The most interesting late development of the Trump Supreme Court Derby



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When President Trump's policy brief is written, you can bet that the decision he will make Monday about a Supreme Court justice will be very high. The Trump person will name at 9pm. is online to create a clear conservative majority of 5 to 4 on the highest court in the nation.

But just like his entire presidency, there is no guarantee that it will go well. Trump will appoint a judge who could determine the course of the country for the years and decades to come – for better or for worse, depending on your point of view – but a late development this weekend reinforces the fact that the decision is not not intended for the home.

Trump said Sunday that his choice was up to four people – apparently remixing the 2017 runner-up Thomas Hardiman at the last three finals reported by Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Raymond Kethledge. Kavanaugh and Barrett were considered the two favorites, but some conservatives balked at Kavanaugh and others feared that Barrett might risk what should be a successful nomination.

Who is where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). As the New York Times report and the Washington Post confirmed, McConnell spoke to Trump on Friday and raised this prospect that Kavanaugh or Barrett could unnecessarily jeopardize a quick confirmation of the new justice.

The case of Kavanaugh, it is because he has spent the last two decades as a judge of the court of appeal, a senior Bush administration official and a lawyer. Kenneth Starr's team during the Bill Clinton scandal, leading to a long time to sort out – and could potentially spark some surprises. Kavanaugh could also fight for the support of Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

In the case of Barrett, it is because she is considered the most antagonistic towards Roe v. Wade and could lose the support of Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), whose one or the other vote could condemn her nomination if no Democrat would cross her .

The Post's Robert Costa and Robert Barnes conclude:

Officials pointed out that McConnell has not pushed any choice on the president. But, they said, McConnell noted that Hardiman and Kethledge could behave well in the Senate because their reputations and records were not as politically charged as others on the preselected list of president.

Regardless of whether McConnell actually invited the President to make a specific decision, it is clear what his purpose is: to ensure that the Senate is able to confirm someone . And that might be convincing for a few reasons. The first is the slim majority of the GOP, which is actually 50-49 with Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) Battling brain cancer. The second is the lack of time for this to happen before the Democrats can take over the Senate in the November elections, which means that it is urgent to make the right choice. The third is Trump's lack of ideological rigidity and his desire for "victories".

Trump has provided many reasons for skepticism that he really cares whether Roe is overthrown or how the new justice will ever be conservative. The president may have ideological convictions, but abortion is not part of it: his background – and his regular jubilation towards judge Neil M. Gorsuch – clearly show that he This is mostly about victories and keeping the base intact.

And if the president asks, "What is the easiest win?", McConnell gave him the answer: Kethledge and Hardiman both have fairly sweet and even blue profiles, and neither of them have a good name. fanned the passions of the GOP base. Although there may always be surprises, you must think that they have the best chance of gaining confirmation and doing it quickly. Kavanaugh and Barrett could make the process more difficult than maybe needs to be . Trump liked Gorsuch's confirmation, and it's not difficult to see him wanting to start again.

All this, Trump. Maybe he's picking Barrett because that's the biggest basic game. Maybe he's choosing Kavanaugh because he fits the mold of Trump's design of a Supreme Court justice, Ivy League education and everything. Maybe Trump is confident enough that one of them will be confirmed that he will choose the one he prefers. Definitely, one of the four would be favored to join the court in a few months and give the Conservatives an advantage of 5 to 4.

But McConnell thinks it's worth pointing to the most wins easy and avoid unnecessary headaches. We'll see if Trump chooses the path of least resistance.

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