Hillary’s pick would have been much, much worse than Garland!
Garland was what Dems consider a moderate, and he was already in his 60s when nominated.
Dems actually thought that, at his age when he wouldn’t be long on the SC, and that his ‘moderation’ would combine to allow his Senate confirmation.
Grassley said “No” and even dared McConnell to overrule him if McConnell wanted to consider Garland.
Good point. Hillary could have pulled the Garland nomination, and replaced with a Wise Latina mini-me.
If that had happened, all these decisions this week would have been 5-4 the other way.
And now with the swing vote Kennedy retiring, a Hillary nominee would have consolidated the liberal bloc on the court.
In fact, if Hillary had won, Ruth Bader Ginsburg probably would have retired, and been replaced by a much younger radical.
Elections do have their consequences.