Elect going to go about nominating a Justice without a staff, etc. It would be 18 months. And there are many things the new President needs to hit the ground running on.

Plus, I can see this whole thing tilting the Senate Elections and the Presidential Election. Justices aren't elected, but that is what the whole Election will be about.

The more I think about it, the more I hope Obama will get together with Senate leaders and submit a consensus candidate that can be confirmed with little contention from either side. And BEFORE the political party conventions this summer.

If Obama decides to submit someone who can't be confirmed, then it will be on him and this will not get done.

[the_Watchman]

No President is going to let this drag out a year. This is a big, big deal.

However, Obama may cry crocodile tears over being thwarted. If he thinks Hillary will be the next President, he may angle to be her nominee. If he thinks that is how things will play out, he might even drag his feet, a bit.