FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

We Told You To Stay Tuned

This afternoon, Obama and Michelle Antionette paid less than two minutes of respect to the late Antonin Scalia while the Justice lies in repose at the Supreme Court. The Obamas spent approximately 35 seconds in front of the casket and then approximately 67 seconds in front of the portrait of Scalia. The Obamas will not be attending Scalia’s funeral on Saturday.

 Debra from Anderson says: I doubt the excuse that Obama’s large security footprint is keeping him from Justice Scalia’s funeral. I think it is the kind of petty personal snub for which Obama is known.

I, for one, am glad he won’t be there. He doesn’t deserve to be there. 

What’s more, I would fear that Obama would be called upon to speak, or even volunteer. I do not doubt that he would be unable to resist the urge to dishonor or discredit Scalia and/or excoriate the Republicans regarding the confirmation of a replacement, and even reminding us of his opposition to Citizens United.

Let those who had respect for Justice Scalia gather together without the presence of a small man who has never learned that one can respect one’s ideological opposites.

And for all the pundits who have posited that Obama, out of some supposed conciliatory mood, will nominate someone whom he hopes might be palatable to Republicans: Where in the hell have you been for the last seven years?

In a related story, Obama is not even waiting till Scalia’s Funeral, because he has already begun to badger key senators from both parties on nominating a successor to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

During the past 24 hours, Obama phoned Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Both Republican senators have said replacing Scalia should be left to the next president. McConnell spokesman Don Stewart described it as a “quick call,” in which Obama formally informed the leader of his intent to put forth a nominee. Obama spoke to Grassley Friday morning, after he co-authored an op-ed with McConnell in The Washington Post reiterating their stance the next president, and not Obama, should pick a replacement for the conservative jurist. 

The president also consulted with Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Judiciary Committee ranking member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) The president and his Disingenuous DemocRAT allies in Congress have said it would be irresponsible and unprecedented to leave a vacancy on the court that could last a year or more.

It certainly sounds as if Debra from Anderson knew what she was talking about.