Despite all the talk on MSNBC about norms and institutions, Brian Williams used Friday's edition of The 11th Hour to criticize Democrats for talking tough, but not having the "guts" to "pack or alter" the Supreme Court in light on the Court hearing oral arguments on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization earlier in the week.
After playing a clip of Justice Sotomayor's "stench" comments, Williams hyped the remark as a "dramatic point" that has led to "renewed rumblings that Democrats might consider making changes to the Supreme Court. The Washington Post reporting it this way, 'This week's Supreme Court argument on abortion has accelerated an urgency among Senate Democrats to fundamentally alter how the court operates fueled in part by lingering anger over Republican confirmation maneuvers that have led to three new conservative justices in the past four years.'"
Williams then introduced his guests, Democratic strategist Don Calloway and MSNBC political analyst and strategist Susan Del Percio. Turning to Del Percio, he asked, "[W]ho thinks that a party that was clowned into putting Kavanaugh and Barrett on the Court, that still acts as if McConnell is in charge of the filibuster, is going to gather the votes, the guts, and the ability to somehow pack or alter in any way the Supreme Court?"
At least Williams stopped referring to Del Percio as a Republican, because nothing else he said makes sense. He makes it seem as if Democrats were tricked into confirming Kavanaugh and Barrett, but, in the real world, they opposed both and just did not have enough votes to sink their nominations. He also appears to be oblivious to the fact that if Democrats use their majority to "pack or alter" the Court, there is nothing stopping Republicans from doing the same thing in 2025.
Del Percio answered by sardonically declaring, "Well, now that I hear there is an urgency from Senate Democrats to do it, I know they will write a strongly worded op-ed for several major newspapers and make their anger known and then do absolutely nothing because there is nothing they can do. That sentence at the beginning of that Washington Post piece could’ve gone to anything, whether it be voting rights, police reform, gun safety reform."
She urged Democrats "to stop saying we want to break the filibuster, we want to change it this way, because they are not doing it and they are just reminding the public right now how dysfunctional things are. I actually want the Democrats to stay in control because they are governing and they believe in democracy. But they have to stop wanting to face defeat and look for victories."
Oddly enough, it was Mississippi that was fighting for democracy and the rights of legislators in front of the Court and the filibuster has nothing to do with Williams and progressives' court packing schemes.
This segment was sponsored by Kayak.
Here is a transcript for the December 3 show:
MSNBC
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
11:31 PM ET
BRIAN WILLIAMS: To that dramatic point this week from Justice Sotomayor, there are renewed rumblings that Democrats might consider making changes to the Supreme Court. The Washington Post reporting it this way, “This week's Supreme Court argument on abortion has accelerated an urgency among Senate Democrats to fundamentally alter how the court operates fueled in part by lingering anger over Republican confirmation maneuvers that have led to three new conservative justices in the past four years.” Two of our friends are back with us tonight. Don Calloway, Democratic strategist, founder of the National Voter Protection Action Fund and Susan Del Percio, MSNBC political analyst and a veteran political strategist. Good evening to you both. Susan, this is a layup shot for you. Let me put it this way, who thinks that a party that was clowned into putting Kavanaugh and Barrett on the Court, that still acts as if McConnell is in charge of the filibuster, is going to gather the votes, the guts, and the ability to somehow pack or alter in any way the Supreme Court?
SUSAN DEL PERCIO: Well, now that I hear there is an urgency from Senate Democrats to do it, I know they will write a strongly worded op-ed for several major newspapers and make their anger known and then do absolutely nothing because there is nothing they can do. That sentence at the beginning of that Washington Post piece could’ve gone to anything, whether it be voting rights, police reform, gun safety reform. You have to -- it's critical that the Democrats now take on the fights they can win. They have to stop saying we want to break the filibuster, we want to change it this way, because they are not doing it and they are just reminding the public right now how dysfunctional things are. I actually want the Democrats to stay in control because they are governing and they believe in democracy. But they have to stop wanting to face defeat and look for victories.
