Sen. John McCain made an amazing promise earlier today: He would band together with his fellow Republicans to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing anyone to the U.S. Supreme Court.
It’s bad enough that earlier this year, Republican senators made up a bogus “tradition” that presidents shouldn’t be able to appoint someone to the bench in the final year of their presidency because “the people” should decide whether a Democrat or a Republican would have the chance to make an appointment. But now it appears that no matter what the people decide, McCain will continue to oppose Democratic nominees.
McCain told a Philadelphia radio station: “I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if she were president, would put up. I promise you. This is where we need the majority.”
McCain later walked back his statement through a spokesperson. (So his vow to be united against any nominee may not have been a promise?) Team McCain clarified that that McCain would at least look at the nominee’s record, but Arizona’s senior senator remained skeptical that Clinton could put forth the name of judge who wasn’t too liberal for his standards. Kind of a distinction without a difference.
If you’re wondering how conservative a justice would have to be to earn McCain’s support: He told The Weekly last month that Obama nominee Merrick Garland was too liberal to earn his support, even though Garland has been described as the ideal kind of nominee by Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch.
McCain’s hardline stance is particularly appalling given that earlier this year, he said that Congress has low approval ratings because lawmakers have abandoned bipartisanship.
“Bipartisanship does not exist,” McCain said. “What we need is a recognition on the part of both parties is that the approval rating of both parties is 14 percent. Why is that approval rating what it is? Because they don’t think we are responding to their hopes and dreams and ambitions and what they want us to do.”
Ann Kirkpatrick, the Democratic congresswoman who is facing McCain this year, pounced on McCain’s comment before he walked it back.
“The unprecedented political obstructionism John McCain is now advocating is not just pure, partisan politics at its worst: it’s downright dangerous,” said Kirkpatrick in a written statement. “John McCain now clearly values his own party’s goals over the good of our country. After endorsing Trump more than 60 times, John McCain is now promising broken government if Trump doesn’t win. This is just one more sad, but clear, example of how much John McCain has changed after 33 years in Washington and why we need new, principled leadership for Arizona.”
This article appears in Oct 13-19, 2016.
This man is an idiot who has way overstayed his welcome. He needs to be retired fast.
Is it just me, or is there much less reporting on local contested races here in Pima County this year? County races that are contested haven’t been covered. Retention of AZ Supreme Court & Superior court judge recommendations, pro or con, haven’t been covered. Early mail in ballots have been out for days & have to be mailed back in, so I’m hoping that The Weekly is going to start putting out a lot more information.
I would have loved to see info on the judges. I don’t want lawyers views which are terribly biased. I wish we still had a media that worked to inform voters OF FACTS.
Senator McCain is shucking his responsibility and playing irresponsible partisan politics. McCain has no idea who will be submitted for the SCOTUS seat, yet he thinks it’s OK to say just say no all those submitted for review no matter how qualified they may be or their foundation. It’s really high time to vote for McCain’s opponent.
http://www.dictionary.com
Prejudice – an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. 2. any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
When any elected representative makes a statement that he/she will perform his/her duties in accordance to their own personal prejudices that elected official needs to go.
When party loyalty trumps serving ALL the constituents a representative democracy no longer exists. Unfortunately for America, he is not the only so-called representative to sell out the people to maintain good standing with a party.
The hell with McCain…this old used up dirtbag needs to be put out to pasture !…He has no platform and changes his mind everyday !…..another perfect example why they need to put term limits into place !
Too old. He’s always said stupid stuff. Remember “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran? ” He also shamelessly and cynically brought stupid people, like Sarah Palin, into national politics. People don’t improve w/ age in their 80’s. Anyone who has taken care of elderly relatives knows this.
This is how Republicans think these days: if they don’t win then the rules must be unfair. Sen McCain should be ashamed of himself. He and so many of his fellow Republicans have become so arrogant that democracy is just a nuisance to them.
As a fellow Vietnam Veteran I have admired Sen McCain for many years. But he just lost my vote. What we don’t need is another four years of demagoguery and obstructionism. I’m voting for Ann.
Amusing to see Rat, aka, the Pima County Tea Party mouthpiece, try to spin a right-wing comment out of this! Apparently the Neanderthals only have read PART of the Constitution.
This is why I no longer vote for McCain, he just isn’t the man I voted for in the 90’s. What happened to that maverick, that stood up for his state and it’s people, regardless,if his party agreed or not. I am a Democrat that voted for McCain because I liked that he stood up for all Arizonans….no longer….
Refusing to consider POTUS selections to the Supreme Court is a violation of the Senate oath to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution. That makes McCain a traitor in my eyes.
All the more reason to vote for Ann Kirkpatrick!!!!!!!!
Hillary Clinton told us exactly what kind of Justices she would nominate during the 2nd debate. If she was being honest (big if) I can’t fault McCain for knowing he would vote against any of her nominations.
McCain is worthless idiot, he has lost his mind, he be voted out 33 yrs is too long
McCain is planning another four years of not doing his job, like all the others. I plan to start voting for congress members for a max of four years from now on. Obstructionism is the worst form of denying the people their voice and their vote. You, Sir, do not speak for me.
It has been a long time since McCain has had an idea of his own worth considering… I’m not expecting much anymore…
Justice denied?
In 2006, while no doubt starting to lay his eyes on a presidential run, then-Sen. Obama had no problem throwing a wrench in the works of democracy by voting to filibuster George Bush’s nominee to the high court, Samuel Alito.
Obama told George Stephanopoulos on ABC News This Week that he would “be supporting the filibuster because I think Judge Alito, in fact, is somebody who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values, you know. When you look at his decisions in particular during times of war, we need a court that is independent and is going to provide some check on the executive branch, and he has not shown himself willing to do that repeatedly.”
In other words, because Alito did not share his judicial philosophy and he felt the judge’s ascension to the Supreme Court would not allow an independent check on the excessive use of executive branch power, Obama, in fact, voted to block the appointment.
http://www.westernjournalism.com/poetic-juctice-obama-was-1st-us-president-to-vote-for-filibuster-in-supreme-court-nomination/
Your media probably never informed you of this. That’s why we are here to help.
Please note that I have never voted for McCain. I hope that helps eliminate a lot of ridiculous assumptions.
This is just another case of the pot calling the kettle black. Democrats have so politicized the Supreme Court that it is now virtually a second legislative body. The Left wing members of the Court vote in lock step. They bent over backwards to push through Obamacare despite serious and major flaws with the act.
Obamacare would work if we adjusted the levels of penalty for no insurance. $50,000 per violation would make the program solvent. We would probably save $2500 per year and we could all keep our doctors if we like them.