Obama says Supreme Court nominee will be “indisputably” qualified amid Republicans’ resistance

The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the immediate response from Republicans that there would be no replacement allowed under this president has at least done one thing: it’s reminded the traditional media that Republicans have been blocking President Obama on his judicial nominations at an unprecedented rate. Republicans have opposed almost all of Obama’s major initiatives during the first seven years of his presidency, and filling the court vacancy is shaping up as a monumental election-year fight.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he’s not sure yet whether the committee will hold nomination hearings on Obama’s nominee.

Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada and Thom Tillis of North Carolina this week also indicated support for allowing the Senate to consider Obama’s nominee. Obama now said he “regrets” that decision.

Scalia, a staunch conservative, died on February 13, leaving a seat in the U.S. Supreme Court vacant.

A private ceremony including family, friends and justices will take place at the court at 9:30 a.m. Scalia’s casket will be on public view from 10:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Republicans have not been tight-lipped about their ideas surrounding the president’s appointment strategy since the courts have now shifted from leaning conservative to being split evenly 4-4, conservative and liberal.

Besides all the conspiracy theories about Scalia’s death, I am baffled by the speed at which the Republican leadership started condemning Obama for even letting the word “nominate” enter his brain.

It’s hard to take such an argument seriously, and it certainly doesn’t help when an actual retired Supreme Court justice seems to have no use for the right’s talking points. In the past, lawmakers have sometimes informally agreed to halt hearings on lower court nominations during campaign season. But Obama argued that “the Supreme Court’s different”. But the Republicans may still be searching for a strategy.

White House officials have said the president will announce a selection in a timely matter, but not until after the Senate returns from its recess next week.

“Republicans… have a constitutional obligation to hold hearings, conduct a full confirmation process, and vote on the nominee based on his or her merits”, Schumer said. OBAMA’S STRATEGY Obama shed little light on whom he would choose or how the White House will try to finesse his choice through Congress. “We’re going to find somebody who is an outstanding legal mind, somebody who cares deeply about our democracy and cares about rule of law”, Obama said.