The major way Trump benefits from the RBG replacement fight

[AdamGG]

The leading story is now a contentious, high stakes, high publicity issue that has nothing to do with COVID.

Anything that distracts any swing state Republican leaning people who are frustrated with his incompetence and mendacity is probably a plus for him.

Hopefully, the naked Supreme Court power grab will be an additional PR negative for him and there will be 4 R Senators who care enough about their own political futures and place in history to stop it.

[texasfiddler]

1. Biden is already tying the SC fight with elimination of

Pre-existing conditions premium protection. He will link this with healthcare and COVID. I just read the article about this strategy on DU.

[Hamlette]

2. few of us are paying attention to this fight. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Trump can't

[AdamGG]

5. Definitely all of US can handle it

I was more worried about someone who is impaired enough to still be on the fence about voting for Dump. Hopefully, it will be a venue where he appears even more asinine to more people and the extreme nature of McConnell's hypocrisy with this and Merrick Garland will cost them even more votes.

And then, 4 R Senators will hopefully hold the dam until November, if for no other reason that self-preservation.

[Caliman73]

3. Trump is an idiot. He will likely find a way to screw himself on this.

The person we need to watch out for is McConnell.

You are right that this is a distraction from COVID-19 and Trump loves distraction. I don't think this will work out for him the way he likely thinks it will work out for him though. He thought that talking to Bob Woodward would work out for him because he doesn't realize how truly stupid he actually is.

Trump talking about filling the vacancy will be as stupid and incoherent as his response to COVID-19 has been. McConnell will be sneaky behind the scenes like he was about forcing all those other judges recently. Trump will bumble his way through like a bull in a China shop, giving the worst speeches and worst optics and will make it harder for McConnell to do the dirty work.

I think, and it is being borne out, at least anecdotally, that it will be a motivator for our side to get out and vote.

This is not like 2016 when Trump, though a celebrity, was not very well known and had not been under the spotlight of the presidency. Anyone paying attention, that was not willingly brainwashed since the beginning, has seen that he is incompetent and evil. His approval has remained relatively stable, but his negatives, which were stable in 16, have gotten worse. I think that people will be more motivated this year to come out and vote him out of office.

[BannonsLiver]

4. I was a little worried about this last night

Then I looked at the cases Friday (over 50,000) and the fact we’re headed into a brutal second wave and concluded it’ll still be a central issue.