Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
163305 tn?1333668571

Garland nomination fight centers around disrespect for Obama, not the judge

How do you get the Democratic base fired up about nominating a moderate white man in his 60s to the Supreme Court?

The progressive groups leading the charge in support of Merrick Garland’s nomination think they’ve found the answer. In social media blasts and in-person calls to action around the country, they are casting Republicans’ near-unanimous refusal to consider President Obama’s nominee as part of a history of disrespect and disdain shown to the president — a disrespect that is racially motivated.

“I talk to black audiences, and I say, look, this is part of a larger pattern of disrespect,” said Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which is part of the push to get Garland a hearing. “It goes back to when Speaker [Mitch] McConnell says we’re going to make him a one-term president. You have someone like Rep. Joe Wilson [R-S.C.] saying, ‘You lie.’ You have [former Arizona Gov.] Jan Brewer shaking her finger in his face. These are signs of disrespect that would have never been justified with another president. Race is a factor.”

After Antonin Scalia died last month, civil rights groups and members of the Congressional Black Caucus urged the president to nominate a black woman to the court — a historic pick that would have rallied women of color to the cause. When the president took another, less barrier-breaking route, it was unclear whether the left would be as enthusiastic about fighting the inevitable Republican opposition to his choice.

The Democrats vying to replace Obama have seemed lukewarm about his pick. Sen. Bernie Sanders has said he would rather choose his own justice if elected, noting that there are “more progressive judges out there.” Hillary Clinton, whose campaign has been buoyed by support from women of color, dodged a question on Monday about whether she’d keep Garland as her nominee if she were elected and his nomination was still pending. (Asked if he was a good choice, she said he has a “tremendous reputation.”)

But one way to motivate the Democratic base is to point out that Republicans are disrespecting the president — who remains incredibly popular with Democrats — by refusing to even consider his pick. The progressive groups have coalesced around the message “Do your job,” and they emphasize that if Republicans refuse to bring up the nomination, it will be the first time a Supreme Court nominee has ever not been given a vote.

Henderson tells audiences: “He’s the 44th president, not three-fifths of a president.”

“Our members care about Obama as a president and his presidency a great deal,” said Jo Comerford, a campaign director for the progressive grassroots organization MoveOn. “We’ve used the ‘disrespect’ language in our communications to our members because of their loyalty.” Comerford said the GOP opposition to the president is seen by many MoveOn members as an attempt “to undermine his authority and his presidency.”

“It is flagrantly disrespectful, and it is new in the sense that we’ve never seen this kind of rank knee-jerk obstruction to a nominee,” said Stephen Spaulding, legal director of the nonpartisan Common Cause, a nonprofit that promotes accountable government and is also part of the coalition.

MoveOn and the other groups fighting for Garland’s hearing flew airplanes trailing “Do Your Job” banners over several senators’ hometowns as they returned for a two-week recess earlier this week. They plan on meeting senators with demonstrations when they return to the Capitol, as well.

It’s unclear if all the pressure will work. So far, Repubican Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois, Susan Collins of Maine and Jerry Moran of Kansas have broken with party leadership and said they believe Garland should be granted a hearing. Several other Republican senators, including Pat Toomey of Pennsylania and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, have said they would meet with Garland as a courtesy but that they don’t believe the Senate should even consider him.

The right is, if anything, more fired up than the left. The National Rifle Association, in particular, is lobbying hard against giving Garland a vote. And as the Washington Post pointed out Thursday, only two people showed up to one of the planned protests against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in Wisconsin. Inside the event, Johnson offered a personal “guarantee” to his supporters that he would not allow Garland to be elected, eliciting the loudest cheers of the night.

“A lot of people say, ‘Do your job.’ You know what? I’m doing my job!” Johnson said. “We need somebody that can replace Scalia.”

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/garland-nomination-fight-centers-around-disrespect-184014332.html
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
206807 tn?1331936184
This may have already been posted. If so feel free to delete it.

Joe Biden - No Supreme Court Pick Until After Election (1992)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1SUn0zTGUQ
Helpful - 0
12461561 tn?1449162160
And holding up the supreme court for a year because they dont want to give obama his way? Did we really expect anything else, even tho the majority thinks there should be a vote for Garland, a well liked and respected judge on both sides of the isle.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
One of the funnier jokes I saw online about this showed Clinton winning and appointing Obama to the Supreme Court.
12461561 tn?1449162160
What the president was doing was important and planned. The fact that this happened in brussels and not the usa would be one point and the other, while the perception is terrible I admit and so did he, to stop the president from doing what he was doing would have been a huge victory for them....I guess its how one looks at it. But unlike most here, I do have respect for the president....who knew!!!! lol
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
"And you are ignoring the fact that Obama was elected and his job is to appoint supreme court justices".  His job may be to appoint supreme court justices, but the senate is under no obligation to vote on or approve any of the justices appointed by the President.

"Democrats who suggest otherwise are simply telling supporters a politically convenient fairy tale."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/03/16/does-the-senate-have-a-constitutional-responsibility-to-consider-a-supreme-court-nomination/

Yes, the attacks had already taken place when Obama was doing the tango and living it up in Argentina like nothing had happened.
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
Right and what was Bush doing during 9/11 ??

Do you really think Obama knew about what was going to happen in Brussels while he was dancing ?

And you are ignoring the fact that Obama was elected and his job is to appoint supreme court justices.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Do you ever watch the news ?

Your boy Biden as well as many others including Obama have pulled the same thing when it comes to the Supreme Court. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. FYI the attacks in Brussels had already happened when Obama thought it was OK to do the Tango and talk smack about the USA, he is just as anti American as the terrorist.
649848 tn?1534633700
If I'd been able to muster any respect for the President, it would fly out the window when you mention the support he gets from MoveOn and when I see the news organizations fawning over he and Michele doing the tango in Argentina as Brussels is being terrorized by ISIS.  
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
Back when Bush was the president, he often was mocked due to the moronish things he said, and the Republicans yelled and screamed about respecting the office of the presidency. Yet, once Obama came into office, they have made a consorted effort to thwart his every move.
Helpful - 0
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.

You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.