Republicans Sent Scurrying By Angry Voters Demanding A Vote On Obama SCOTUS Nominee

After officially announcing his re-election campaign, Missouri Senator Roy Blunt broke with his party by saying he would be open to a vote on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.

But worry not, Republicans, his vote would be no — no matter who it is.

“I certainly don’t mind taking a vote on this issue,” Blunt said according to the Kansas City Star. “My vote, no matter who he nominates is going to be that no, this should be left to the next president.”

Blunt used the already stale, debunked Republican lie that the nomination should be left to the next President, as if the American people re-electing President Obama should just be ignored because Republicans don’t like it and don’t want to do the jobs the American people pay them to do.

Blunt is, like many Republicans, not running on much other than hating Obama, so disrespecting the President and disregarding the Constitution works for him. During his announcement, Blunt falsely claimed President Obama was a weak world leader and anti-business.

Blunt seems to have broken slightly with the Republican strategy that even allowing a hearing on an Obama nominee would be dangerous for them, because the public would then like the nominee and they would risk being in a bad position. Better to obstruct from the get-go and just take all of their toys and go home when they are supposed to be at work, and just wait it out for a year.

It is no accident that Blunt took a few steps back from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s terrible plan to refuse to do the job the Constitution mandates, because just a few days ago Blunt’s Democratic opponent Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander attacked Blunt for agreeing with McConnell that Obama should just give up his authority and not do his Constitutional job.

A majority of voters polled disagree with the Republican strategy as well and Iowans urged Senator Grassley (R-IA) to give an Obama nominee a hearing.

Yes, even Republicans, as the poll revealed. In fact, In Iowa the New York Times reported that a registered Republican was skeptical of Grassley’s claim about waiting until the next president, calling it a disservice to the public:

Then Mr. Dougherty took his shot. “To your point about delaying or waiting until the next president, I don’t see that that does anything but a disservice to the public,” said Mr. Dougherty, 59, a registered Republican who is supporting Gov. John Kasich of Ohio for president. “The Constitution says Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate.”

Republicans are giving Democrats plenty of ammunition in an election year with which to hit vulnerable Republican Senators.

Sarah Jones

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