SCOTUS-nomination-ageddon WATCH
How long before the media sends helicopters to follow a White Ford Bronco?
It’s getting crazy out here on the internet.
Trump names his nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy at a live press conference at 9 p.m. tonight. Trump did a pretty good job keeping the selection on the quiet with Neil Gorsuch, and as of this writing, there have been no definitive leaks. Just a lot of “insider” speculation as to who the finalists and top 2 are.
Seems to me a lot of these “insider” accounts are deliberate deflection, letting the media play the “who’s on top” game inconsistently.
The media already is on stakeout:
per a source who knows Kethledge and walked by his home today: TV trucks and a police vehicle still outside of his house (to shoo away any trespassers), but no sign he has left town or leaving soon. TV trucks have been there for a few days just in case, source said.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) July 8, 2018
Maybe he was in that white Ford Bronco that left two hours ago, did anyone follow it? https://t.co/pSVen4325s
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) July 9, 2018
You know who isn’t waiting for the actual nomination to evaluate the pick? College students!
Consider this an Open Thread — we’ll update, and readers can add what they are seeing in the comment section.
UPDATES:
Back to the Future:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/753355507721646080
Who is it?
FYI – current talk from LawyerSmack people is that Barrett's on a plane to DC with her family right now. #ScotusPick
— Keith Lee (@associatesmind) July 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/1016407622969384962
But wait:
WSJ says as of 2:56 ET that Barrett is still home in Indiana https://t.co/Po8f0wF5Sl
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) July 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/joshdcaplan/status/1016404038726897664
AND it looks like Barrett is out:
Our producer in South Bend just saw Judge Amy Coney Barrett at her home asked if she was the SCOTUS pick: “I can’t confirm nor deny anything but you can see that I’m here.”
— Eric Marrapodi (@EricMarrapodi) July 9, 2018
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Comments
President Trump could have flown in the Top 10 to meet him in the Rose Garden, and started the press conference, “And the third runner-up is…!”
Instead of “Your Fired it could be “You’re Hired ! with a commercial break right as he says You’re
The first nomination I remember was Sandra Day O’Connor and I don’t remember the hearings, I just remember her being nominated. I’m not a big time nomination speculator. For example, I like the MLB Texas Rangers but who they are thinking about drafting every June doesn’t interest me. All that matters is who they pick. Speculation to me is a waste of time but that just me.
Anyway, I know that others do like speculation and I do not remember this much interest by others in a nominee before there was a nominee. I understand the left is at its wits’ end, that’s a big part of it. But also I don’t remember there ever being an Official List to pick from like Trump has come up with, which I think is great. It puts everything out in the open, which is refreshing.
Anyone with better memories and all-around knowledge – does this pre-nomination time compare with any other?
Not the Gipper’s finest hour. Let’s hope that we do better this time.
Thinking back, I remember lots of overheated bloviating about how the President must pick someone “in the mainstream” but the obsessive speculation as to the identity of the nominee seems like something new.
Reagan wasn’t great at judicial appointments. Kennedy was a Regan pick too.
Kethledge appears to be the worst of the choices. Whenever a Republican president selects someone who can be easily confirmed (Stevens, O’Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Roberts) the country ends up getting burned.
Sad but true. Kennedy was the booby prize after Bork got borked.
My apologies for the irrevocable down vote, I was trying to click on reply.
In my youth most of the SCOTUS Associate Justices were Roosevelt appointees still on the Court with Eisenhower’s 1953 gross error added as Chief Justice. The majority were confirmed by “acclimation”, no tally of votes needed. Yeah, that was then, Johnson had the last “acclimation” appointment (Abe Fortas). I don’t recollect lists of potential appointees until recently, with Trump’s list being the most transparent and, by being involved in the campaign, the earliest indication of possible nominees of any administration.
Acclamation – sorry ’bout that. Lack of edit function strikes again.
No apologies needed, Edward. I thought it was kinda funny – who in the heck voted down what I thought was a legit, harmless question???
It’s interesting to me not because of the leftist freak-out but because we know so much about so many potential nominees. It’s the combination of those two things that made me wonder if it was as unique a time as it seems to me.
Always lots of speculation. This time more heated due to the left losing its collective mind even more than in the 60s.
Ummm Harriet Miers was a zinger. Bush didn’t take it seriously. What a fraternity-type casual approach!!!! Like it wasn’t really important!!!!
Ummm Harriet Miers was a zinger.
Yeah, just an ordinary White House lawyer with no experience as a judge.
No chance of someone like that being confirmed to SCOTUS. Just like Kagan.
Not my point. My point was she seemed to be chosen because she wrote nice notes to the Prez, not because she had a fervor for a textualist approach.
It’s good to see our press reporting on the process so soberly….LOL (sarcasm X 1,000,000).
Trump has trolled the media beautifully, so a good portion of the nation will be tuned in to see the nomination revealed. I anticipate that he will review how excellent everything in the country now is (and how unhinged his opponents are)…BEFORE naming his candidate.
Then, the press will continue to wonder why his poll numbers remain strong despite the efforts of so-called journalists.
So glad I bought stock in popcorn and booze companies!
I really find a need for a sarcasm font!
At this point, does it matter who he names? Seriously, the left has already declared the end of humanity simply because Trump gets to nominate a SCOTUS justice. There’s no room for a worse scenario than they’ve already predicted. Pop some corn and enjoy the show.
I somehow got on an emailing list for Women’s March, and they are all upset, as usual. And such terrible, and false, things they have to say about our President and the horrible, terrible, very bad things he has planned for our country!!!!! !!!! !!! and !!!
People must not be responding the way they wish, because the language they use keeps getting more apocalyptic. I figure donations are low, so they hope to get an increase in donations by ratcheting up the hysteria. That’s not a good look, for a purported women’s group.
I’m on the Sen. Claire McCaskill(D-Mo) mailing list because I like to troll her team. I see similar outrageous bombast and hysteria in her emails – plus the usual begging for $$$.
These people truly are frightened, and frightening as a result.
You too? I think Elizabeth Warren has the best weekly ‘The World Is Ending If You Don’t Send Us Money’ posts, though.
Apocalyptic? Are you sure you don’t mean apoplectic? I suspect it’s both!
Mike Lee. Mike Lee. Mike Lee.
Surprise!
I don’t know much about Hardiman, but I started to think very highly of him as soon as I heard the WaPo calling him a “Second Amendment Extremist”.
Personally I am hoping for Barrett, simply because it will be fun to watch the left fall all over themselves trying to oppose a female, lol. Well that an she is actually a great and well qualified choice. My number one pick is still Judge Margaret Ryan, let Kagen or the wise latina or any other justice try to intimidate the Marine, lmao.
Dont kid yourself G.
The left couldn’t give a flying rats fuck about whether the nominee is a female. All they care about is the fact the woman has been nominated by Trump. END OF STORY.
From that beginning they will do everything possible to undermine her nomination with the single goal of ensuring she doesn’t get confirmed.
What the left doesn’t realise is they don’t even need to work that hard at this. McCain won’t vote just to spite Trump and those other two ugly fuckers will vote with their siblings (the Democrats).
You know, if I were on the list and knew I was *not* going to be picked, I would head over to the White House in the most secret ‘disguise’ possible with dark glasses and a hat, and allow the press to catch wind of it.
“Are you the nominee!”
“No, just waiting here. In my suit. Working on a random speech notes. With my family. In the White House. Sure is a nice place, isn’t it?”
“Can you do an interview later?”
“Sure, after 9PM, though. No problem.”
Ahem. *cough* Willett *cough* Just sayin’
I have been very pleasantly surprised by President Trump’s judicial pick in the past, and am looking forward to another great Justice nominee. It is absolutely abhorrent the lengths the Dems/Progs will go to to oppose legal, reasonable policies.
The confirmation process boils down to a nominee’s desires to allow women to kill their unborn babies. Our country has many challenges to solve, but this seems to be paramount to the Left.
last week the left was complaining about babies being separated from thier parents.
Today the left is complaining about losing the right to kill babies
And they don’t even see it. Recent Guardian OpEd whined about illegal immimgrant children being separated from their families. Next paragraph blasted Trump’s SCOTUS list as being hostile to abortion. Without a shred of self-awareness.
Separation is bad, but dismemberment is good? Pick a lane and stay in it please.
Given what the Democrats say about the President, it is ironic to watch the Democrats turn this into a circus.
Wow, this is almost as exciting as 1987, when Baby Jessica “fell” down the well in Texas, and the nascent Internet kept the planet awake with minute-by-minutes updates as nothing much happened.
Trump could nominate Mother Theresa…
Oh no, there is that separation thing again..
Professor Jacobson, I know it’s tough being the 8th pick, but hang in there. RBG can’t live forever and you’re still young!
I think I know how most Democrats will react no matter who the pick is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDYNVH0U3cs
Thanks for the report on the TV crews outside Kethledge’s house. I have been wondering if news media are stalking the candidate list, hoping to catch someone bolting to catch a flight to DC. So pointless. Someone will be nominated this evening. For newspeople who can’t wait, I suggest tranquilizers.
Anyone else felling a tingle up their leg.
The funniest thing. Trump could do.
Have three candidates seated there. Announce one.Then say “I had a hard time choosing, then I remembered some talk by Democrats about expanding the Supreme Court… ”
Sit back and watch heads explode.
Rod FC, I love your take! Somebody get it to Trump ASAP!
I am hoping is NOT Kethledge or Hardiman but in the back of my mind know the worst person on Trumps list is 100x better than the best on Hillary’s would have been. Still to waste this and seat another left butt kissing coward like Roberts would be tragic
Maybe the list was just for show.
( Trump )
My Nomination shall be as follows:
First, for the Kennedy seat, it will be..
Second, for the Ginsburg seat it is…
Third, for the Sotormayor …
Ted Cruz tweeted out a troll tweet that Mike Lee is on a plane to DC. Of course he’s a senator and the work is still to be done in the senate.
Personally I’d like to see PDJT take the Vox approach. Vox suggested the dems pack the court when they next get into power.
So I suggest PDJT just pull out the list and ask Mitch to expand the seats on SCOTUS and confirm all 24 or 25 (did he repopulate when he got Gorsuch) onto the bench.
An interesting scenario, Trump nominates someone . The person fails confirmation 49-50 ( McCain not voting Collins voting against. )
Election happens. The balance after is 53-47. McCain has resigned and is replaced by a loyal R. Trump nominates the same person who passes.
AFAIKS there is no difficulty with that. There is nothing that prevents a President from nominating the same person twice. Hell Schumer just suggested that Trump nominate Garland ( HawHaw ).
I most hope for Barret. Joking aside about the fireworks.( Which I will enjoy, but that is a secondary pleasure. )
Of the finalists, she is the only one that I have heard of who clerked for Scalia which I see as a big plus.
Also she is the one whose stands are antithetical to neverTrumpers ie are more aligned with proTrumpers.
Still of the finalists discussed no harriet Meyers.
I think I’m going to be sick.
https://twitter.com/uter74/status/1016480439895252992
To me, the battle is about the middle ground. Trump throws out 6 names, and the Left trashes ALL of them. The middle looks at the Left and thinks, “what a bunch of jerks.” Keep repeating this process for everything and by the time November comes around, the middle of the road people have a deep subconscious opinion that the Left are jerks, which is good.
The best part of the Trump presidency is that the Left went out of their way to make outrageous predictions, and none of them have come true. Now when they say anything, we can simply call up any one of their recent past failures to discredit the crap they spewing at the moment.