February 25, 2016

I never thought the floating of the Sandoval name was anything other than political propaganda.

So I'm not surprised that Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has let the White House know he doesn't want to be considered for the Supreme Court nomination.

He doesn't want to be exploited in the other party's political maneuverings.

Yesterday, my son John had a Facebook post linking to a New Republic item: "Why is Obama considering a Republican for the Supreme Court?" I didn't go to the item. I just answered the question: "Because he's not."

18 comments:

The Bergall said...

Trial balloon.........

Gahrie said...

Kamala Harris will be Obama's nominee. Then the democrats can use the "war on women" and "Republicans are racists" memes.

traditionalguy said...

I thought that would be funny if President Obama tried that trick and the GOP instantly confirmed him at midnight over Reid and Pelosi's threats to destroy him.

tim in vermont said...

Did Obama try his winning smile and sonorous voice on Sandoval? Must not have got the chance.

Brando said...

After the GOP telegraphed their intentions, Obama is only nominating people for political theatre, so of course he'll pick Sandoval (the sort of person he'd never otherwise nominate in a million years) and next he'll pick someone from another minority group the Dems need this fall, ideally a moderate, to try and make the GOP look unreasonable.

I doubt he'd pick a leftist like some suggest--not only would a leftist not get picked, but it would make the GOP look justified--"see, he just wants to pick some leftist to alter the Court's balance".

Simon said...

I didn't think that it was real either, but I was disturbed by what the story revealed. John Cornyn was asked about it and said that it makes "no difference" who the nominee is. Hugh Hewitt had a column saying the same thing. No difference! What, are you stupid? Of course it makes a difference; this isn't personal, it isn't about Obama. A blanket rejection is and can only be predicated on a reasonable prediction of Obama's likely behavior, not the populist guff that (I had thought) CGOP blew as a mere smokescreen. My distaste for that smokescreen now intensifies if, as appears, it is actually distorting the conversation, if decisions are being made based on compatibility with that rhetoric as though the rhetoric is the actual reasoning behind the action. If Obama nominated Diane Sykes, John Manning, or Paul Clement, of course that nominee should get a hearing! The point is precisely and exclusively that he won't do that. Dangerous enough it was to strike a rhetorical pose of "no no, 'we, the people' need to speak," the sort of demagogic garbage through which "The Dark Knight Rises" drove spears; what fatuous nonsense to actually act upon that line as though it were a principle! If Obama were to cave and send an acceptable nominee, we should count it as a win and confirm him or her! How perfectly brain-dead to confuse the packaging with the product!

mccullough said...

Sandoval is way too shrewd for this bullshit. Obama is going to have to find some hack or rube to be his political pawn in his fight with the GOP senate.

madAsHell said...

Harriet Miers is still available.

Etienne said...

I thought it was funny that Obama had a picture taken of him holding a binder of appointees to be considered.

I thought, Wow, I bet Romney has his binders too!

Idiots...

Birches said...

@Simon

Sandoval is pro-choice and fairly liberal. He's no Clement.

Curious George said...

There was no way Obama would let his SCOTUS legacy end with Brian Sandoval. Because there would be no way that the left would ever forgive it or let him forget it.

TosaGuy said...

"There was no way Obama would let his SCOTUS legacy end with Brian Sandoval. Because there would be no way that the left would ever forgive it or let him forget it."

The Leftyloos already had a change.org petition circulating against Sandoval before the idea hit major media.

n.n said...

Good for Sandoval. Good for McConnell. The Republicans avoided committing an unforced error.

Barry Dauphin said...

Well, at least it gave NPR's Morning Edition a story. They've got to fill air time with something.

MathMom said...

Why is he considering a Republican for the SC nom? Same reason he tried to pull a Republican senator into the Dept of Commerce - because then you have taken a Republican out of the fight, and might get to replace them with a Dem. Back then, it was to pass Obamacare.

Glad Sandoval wasn't having it.

Freedom89 said...

If he was truly willing to nominate Sandoval (a big if), it indicates he thinks the Democrats will lose the election. What does he know that would cause him to think that?

Left Bank of the Charles said...

I thought you could get banned on Althouse by commenting without first reading the linked item.

jr565 said...

Why does Althouse's son think he would nominate a liberal democrat? To even get a sliver of a chance that repubs will even consider doing an up or down vote Obama would have to nominate a right of center centrist.