The journalists at NBC and ABC on Friday set up a no-win scenario for the Republican response to Joe Biden’s Supreme Court choice Ketanji Brown Jackson. According to ABC, she is a “pragmatist” and “consensus builder.” How could anyone oppose someone like that? (In reality, even The Washington Post admitted she’s deeply liberal.)
NBC’s Chuck Todd whined that Jackson would get 80 votes in the Senate, if not for the extreme members of the GOP who aren’t allowed to vote for her. He huffed, “She may have 80 senators who, if they didn't have to publicly say that they were supporting her, would support her. But the politics these days, particularly of how things are going on the right side of the aisle, I think will limit it.”
The Meet the Press anchor complained, “I'd be surprised if the number is more than 55, 56 max for her.”
Apparently, he forgot that Amy Coney Barrett got just 52 confirmation votes (0 Democrats) in the Senate, that Brett Kavanaugh got 50 votes (1 Democrat) and Neil Gorsuch got 54 votes (3 Democrats). Last time we checked, that appears to be less than 55 or 56.
Even though Todd won’t admit it, sure sounds like Democrats are constrained by an extreme base that won’t let them vote for qualified nominees.
Over on ABC News, Devin Dwyer cheered Jackson as a moderate:
There has never been a public defender on the Supreme Court before. Someone who has this much criminal defense experience of everyday Americans who go into the legal system, can't afford an attorney on their own. The President clearly prizing that. She's been described as a pragmatist and a consensus builder. Doing that as a junior justice will be a tall task.
Jackson has been “applauded” by the radical NARAL, supports gun control and even the liberal The Washington Post agreed:
Jackson’s confirmation would not affect the current conservative 6-to-3 supermajority on the court. She would be likely to vote with liberals on the most contentious issues facing the Supreme Court, including affirmative action, abortion, LGBTQ protections and gun rights.
This echoes MSNBC on Friday morning calling the nominee “middle of the road.”
Partial transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
ABC News live coverage
2/25/2022
2:27 PM ETDEVIN DWYER (ABC News senior Washington reporter): This is an historic pick on race and gender but also on experience and perspective. There has never been a public defender on the Supreme Court before. Someone who has this much criminal defense experience of everyday Americans who go into the legal system, can't afford an attorney on their own. The President clearly prizing that. She's been described as a pragmatist and a consensus builder. Doing that as a junior justice will be a tall task.
...
NBC News live coverage
2/25/2022
2:25 PM ETLESTER HOLT: Let me go to NBC News political director Chuck Todd. Chuck, pick up on what Peter was talking about now. Some rumblings within the Republicans that maybe support is not guaranteed where it was prior. What do you make of that?
CHUCK TODD: Well, look, Lisa Murkowski's an interesting example here because here's somebody who did vote for her once. She's up for re-election. It's a quirky setup in Alaska where there isn't a full-fledged Republican primary, it's going to be a top four system. The point is she voted against a Trump pick for the Supreme Court. You know, she may politically decide it's a better place for her to be saying, “I thought the Trump picks were too conservative and the Biden picks were too liberal.” That wouldn't shock me here. The point is that that's the point you got to look at here, Lester, is there's that there's going to be some Republican senators who want to support her who are going to run for president in '24 and don't want have to explain that vote away. There may be some Republican senators who are sitting in primaries and don't want to have to -- and fear a primary or have the weird situation I just described with Lisa Murkowski. The point being is she may have 80 senators who, if they didn't have to publicly say that they were supporting her, would support her. But the politics these days, particularly of how things are going on the right side of the aisle, I think will limit it. I'd be surprised if the number is more than 55, 56 max for her. But look, she’s going to to get confirmed.
