Chris Hayes: "Kennedy handing his seat over to Trump is the most perfect example *ever* about...

[Miles Archer]

...how it is all the party of Trump. All of it. Kennedy looks down from SCOTUS and sees the man in the White House and says “Yes. Him. I want him to be the one to choose my replacement.”

11:05 AM - 27 Jun 2018

Link to tweet

[pangaia]

1. He couldn't wait 5 months?

Of course he could have.

HE CHOSE NOT TO.

[olegramps]

5. Republicans are the scum of the scum. I hope the bastard dies of cancer.

[pangaia]

6. I do not wish that.

Just dying will be difficult enough, considering the life he seems to have led the last 30 years, and perhaps then he will see..... or not...

Either way, he loses.

[dalton99a]

48. I want the treasonous assholes to die a horrible death

and then burn in hell for eternity (wherever that is)

[xxqqqzme]

17. Not after a conversation with

no-lips-mitch.

[OhNo-Really]

35. next he will visit Russia

[forgotmylogin]

68. Turns out Kennedy's kids are tight with Trump's kids.

This was planned.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

81. This.

Me —> :haironfire:

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

76. His health...and family....ahhhh FU kennedy.

RBG has held on like a true Patriot. Follow her lead. Ever wonder if they despise each other? Gorsuch always seems to be trying to hard and talking too much in group pictures, The ladies look like they can barely stand him but are polite.

[rtracey]

80. hmmm

so Kennedy was a conservative justice.... voted 98% of the time with Rehnquist. He will be replaced with another conservative justice... the dynamic of this court will not change.... the threats of Roe v Wade, et.al. are in jeopardy right now, so whats the difference. Lets get the democrats back in office and hope we can appoint others to fill Ginsburg, and any other who may retire or die.

[lame54]

2. He's thanking Trump for...

Giving him the opportunity to go out with one big racist bang

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

70. Trump says it's all about him (surprise!).

Donnie Two Scoops at a rally said: "I'm very honored that he chose to do it during my term in office because he felt confident in me to make the right choice and carry on his great legacy. That's why he did it."

The idea that the man might be getting really old and tired and made a promise to his wife never crossed IQ45's mind. As always, he turns it into a compliment to him.

[pscot]

3. Republicans think strategically

It sometimes seems as if Democrats don't think at all.

[AdamGG]

21. Democratic justices tried to retire strategically

Thurgood Marshall held on when he was in ailing health, hoping a Democratic President would be elected. But, then Dukakis lost in '88 and he was too sick and couldn't last any longer. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is hanging on now at 85, hoping to make it past 2020.

[Drunken Irishman]

34. Yeah but Ginsburg had the entirety of the Obama administration to step down.

She chose not to. It's ultimately her choice, of course, but if she becomes incapacitated somehow, it's our problem to deal with long after she's gone.

[AdamGG]

38. Good point. She should have stepped down in 2013/14.

[Drunken Irishman]

49. Yup. Democrats are in a bad spot.

Probably the most dire we've been in ever solely because of the Supreme Court.

[BeyondGeography]

54. I agree...We had that discussion here

And one was shouted down for being ageist if they were in favor of RBG stepping aside for a younger replacement. Sentiment was probably 80/20 in that direction.

[pscot]

55. I remember it well

[Drunken Irishman]

63. I remember...

Liberalism is often derided as being too idealistic and to be honest, many liberals seem to view things from an idealistic view point. In reality, life is practical. Justices die. They can have strokes. There was a huge opportunity to replace RBG with another liberal at the start of Obama's second term and she decided to wait it out. Well let's hope she can wait it out another couple years ... and potentially six more.

[brush]

84. We had high hope for 2016. Repugs cheated and stole the election.

Makes wonder if we have to cheat too to... never mind.

[toddwv]

60. To be fair, I'm PRETTY sure that McTurtle was salivitating at the thought of holding Ginsburg seat

For as long as necessary to present it with a bow to the right-wing

[Drunken Irishman]

62. Maybe but the second Obama was reelected was the second she should've announced her retirement.

Dems held the Senate until Jan., 2015. Her replacement would have been confirmed.

[radius777]

75. Agree. Hope she eats her Wheaties,

otherwise we're truly fucked.

[BeyondGeography]

52. +1

[brush]

83. Translation: Repugs cheat and commit treason (see Nixon, Reagan...

W, trump, McConnell, Delay).

Let's not kid ourselves.

[mr_liberal]

4. You can't blame Kennedy

He's in his eighties. He's talked about retiring for a long time. And he was originally nominated by a Republican president. Any Republican president would nominate the same kind of conservative that Trump will.

[pangaia]

7. I disagree that "any Republican president would nominate the same kind of

conservative that Trump will. "

This one is going to be the worst horror in American history.
maybe oh, I don;t know--- Laura Ingraham.... ?

[mr_liberal]

11. Look at Gorsuch though

He's about the same as Alito, Thomas or Scalia.

The big difference is it changes the balance of the court to a 5 vote conservative majority. That's something we haven't had for a long time, maybe for like 50 years or more

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

53. Spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, unless leadership does something to stop it.

Was not impressed with Schumer's opening volley on the Senate floor... where's the passion?!?!

[pangaia]

57. That's what i asked when i called his rochester office.

Th e guys answer... That's just the opening salvo.

Salvo?

More like a pop gun.

[pscot]

56. I think that's spelled Gorsuck

[thegoose]

36. The fucker is going to do the cruelest thing possible

Because that's what he's all about. Hatred and revenge.

[Woodycall]

46. And I hate to make it worse for you

but it could be Jeff Sessions. A new AG could then be appointed and the Mueller investigation could possibly be crushed. That's my nightmare scenario for what it's worth

[Whiskeytide]

67. Doubtful ...

... Sessions is 71. They want 40 years out of this nominee.

[Drunken Irishman]

50. It's true - any modern Republican would nominate the same as Trump has.

There isn't a viable national Republican who would nominate potentially a liberal, or moderate, justice.

Gorsuch was a name that constantly popped up on potential Romney Supreme Court appointments if he had won in 2012:

https://www.cnn.com/2012/09/30/politics/court-romney-list/index.html

Judge Neil Gorsuch, 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Denver
Born 1967. Appointed by George W. Bush. Harvard law School graduate who clerked for Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. He went into private practice in Washington before joining the Bush Justice Department. His mother, Anne Burford, was the first woman to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. He wrote the book: "The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia."

[TNNurse]

9. But the people Trump knows are the worst people.

Can you name one decent nominee of his???

You did not used to have to be a racist asshole to be a conservative republican, but it is now apparently a requirement.

[AdamGG]

23. Gorsuch is probably the most decent person he's nominated to anything

Not that I don't massively dislike his far right originalist views, but he's just about Trump's only appointee that's of above average intelligence and qualified for the job he has. That might also be true of Mattis at defence, but it sounds like Trump is going over his head and not consulting him any more and that he's on his way out.

[olegramps]

10. Sorry but I will not agree. He chose this time very strategically. He is an asshole.

He was looking forward to the good possibility that the Democrats could capture the Senate. So, being a good little Fascist bastard Republican he chose to retire now so that the McConnell can ram through another pig swilling Republican.

[mr_liberal]

12. Republicans are predicted to pick up senate seats next election. nm

[olegramps]

15. From where and who.

[octoberlib]

18. The recent polls don't indicate that at all.

[lagomorph777]

28. And the polls are probably undestimating the growing fury on the left.

Hard to gauge emotion, especially in such a volatile environment.

[elmac]

19. anything is possible but

that sounds like something from fox so called news or a Russian trumpster, I wouldn't post any general predictions on DU that supports the fascists talking points.

[bottomofthehill]

69. Trump would still get to nominate

But with a democratic senate possibly, he would have to pick someone a little closer to the middle

[BlueMTexpat]

74. Oh yes, I can.

And I do.

He knows exactly what this will mean.

[spanone]

8. That's his Final Vote: Trump Replaces Me

[IronLionZion]

13. Since this is the last year of Trump's presidency

We can't nominate a new judge until President Pelosi takes office next year.

[FakeNoose]

16. I like the way you think

In any case a Supreme Court Justice can be impeached and there is a precedent. (Samuel Chase in 1804)

[oberliner]

27. Samuel Chase was acquitted of all charges

And served on the Supreme Court until his death.

[SomethingNew]

77. Senate acquitted him because they tried to impeach him on bullshit charges.

It was a complete embarrassment for Jefferson and his Republican colleagues but some here seem to be ok with causing a similar embarrassment for our party today.

[oberliner]

20. He is a RW Republican

Nominated by Ronald Reagan.

[AdamGG]

24. Kennedy hasn't been solidly RW, he sided w/ left on gay rights and a few other issues

Kennedy isn't the same as Thomas/Alito/Scalia. He did cross over and vote with the left at times.

[oberliner]

25. Sure, but he is more aligned with Republicans than Democrats

And would much prefer a Republican to nominate his replacement than a liberal Democrat.

I'm sure he'd be quite happy with anyone on that list of 25.

[AdamGG]

30. Probably, but at 82/30 years service, he could just want few good retirement years before dying

He could like Trump, but it could be totally personal, that he just wants to get out while he has a few healthy years of retirement. 2021 is a long time for him to wait. Hopefully, Clarence Thomas hangs on until after 2020, so we can at least flip that seat.

The R's stole Scalia's seat, so the liberals should now control the court. Trump's election is likely fraudulant, so it should be 6-3 now with Kennedy's seat. Just need to pray that Ginsburg, Breyer and Thomas are still there in 2020. Thomas definitely seems like the kind of idealogue that would want to let Trump replace him. Hopefully, his ego keeps him in the job in spite of that.

[oberliner]

32. This showcases how high the stakes are in the upcoming elections

Imagine if we are unable to take back Congress, and, even more horrifying, imagine if Trump gets elected to a second term (or Pence gets in there). We must do the work necessary to ensure that does not happen.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

39. Thomas has also expressed his desire to retire sooner rather then later

If the GOP holds the Senate in November, then I would expect Thomas to look for his out when the Court's term is over this time next year.

[BlueSea]

22. And this is how it ends.

Jettison hope for Mueller and/or the Blue Wave and just start planning your exit strategies. There are other countries to live in and while most of us just wanted to live out our lives as planned, that isn't an option as of today. Just like in 1993 Germany, people moved and immigrated to safer places that represented their values. America's coup is almost complete. The mid-terms will more than likely be lost to the far-right due to election meddling from Russia AND the complicit GOP allowing them to do so just to stay in power. Add to that all of the gerrymandered districts and there you go - we lose again.

Mueller has the case made, and he wants it to be air-tight but now with the SCOTUS issue, it will be challenged and Mueller's case will lose, only to empower this group of bigots, Nazis, rubes, hillbillies, billionaires, criminals and idiots.

Cry about this later, stay calm and start planning an exit strategy to another country. Don't want to? Then buckle up because the camps that were just started a couple of weeks ago are the test balloon. They began them to desensitize us to the idea of a concentration camp and here we are, a little over a week into the news of them, and the news cycle has already moved forward. Trump has spoken of taking due process out of the system for ICE, creating their own Gestapo. If you are an ethnic minority, get ready. Gay? Lesbian? Trans? Get ready. Liberal and an activist? Get ready.

Mark my words, this is their plan. If you can't see it by now, don't worry - just plan your exit strategy to get the FUCK out of this place before they sew this thing up tight....and they will.

[AdamGG]

26. SCOTUS still has 4 liberals and Roberts as a potential swing vote

Roberts is the only hope for backing Mueller's investigation in the SCOTUS. Kennedy was also a possible swing vote, but now there is only one. Roberts just sided with the 4 liberal justices on restricting government searches of cell phones and was the one justice who ruled in favor of Obamacare. If he has an open mind, there are still 5 votes to uphold Mueller.

[rzemanfl]

31. Welcome to DU. I think you mean 1933. n/t

[BlueSea]

40. Yes, 1933

Thanks for the correction. I'll be posting my "intro" once the 10 posts are up.

Yes, 1933 Germany. Hell, 1993 Germany sounds pretty nice about now.

This is huge folks, and I've been stunned into a stupor here at work.

[rumble]

72. What countries is everyone considering?

With internet, you could live and work even in third-world countries, where you could live like a king and help the locals.

[FSogol]

79. No one is considering another country. We aren't quitters.

[DesertRat]

88. "everyone" isn't considering leaving the country

Welcome to DU.

[vi5]

29. Guys, he was our "swing vote"....

Remember? Remember how many times he was going to help us and really pulled through? Yeah, me either.

Maybe we can start talking about what a brilliant legal mind he was, just like people did with Scalia.

[Jamaal510]

59. +1

[SomethingNew]

78. If you don't remember those times, you must not have paid attention.

Here is just a few off the top of my head:

Obergefell
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Kennedy v. Louisiana
Fisher

Sure, he was also often on the wrong side of things but to pretend he never really was a swing vote is ridiculous.

(And, by the way, nearly every legal scholar agrees that Scalia was a brilliant legal mind and did so even before he died. Disagreeing with his philosophy doesn't change that, as you can clearly see in the example of RBG.)

[Honeycombe8]

33. Oh, no. This is the end. Checkmate.

Gone: unions, pro choice, environmental protections, voting rights, civil rights, protection from separating children from parents at the border and sending them to "camps" with no one knowing where, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.....

With the backing of the judicial system, of which the USCT is the last word, the U S is set to become a true oligarchy like none other that ever existed. A nation of worker bees making money for the aristocracy, who operate on the principal of money alone.

Why Kennedy would choose now is a mystery. If I had to guess, I'd say a bribe is involved. Or he has an illness. Or he doesn't want to deal with more political cases that are likely to hit the S.Ct. for the next year.

I now go off in a corner to lick my wounds and try to heal, so that I can live out the rest of my days pinching pennies so I can pay for my expenses and healthcare as I age, on a decreasing benefit that had been promised me and which I paid for during the decades I worked.

Pardon me if I'm depressed. Don't let it rub off. This is a blow...I wasn't expecting this.

[BlueSea]

41. Agreed..checkmate

No need to ask for a pardon for being depressed. I'm shocked, stunned and scared - a combination I rarely encounter in my life. This is pretty much it now, it's over, they won, and instead of spending the rest of my life fighting and fighting (which I have already) I'm going to either immigrate to Canada - just for the safety of my husband and I, or possibly another, smaller country where I can live out my life with the peace that I used to experience before all of this.

[Honeycombe8]

43. I looked into that years ago.

I'm retired. I was checking to see if I could retire there. No, Canada has that option all sewn up. Too many US citizens were immigrating there.

You have to have a lot of money, and something about healthcare. They won't let you participate in their nat'l healthcare system, because you didn't put in the taxes for it. So you either have buy private care, or something. I need to look it up again.

I have a decent retirement account, but I think their requirement was such that it was clear they want only the wealthy.

[rzemanfl]

44. Why do you think separating children from parents will end at the border?

That is a shot across the bow for every person with kids. Behave or else. I am reminded of something Churchill said about what you can always do. I am of an age where his advice may become attractive.

[Honeycombe8]

45. Based on a fact: It was ONLY the court decision...

that has told Trump they can no longer do that AND must return the kids to their parents.

If the case were appealed, it would go to a Trump USCT, who would rubber stamp his power. There would be two Trump-controlled Justices. Then Alito and Thomas...who are the extreme right.

[rzemanfl]

47. What I meant is these bastards will separate children from parents to further the Nazification of

America. Citizens and citizens' kids. "End" was the wrong word to use.

[Honeycombe8]

51. Well, that's what I meant. It would continue, sanctioned by the USCT.

We're on the same page. Unfortunately.

[rzemanfl]

58. Sad state of affairs. n/t

[Sunsky]

37. I agree

The timing is very questionable. Why not wait till after the election? The RThugs need an issue to run on and the courts does stimulate their base as well as ours. I wonder if he was "encouraged" to make such a move at this time.

[lancelyons]

42. The GOP won this battle. As pissed off as we all are.. they won it and kicked our butts

The GOP won this battle. As pissed off as we all are.. they won it and kicked our butts.

No doubt McConnell made a brilliant manuever holding out in the last year.

I hope democrats arent Wusses and just roll over in the future. The GOP has to pay for this big.

But i personally believe they wont. Man I am pissed off at the democrats right now for letting this happen.

The GOP muscled the democrats out of the way and scored fairly big here.

It could be new laws banning abortions, banning lgbtq, etc, etc.

Republicans are straight up Powering past the Democrats and its like they are helpless.

Elections have consequences and this entire Comey Russia could all have been the biggest thing the GOP did to keep control over the country.

[Hassler]

61. Kennedy did it now deliberately. He wanted Fredo to pick

His replacement. Perhaps McConartist advised him to go lest he die with a pillow over his face like Scalia, or maybe Kennedy is the asshole he was 90% of the time. In any case, he quit before the November election rather than after it, when the Senate will be different.

[BlueSea]

65. Deliberately indeed

I'd love to know the backstory on why Kennedy chose now, four months before a crucial election, to announce this. I wonder if someone funded his retirement and there is 10 million dollars in his Swiss bank account? Something is not right with this and we will probably never know, but either way this didn't just happen out of the blue. It happened out of the red.

[Evergreen Emerald]

64. He threw away all of his work on the bench protecting democracy

by in the end destroying the possibility of democracy continuing.

[pansypoo53219]

66. obama was NOT under investigsation & he was denied a sourt pick. WHY shouldn't we wait til the end

of the FINDINGS. WHY SHOULD PUTIN GET A PICK?

[Prof.Higgins]

71. After serving with USAF Air Rescue in Vietnam, I was recruited to be a Prof. in Australia. Hard as

it had been to reside so far from my folks, it now seems that my sacrifice will be worth it.

Like all Australians I have excellent healthcare and pharmaceutical coverage at a low cost and a reasonable pension which is indexed annually for the cost of living. Minorities, civil and women's abortion rights are protected despite Conservatives and Rupert Murdoch (he owns 70% of the newspapers here) plotting to destroy this social safety net. Thank goodness, Australian voters have not bought their bat guano yet. There's even very strong gun ownership regulations and no possibility whatsoever of gerrymandering its House of Representatives electorates.

Australia is by no means a progressive paradise, and some Aussies find my American accent to be extremely annoying. I'm still an American citizen, so it breaks my heart that the progress which began with LBJ's Civil Rights legislation at the time I was in harms way in Vietnam could be rolled back relentlessly if Trump succeeds in replacing Justice Kennedy with another Clarence Thomas type of extremist who's been groomed by the diabolical Federalist society.

[BlueMTexpat]

73. This Kennedy is no profile

in courage. And that's for sure!

[Cary]

82. What's the lesson?

Keep bashing each other over "corporate Democrats" or other nonsense du jure?

Yes all Republicans are evil. Sorry. Facts are facts. Now can we all row the boat together for once?

[Amishman]

85. I think this resignation and replacement pick was negotiated long ago

I suspect Kennedy agreed to step down on the condition that his friend and former clerk Brett Kavanaugh gets the nod to be his replacement.

I don't see someone like Kennedy leaving his replacement to chance, especially with someone like Trump involved

[Proud Liberal Dem]

86. Greeting me on the news this morning:

"It's now Trump's Supreme Court"

[Doreen]

89. I wonder how much they paid him to step down at such a crucial time?

[VaBchTgerLily]

90. this on top of most of the current news has me so depressed....

seems hopeless:

[TNLib]

91. Yep

nt