Reid Scolds GOP on Sandoval: “I am sorry the Republicans are treating even 1 of their own that way."

[kpete]

Reid on Sandoval:

Senate Republicans said the governor’s party affiliation made no difference — they would not even consider any nominee put forward by Mr. Obama. That only amplified Democratic rhetoric:

“I am sorry the Republicans are treating even one of their own that way."

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/us/politics/democrats-press-gop-to-consider-a-supreme-court-pick.html?emc=edit_tnt_20160224&nlid=70064539&tntemail0=y …

[bkkyosemite]

1. It's pathetic to start with. We need a liberal judge in that seat!

[Warpy]

4. Obama's strategy from the beginning has been to offer them what they want

and stand back while they pitch a snot slinging fit over it. Then he gives them what they never wanted once they've worn themselves out.

[tularetom]

2. If this wasn't umpteen dimensional chess, it was a dumb move

Sandoval figured out he was being used as a pawn in the battle between the president and the senate and withdrew his own name from consideration.

Was he a good choice? I don't think so, based on the little I know about him. But maybe it was chess. Now Obama is free to nominate whoever he wants, not whoever he thinks the GOP senate might approve. Hopefully, the Sandoval thing was a takeout just to get a public rejection of a candidate the GOP would normally accept and he will now appoint a justice a bit more acceptable to members of his own party.

If he appoints another republican, McChinless and the republicans in the senate ought to jump on it and confirm, because they'll never get a better deal. They can crow about how they forced a Democratic president to nominate a right wing SCOTUS justice.

[gratuitous]

3. An object lesson for other Republicans and their supporters

If the Senate Republicans will treat an elected Republican office-holder this way, what makes anyone else in the Republican camp think they're immune from the party's unreasoning obstructionism?