The Democratic Policy and Communications Center, working for Senate Democrats, blasted Senate Republicans with the mountain of bad press they are getting around the country for their refusal to even hold hearings for Chief Justice Merrick Garland, President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.
Headlines around the country are blasting Republicans for their obstructionism, Democrats pointed out.
“Senate Republicans’ constituents are still waking up to headlines in local newspapers blasting their unprecedented obstructionism following the announcement of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. The headlines, which have persisted every week since the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, consistently echo the same message: Senate Republicans must do their job and ensure a fair confirmation process for the President’s nominee,” the Democrats wrote in a press release.
Papers are also consistently pointing out that Republican supported Garland in the past, “As the pressure builds at home, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran is the latest GOP member to break with the party’s blockade. The newspapers also point out that many Senate Republicans have supported the highly-qualified and respected Judge Garland in the past and that many Senate Republicans have already broken with their party and will meet with the nominee. ”
They provided a round up of samples, included below:
ARKANSAS
NorthwestArkansasDemocratGazette: Opinion: Senate’s refusal to act on Supreme Court nomination is purely political [LINK]
COLORADO
Colorado Independent: Legal experts: The GOP Senate is trying to have cake and eat it too [LINK]
ColoradoIndependent: Does Cory Gardner need a civics lesson on court appointments? [LINK]
FLORIDA
FloridaPolitics: Martin Dyckman: Smart Republicans Need To Start Thinking, Acting On Their Own [LINK]
TheOracle: Confirming Garland is safest decision for GOP [LINK]
GEORGIA
AugustaChronicle: Cynical politics with Garland added [LINK]
ILLINOIS
ChicagoTribune: Sen. Mitch McConnell’s fickle loyalty to ‘the people’ [LINK]
ChicagoSun-Times: Opinion: Snub of Garland could cost GOP the Jewish swing vote [LINK]
KankakeeDailyJournal: Kirk takes admirable stance, even if it costs him Senate seat [LINK]
INDIANA
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Vacancies highlight ideological inconsistency [LINK]
Terre Haute Tribune-Star: Editorial: Senators, do your job [LINK]
IOWA
The Times: DOUG ROSS: Deadlines, commitments needed for Congress [LINK]
Waterloo Courier-Falls: GOP may rue Garland snub [LINK]
Des Moines Register: U.S. Supreme court fight hits Iowa radio, TV, web [LINK]
Sioux City Journal: OUR OPINION: Supreme Court vacancy creates still another political spectacle [LINK]
Des Moines Register: Grassley misinforms Iowans over Supreme Court [LINK]
KANSAS
Kansas City Star: Pat Roberts, Jerry Moran differ on decision to ignore Garland [LINK]
Dodge City Daily Globe: Moran asks for help for veterans [LINK]
Garden City Telegram: Moran: Obama’s visit to Cuba ‘premature’ [LINK]
Topeka Capital-Journal: Conservative groups threaten to fund ads and primary opponent against Sen. Jerry Moran [LINK]
KENTUCKY
Louisville Courier-Journal: Protesters to Sen. McConnell: ‘Do your job’ [LINK]
MAINE
Portland Press Herald: Susan Collins hopes for hearings on Supreme Court nominee [LINK]
MISSOURI
Kansas City Star: Monday Poll results: Hold hearings on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland [LINK]
Kansas City Star: Split decision turns up heat on Senate to find ninth justice for the Supreme Court [LINK]
MONTANA
Great Falls Tribune: Gazette says U.S. Sen. Steve Daines should do his job [LINK]
Missoulian: Sen. Tester, other panelists speak at UM on US Supreme Court vacancy [LINK]
NEBRASKA
Lincoln Journal Star: Fischer tells students Supreme Court dispute is politics [LINK]
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NHPR: Ayotte Says Waiting On Supreme Court Pick Will Make Process Less Political [LINK]
NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte Observer: N.C.’s senators won’t meet with Supreme Court nominee [LINK]
OHIO
Cincinnati City Beat: Strickland Hits Portman on Refusal to Consider SCOTUS Nominee [LINK]
Plain Dealer: Why holding hearings on Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland would be good for conservatives: Ted Diadiun [LINK]
Plain Dealer: Americans want Senate to vote on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Portman keeps saying no [LINK]
Cincinnati Enquirer: NKU’s Mearns: Washington needs more Merrick Garlands [LINK]
PENNSYLVANIA
CBS Philadelphia: Protests Outside Senator Toomey’s Philadelphia Office [LINK]
Philadelphia Inquirer: Toomey will meet with SCOTUS nominee [LINK]
Philadelphia Inquirer: Toomey will meet with Garland but still opposes action [LINK]
Times Leader: Barry L. Kauffman: U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey flaunts Constitution and constituents by rejecting timely Supreme Court vote [LINK]
Harrisburg Patriot Times: Toomey agrees to meet Supreme Court nominee, but not to act on nomination [LINK]
Scranton Times-Tribune: Toomey: Do your job, help fill SCOTUS seat [LINK]
Scranton Times-Tribune: GOP should heed Roberts [LINK]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Toomey will meet with Garland but won’t change stance [LINK]
The Daily Item: Toomey to tell Garland he must wait [LINK]
Bucks County Courier Times: Sen. Toomey agrees to meeting with SCOTUS nominee [LINK]
Politics PA: PA-Sen: Toomey to Meet With Garland [LINK]
Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice: The system is broken [LINK]
LNP: Our leaders are not leading, and instead are playing games [LINK]
TENNESSEE
Oak Ridger: Supreme delay irks some Oak Ridgers [LINK]
Knoxville News Sentinel: Senators must stop blocking nominee [LINK]
TEXAS
KBTX: Focus at Four: Why refusing SCOTUS confirmation hearings could hurt GOP [LINK]
WEST VIRGINIA
Metro News: Sen. Manchin to hold Charleston town hall Thursday on Garland SUPCO nomination [LINK]
West Virginia Record: Sen. Manchin to host town hall meeting on U.S. Supreme Court nominee [LINK]
WSAZ: Manchin hears from West Virginia residents on Supreme Court nominee [LINK]
The Herald-Dispatch: Diane Mufson: Conservatives hurt themselves and the nation [LINK]
Charleston Gazette-Mail: Manchin holds town hall on Supreme Court; Capito wants no hearings, no vote [LINK]
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin State Journal: Rabbi Bonnie Margulis: People of faith call on senators to consider court nominee [LINK]
The reason Democrats can simply round up editorials on this issue is because Republicans are dead wrong. Republicans made up excuses for their decision – made within hours of Justice Scalia’s death – to refuse to even hear an Obama nominee, but their excuses are pathetic. They are not even worth debating, because they are factually inaccurate, cherry picked deceptions, and blatantly lacking in substance.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made yet another very bad strategic decision in this case, but perhaps it’s fair to say after Newt Gingrich playing this role for President Clinton that Republicans see their only option as being the squealing, squawking hysterics making crap up and throwing it at the wall.
Democrats have been handed an electoral gift with this Republican decision, but it seems they are focused at the moment on forcing Republicans to act in the best interest of the country. The country does indeed need 9 justices on the Supreme Court. What a shame that Democrats, the press, and most of all the American people have to waste their energy forcing Republicans to do the most basic part of their jobs.
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Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here. Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump. Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.