McConnell: Blocking Garland Was 'Most Consequential Decision I Ever Made'

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo




By Kate Riga | June 27, 2018 9:41 am

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took a victory lap during a Politco Playbook interview on Wednesday, calling his decision to block President Barack Obama from filling the vacant Supreme Court seat during his tenure as the “single most consequential decision I ever made.”

“I felt very confident that if the shoe was on the other foot, a Democratic Senate would not have confirmed a Republican president’s nominee during an election,” he said. “I was confident that the complaints would be rank hypocrisy knowing full well that they would do the same thing in the middle of an election.”

McConnell touted getting Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch on the bench, along with his record rate of getting circuit judges appointed, as one of his most significant accomplishments in the time of Trump.

Overall, he said that this has been “the best year and a half” for those wanting America taken in a “right of center” direction.

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Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mcconnell-gloats-over-blocking-garland

[BeyondGeography]

1. He had the numbers to do it and then we lost to Trump

Bitch about it all you want but Mitch is taking a victory lap because we lost too many elections.

[padah513]

2. ...

[yallerdawg]

17. And unlike us...

when R's saw a Supreme Court justice was on the line, they fucking voted like it mattered.

[sheshe2]

77. Unlike some Dems that said, meh

...and didn't bother to vote or voted third party.

[yallerdawg]

79. I know I'm still pissed...

and we're still muzzled.

[quartz007]

27. Correct...elections have consequences

and to win elections, it is imperative to win hearts and minds of majority of voters. Anything else is a loser.

And I have always disliked McConnell from the first time I saw his crooked grin. I hope he loses his next election in KY.

[camelfan]

40. I have to remind you...

that Hillary did win the hearts and minds of a majority of voters. Or at least their votes. Only the idiotic electoral college gave this election to the GOP. And for the second time? What do you bet that if the Dems had lost the popular vote and won the electoral college, the GOP would be screaming bloody murder for it to be repealed.

[exboyfil]

78. No one talks about it now but Trump himself

complained bitterly about the electoral college in 2012. I am uncertain if a reporter has ever asked him about it. Bush prepared to send out the dogs in 2000 if that was the case as well.

[DownriverDem]

44. We warned everyone

but the purity voters did us in. Even now we are still seeing these purity folks thinking the country is far left. Yes, the country leans left, but not far left. By that I mean we have to have candidates that will win in the districts they are running in or state wide for the senate. If we don't win, we have gained nothing.

[BeyondGeography]

46. So now let's rag on the "purity" voters in addition to the "deplorables"

Sounds like a plan.

[wellst0nev0ter]

66. Yep, fuck the deplorables

and their enablers.

On Edit: Just to clarify, I voted for Bernie in the primary, but since I'm an adult, I voted for the person who had the best chance to stop Orangemandias in the general. Those who still wanted their purity ponies can go swim in lava.

[brush]

59. You do know the election was stolen, right?

What do you think the Mueller investigation is all about?

Repugs cheat and McConnell is a prime example of cheating Obama out of a Supreme Court seat.

[BeyondGeography]

60. Which one?

If we had control of the Senate when Scalia croaked we'd have a 5-4 liberal court. Wouldn't even have needed to worry about HRC losing by 74 EV's.

[brush]

63. Repug cheating didn't just start with trump.

[shanti]

65. 2000, anyone? n/t

[JHan]

75. Yes, democrats decided to stay home in 2010.

That was the most consequential year.

Maybe you could blame Dems for not explaining to the Democratic base the importance of things like state elections, and why control of Congress is important. Obama did not have a filibuster proof majority in 08, which is why so many compromises were made on the ACA and why the final result was a gutted bit of policy Dems hoped they could fix if they retained a majority in the mid terms - but alas.

I think it's embarrassing that these dynamics need to be explained.

Democrats and liberals and leftists and whatever they wanna call themselves have to take responsibility for their actions. Fact is Liberals became complacent, which happens when you think battles have already been won. Justice is a tenuous thing, it hangs in a delicate balance, it is only supported by the force of norms and the dominance of certain ideas - which can easily be lost. The history of SCOTUS and its decisions should be a teaching lesson: for example, the only reason America is still not segregated today is due to a SCOTUS decision.

So voting is the least thing you can do - it's like brushing your teeth, or walking your dog, or making your bed. People treat voting like it's this precious thing which should get you a cookie - when it's the most basic thing you could do to be an involved citizen.

The alternative is not to vote, throw hissy fits, and lose power and it won't be Chuck Schumer or Pelosi suffering, but you, your neighbourhood, your community, your State, your Country.

[sheshe2]

81. A voice of reason.

+ 1000. Thank you JHan.

[yurbud]

80. Democrats should act like that when they are in power and they wouldn't lose

No one outside of DC and a handful of donors shared by both parties gives a fuck about bipartisanship and "getting things done."

We care about WHAT gets done and what our elected officials prevent from happening by whatever means necessary.

Republicans have acted like that for decades and it has kept their party alive and sometimes put them back in the driver's seat when demographics say they should be dead and buried.

Democrats don't play for keeps, maybe because too many of them are using elected office as an internship for a job as a corporate lobbyist.

[JI7]

3. And welcomed Russian attack on our elections

[DownriverDem]

45. Yes,

but it wasn't just that.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Mitch, accept your Karma like a gentleman.

It will be telling and memorable.

[forgotmylogin]

43. There's a very special seat in Hell being kept open for him.

And warm. As long as it takes.

[area51]

73. Burn in hell, McConnell.

[yallerdawg]

5. We know, asshole.

This alone would have made me a lifelong Democrat.

However, I cut my eye-teeth on Watergate decades ago!

Republican disregard for decency, civility and the Constitution (while lying about it) never changes.

[MBS]

32. + 100.n/t

[notdarkyet]

39. Mueller has 75 blank subpoenas . Maybe he is busy filling them out. One might say McConnel.

[NewJeffCT]

6. he broke 240 years of historical precedent to do it

SCOTUS justices have been rejected plenty of times in the past, but never has one not even been allowed to come to a vote while sitting there for nearly a year.

[MBS]

37. exactly right.

He's not only destroyed the Supreme Court (Garland would have been a good, fair-minded, serious justice - thinking of the contrast with the lightweight blatantly partisan Gorsuch, and the difference Garland's presence would have made in the last year . . well, no words ), but he's also raped the Constitution to make it happen.

Ditto his refusal to allow any legislation regarding Mueller, voting integrity, and more.

They take an oath to defend and protect the Constitution, but McConnell goes out of his way to abuse it and to block the normal (and constitutionally-mandated) legislative process. In my book, that's treason. At minimum, it signals his utter unfitness for office.

[turbinetree]

7. Yep ASSHOLE......................just taking the Constitution and just saying to the president OBAMA

FUCK YOU and the Article II Section 2 Paragraph 3 , right along with that other FUCKING ASSHOLE............. Grassley..................FUCK YOU

Conclusion there asshole, yep your a FUCKING TRAITOR.....................a FUCKING TRAITOR and your liar when when you said you would protect and defend it............................FUCK YOU again.....................asshole




November 2018 cannot get here fast enough...................vote, its about the courts

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

20. It has always been about sabatoge for Mitch...

... I noticed long ago that nearly every utterance and act by Mitch pointed to a hatred of, "That damn Yankee government".

[turbinetree]

22. He really can go Fuck himself.........I just despise him and his wife and what she did to labor

[Botany]

38. Yep! He violated the Constitution he swore to protect and defend and BTW ...

... how did he know if he blocked Garland that he would have another person
to pick for the SCOTUS after the election? 2 counts of treason.

[donkeypoofed]

8. Bend over and accept your Karma, Mitch

Karma is coming for you, you bastard. No lawyer or pitbull of a wife will be able to protect you.

[bdamomma]

18. The comment his wife said yesterday

pointing her finger and saying "leave my husband alone" nope cannot do that. He has many skeletons in his closet and karma will bite his ass. McConnell is guilty as sin for all his dastardly deeds.

racist POS he is, who can forget when he said "President Obama was going to a 1 term President" Karma will bite your ass.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. Hey testicle neck! It's happened 6 times in the past. So go

fuck yourself. Lying piece of shit.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/17/mike-honda/mike-honda-shares-accurate-graphic-about-past-supr/

[logosoco]

10. The only thing worse than an asshole

is a proud asshole.

[Cosmocat]

11. Republican logic

Our saying democrats are scumbags justifies our being being scumbags.

This has been their logic for three decades now, and until this country stops indulging this, we are fucked.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Yes it was and we should demand impeachment of both of you.

[deminks]

13. Cocaine Mitch's legacy as a thief, a baby kidnapper, and a Russian agent are solidified.

Not something my family would be proud of. Maybe the Turtle's, but not mine.

[AllyCat]

14. No joke, a$$hole.

If there is a hell, I hope he rots in it.

[Phoenix61]

15. Karma is going to nail his sorry ass

I just hope I get to watch.

[Butterflylady]

76. I'm cheering for that.

Remember, karma comes ten fold.

[mikeysnot]

16. He just set a precident

for future Democratic Senate leaders. Let's remind him and every other enabler every chance we get.

[procon]

19. Lots of projection from the archfiend of the senate who claims that

Democrats would have done the same thing so he just beat them to it. This is page one of the Republican playbook of lame excuses to justify their atrocious decisions. If they can look back in time and find some feckless Democrat who did something similar, or project their offensive policies off onto some nameless future Democrat, then they claim a free pass to be as dreadful as they can be.

[muntrv]

21. Let's make those consequences negative this November. GOTV, my friends.

[rdking647]

23. come 202 if the dems win the presidency and senate

they should expand the court by 2 judges and appoint 2 super liberals to the bench.
then go thru and reverse every decision decided by the illegitimate court

[dalton99a]

72. +1

[Scarsdale]

24. So, Mitch

came out from behind his wife's skirt, and actually spoke? He personifies what is truly wrong with the gop. What has he done for his constituents, the regular people not the wealthy? What about the opioid crisis, unemployment, poverty in his state? He seems to be unaware of WHY he was elected to office. So busy padding his bank accounts, crying when a male staff member leaves to take another job down the street. Useless excuse for a human being. His wife is a real "prize" too. Is she the only female in DC who does not know he is gay?

[Yellowdog88]

25. Pretty ballsy

...to take that victory lap.

Memories will not be short on this one. I'm all for strongly defining the lame "lame duck" theory behind their reasoning. But, I'm a bit more for screwing them twice as hard when we get the upper hand.

[Freethinker65]

26. Mitch telling the truth for once. Fuck the constitution and reap the rewards.

[PearliePoo2]

28. Thanks Kentucky!! You keep re-electing and sending us your finest!!

[sandensea]

29. The ONLY consequential thing you ever did, Bitchy Mitchy.

Besides marrying the daughter of a kingpin, of course.

[rickyhall]

64. And taking that Russian bribe.

[sandensea]

68. Ah! How silly of me to forget.

The pimp, and his ho's.

[RhodeIslandOne]

30. I hope he dies a long painful death

After losing the Senate.

Fucking racist.

[IronLionZion]

31. Back then Hillary was way ahead in the polls

and Dems were polling to retake the senate or tie at least.

These assholes somehow knew the fix was in and Trump would be installed with a surprise upset and GOP senators winning upsets in Wisconsin and PA and Missouri.

[Coventina]

33. And may you burn in hell for it. n/t

[Funtatlaguy]

34. He is 100% correct. Gorsuch will do more damage long term than Trump will.

[maxsolomon]

35. I feel very confident that if the shoe were on the other foot

Dems would have done the duty assigned to them by the Constitution. They may not have approved the asshole that a R-money would have nominated, but they'd have had the hearing. Thomas got through.

The legacy of McConnell's 6 years of hard-line obstruction of Obama will haunt this nation for the remainder of my lifetime. The cappers being Garland and his threat to make Russia's interference "political" if Obama revealed it.

Fuck Mitch McConnell, fuck Elaine Chao, and fuck Kentucky for returning this horrific human to the Senate for decades.

[harun]

54. Agree, they'd cave and have the hearing.

[Honeycombe8]

36. I agree...for them. He weighed the consequences...

found that most of the Repubs supported it, and even if they didn't, the gains they stood to get from the court decisions would be worth losing votes. It's inconsequential to him that it was undemocratic & dishonorable.

[murielm99]

41. Your time is coming.

You want to be consequential? Just wait until history judges you as the traitor you are. And we will win back the Senate. Your time is coming.

[NOMOGOP]

42. What should happen to a "person" who...

takes the people out of the democratic process? I can't think of much else but hope that someone tries to nterfere w/his oxygen supply. He has broken every "oath of office" he has ever taken. This is, or should be, called a traitor to the process. McConnell has not right to do what he did. This "country" does not have long to act and act radically to avoid some form of move towards totalitarianism. This is not hyperbole.

[world wide wally]

47. And the most (second most?) traitorous thing you ever did as well

[Initech]

48. McConnell needs his fucking ass kicked for this. Hard.

[Nitram]

49. 'Most Consequential Decision I Ever Made' And the most unconstitutional, lawless, unethical, immoral

act in his career (that we know of). He will be remembered for this, and not in a good way.

[LuckyLib]

53. And traitorous. You forgot traitorous!

[Sophia4]

50. A precedent has been set.

When the majority in the Senate is of a different party than the president, in the future, judges will not be confirmed.

McConnell is responsible for this. He should not be so proud. The country is not better for his perfidy.

[BlueJac]

51. Fuck Bitch McConnell

rot in hell for dealing with the Devil

[vercetti2021]

52. Hell awaits you fucker

I hope you truly burn for what you've done to our country and the people.

[TNNurse]

55. Please tell me there really is a literal Hell.

There are so many who belong there and the sooner the better.

[mazzarro]

56. IMO - The rePuglican leadership - especially Mitch knew well ahead of time

About what was in store for HRC in the elections and was complicit in the arrangement for foreign intervention in the election. Mitch was brazen and sure about the outcome of the election that he never flinched about stealing SCOTUS vacancy.

And it has always irked me a lot with the Democratic party's leadership of pretending that things will work out on their own and all they need to do is to knock the so called "leftwing" of the party and that will do it.

I just wish that the leadership will ditch their DLC/Centrist mentality and allow the rank-and-file to lead the charge against the rePugs - and non of this "civility" crap.

[lagomorph777]

57. Will he still feel that way after his impeachment?

Probably.

[Blue_Tires]

58. Yeah, McConnell is an evil piece of shit, *BUT*...

If more Dems realized what was at stake and got off their asses to vote instead of staying home or voting for Stein, we could have easily negated this stunt...

Of course this is 2018 so everybody keeps receipts:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[BillyBobBrilliant]

61. I proclaim today

As day one of the Mitch McConnell 'death watch.'
I'm counting the days until I can piss on his grave.
Ya'll come on down...

[BillyBobBrilliant]

62. Why aren't you

Dead Yet, Asshole?

[Stuart G]

69. Here is the payback...If we win big in November..Mc Connell will get payback for the next 2 year

If Flake and McCain switch parties...then McConnell gets payback from now until January. If Flake and McCain switch parties, and we win big in November, then ....................MC CONNELL IS FU**ED FOR 2 YEARS..

[FakeNoose]

70. Yep - he won't be the majority leader if they lose the majority

Then in 2020, he won't get re-elected!

He can stay home in Kentucky and play banjo on his porch all day.

[dalton99a]

71. May karma give the POS his appropriate punishment

[UpInArms]

74. McConnell was doing dirty Russian bizness

McConnell surely knew as a participant in high level intelligence briefings in 2016 that our electoral process was under attack by the Russians. Two weeks after the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement in October 2016 that the Russian government had directed the effort to interfere in our electoral process, McConnell's PAC accepted a $1 million donation from Blavatnik's AI-Altep Holdings. The PAC took another $1 million from Blavatnik's AI-Altep Holdings on March 30, 2017, just 10 days after former FBI Director James Comey publicly testified before the House Intelligence Committee about Russia's interference in the election.