Inside Look: How McConnell Thwarted Obama, Then Saved the Gorsuch Nomination

[endicom]

Townhall
Guy Benson
Apr. 10, 2017



It's a testament to the turbulence in the global affairs and the head-spinning churn of the Trump-era news cycle that the confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice -- featuring a massive fight in the Senate -- was treated like a second-tier story last week. In case you missed it, Neil Gorsuch is joining the Court as an Associate Justice today, filling a seat left vacant by the death of Antonin Scalia in early 2016. As we covered extensively, Senate Democrats mounted an unprecedented filibuster against Gorsuch, whose credentials and suitability for the position were never in question. This was the latest provocation in a decades-long pattern of escalations on judicial nominees, during which Democrats introduced scorched-earth tactics to obstruct or ram through nominees, depending on their political interests and power status.  Republicans finally punched back hard, and justifiably so.  The eventual approval of Justice Gorsuch felt like a fait accompli after his smooth roll-out, and virtually flawless confirmation hearings. But the fate of his nomination was reportedly in some jeopardy as late as early last week. The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes spoke with the Senate Majority Leader shortly after Congress' upper chamber voted 54-45 to confirm the Coloradan on Friday, detailing how McConnell fought all the way to the finish line to ensure that his enormous election year gamble on Merrick Garland paid off.  Things were dicey for awhile:

More... https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2017/04/10/report-how-mitch-mcconnell-made-justice-gorsuch-happen-n2311085


It's fun bashing McConnell but he should be given his due.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

McConnell's overall strategy has been to try to have the most Republicans in the Senate as possible so that he'll have the best chance to pass conservative legislation.  As part of that,
he doesn't hold votes that he knows he'll lose and that may harm some of his Senators politically.   McConnell takes the resultant heat from conservatives, who really want to see the RINO's put on the record so they can (so the theory goes) be put on the record and then replaced by someone more conservative.

In any case, I think that to him, this is the "payoff" for all the heat he takes.  In his mind, this vote succeeded because he knows when he can push, and when he can't.

[endicom]

McConnell's overall strategy has been to try to have the most Republicans in the Senate as possible so that he'll have the best chance to pass conservative legislation.  As part of that,
he doesn't hold votes that he knows he'll lose and that may harm some of his Senators politically.   McConnell takes the resultant heat from conservatives, who really want to see the RINO's put on the record so they can (so the theory goes) be put on the record and then replaced by someone more conservative.

In any case, I think that to him, this is the "payoff" for all the heat he takes.  In his mind, this vote succeeded because he knows when he can push, and when he can't.

Some thought he hadn't the stones to go nuke on this but he did. He managed to get the needed votes to confirm Gorsuch when some said he would fall short. He came through when it was important and we can hope this will now be his way.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

He came through when it was important and we can hope this will now be his way.

He came through because he had the votes to come through.  I think he'll keep doing that as long as he's got the votes.

He's very loyal to the Senators in his caucus, so he shields them from having to take damaging votes if it won't result in legislation getting passed.  To his critics, it means he's unprincipled/has no guts.  To him, he's taking the long view most likely to result in success.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

He came through because he had the votes to come through.  I think he'll keep doing that as long as he's got the votes.

He's very loyal to the Senators in his caucus, so he shields them from having to take damaging votes if it won't result in legislation getting passed.  To his critics, it means he's unprincipled/has no guts.  To him, he's taking the long view most likely to result in success.

Great post, and delightful to see thoughtful commentary instead of acrimonious slander on at least one thread so far tonight!!!

This is a wonderful day for America and Gorsuch looks like a very suitible replacement for Scalia.  Cheers to President Trump and Leader McConnell.   

We could have had Garland, if the GOP really did roll over and take it.  Add another accomplishment for Trump's first 100 days.