White House Vetting GOP Centrist Gov. Brian Sandoval for SCOTUS

[LovingA2andMI]

Source: NBC News

The White House is considering Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican centrist, as a potential nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, NBC News has confirmed.

Sandoval, a former District Court judge and state attorney general, was the first Latino candidate elected to statewide office in Nevada.

While he is a Republican, Sandoval's record does match President Barack Obama's on many key issues. He has said he supports the Supreme Court's same sex marriage decision of last year and backs abortion rights.

However, Sandoval also signed into law last year a measure that exempts school construction projects from having to pay contractors wages considered industry standard in the area. While he hailed the move as a cost cutting measure, labor unions rallied to decry the effort.

The Washington Post first reported that Sandoval is under consideration.


Read more: http://linkis.com/www.nbcnews.com/news/S7C7j

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What...The...Heck?

[msanthrope]

1. Obama is fucking brilliant. He's daring the Republicans. nt

[KamaAina]

3. But what if they take the bait?

We'll be back to 5-4 decisions against pretty much everything.

[msanthrope]

5. Let them. Sandoval is a trial balloon. nt

[KamaAina]

2. O.M.F.G.

[LovingA2andMI]

6. I.K.R....

[Kip Humphrey]

4. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

[Bluenorthwest]

7. 52 years young, anti marriage equality, conservative and Republican.

I hope this is not the case.

[Boldine]

8. Sandoval is not a centrist

Here are some of his beliefs:

Supports civil unions but not gay marriage.
Lending to small businesses will help create jobs in state.
Death penalty for the worst crimes.
Supports capital punishment for certain crimes.
Yes to charter schools statewide.
School choice including private schools.
Supports education vouchers for public or private school.
Keystone XL Pipeline fundamental to economic prosperity.
2nd Amendment applies to individuals.
Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms
$874 decrease in public employees benefit plan. (
Supports lawsuits against Obama health care bill.
ObamaCare raises constitutional questions; lawsuit needed. (Nov 2010)
Opposes government-run healthcare.
Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid.

While Sandoval may not be in the league of Cruz and Rubio he would not be good for the SCOTUS.

[LynneSin]

10. I think Obama is just baiting the GOP

Worst case the remaining democrats could filibuster.

[Boldine]

13. I really hope so.

[dmr]

36. I think so, too. Things are not always as they seem.

There's no way in hell Obama is serious on this man. But he is dead serious on calling out the Republicans.

[PATRICK]

37. I agree with the NONONO post

When delivering a slate of candidates for the gutted Postal Commission he picked real doozies the Dems defeated, thank God. So we want the DEMS to have to turn this turkey down? And they can't. It's more a trap for our party. Anti-labor and tepid on civil rights, corporate worshipping, probably leans to the GOP voting cheat machine. I guess there time to find out about that one. gratis. No the GOP won't say anything until he actually nominates this 'bi-partisan" horror blowing his last opportunity himself. I really have little room to doubt his consideration of Sandoval is anything less than sincere, even enthusiastic.

It would be consistent with his ready to surrender Social Security and other utterly dismaying gifts to the somewhat ungrateful GOP.

If however Sanders becomes inevitable or actually elected Obama and any centrist will be begging the GOP to settle on some other Justice Kennedy clone.

[niyad]

24. welcome to du. with that list, I am guessing he does not support women's

autonomy.

[hollowdweller]

29. He's a corporatist like Obama and Clinton

So he's just like the losing platform of the dems. Suck up to business and wealthy. Liberal culturally. Leave the middle class to fend for themselves.

[CharlotteVale]

9. What a legacy. Republican for the Supreme Court

and the TPP.

And nobody ever better use the old "what about the Supreme Court???!!!1" on me again. Look how that turned out.

[drm604]

11. Everybody relax. Just sit back and enjoy the game.

They've already rejected him.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/02/24/republicans_against_republican_supreme_court_nominee_cornyn_says.html

[iandhr]

12. Beat me too it.

It's a ploy to makes the Republicans look crazy.

The President is very good at this game.

[LovingA2andMI]

17. Until and If He Is Nominated...

That is the President's Call ....so Don't Tell Us To "Relax" Unless The President Walks This Shit Back, ASAP!

[drm604]

18. Republicans have already rejected Sandoval, so yes, you can relax.

The President doesn't have to walk him back. The idea is already dead.

[randys1]

28. Not nominated APPOINTED and I am not picking on you, but everybody please stop saying

nominated

Obama would never go thru with this, it is to show what unpatriotic fucks the GOP are

[LovingA2andMI]

35. Uh Huh....

Let's See....FIRST!

[MillennialDem]

14. That's a bit too far on bait. Obama should have appointed someone basically in the exact middle and

dared the republicans to reject then nominate someone left of center and let the republicans reject.

Then take the case to the American people and nominate a progressive with a stellar record. "My friends in the GOP have rejected TWO centrists to this court. We are now nominating John Smith, who has a stellar record of accomplishments since law school blah blah blah"

[rtracey]

15. did anyone read the story?

The story did not say IT IS GOING TO BE SANDOVAL, but considering it. I think President Obama is baiting McConnell. McConnell is sticking to his guns and when he refuses to meet with Sandoval, then the democrats can say.... See that, the GOP won't even consider one of their own......

[iandhr]

20. Of course no one read the story.

DU's favorite thing to do it cry OBAMA IS A SELLOUT without any regard to the facts.

[former9thward]

31. He would only be in a position to meet with Sandoval

if he was actually formally nominated. So there is no "bait" here. That is not how it works.

[Umbral18]

16. I take it Harry Reid's favorite, Judge Bybee wasn't on the short list?

It would help if the nominee was someone Harry would fully get behind.

[vlakitti]

19. This is grotesque

Is this supposed to be smart? Demoralize everyone in front of an election?

[Jim__]

21. Sandoval is 52 years old.

How does he feel about Citizens United? How does he feel about gerrymandering? Scalia was on the court for 30 years. We need a progressive Supreme Court.

[rladdi]

22. Stick Senate Leader Mitch Mc Connell head in this nomination if it happens.

President Obama is NOT dumb. But I am not sure this is the person I would select.

[McKim]

23. Obama is Doing the Job He Was Sent to Do

Obama is not baiting. He is doing his job as a centrist that masqueraded as a progressive or left of center president. This nomination would match his other moves to appease Republicans until they are satisfied enough to start putting corporate money on Hillary as someone who can represent their interests better than The Donald.

[FairWinds]

25. Understand that Sandoval will not be the nominee, but . .

people here think it's just fine for Obama to nominate a Republican.

Consider, would a GOP president nominate a Dem for the SCOTUS?

HELL NO !!

[rurallib]

26. today's "centrist" was yesterday's radical right winger.

[oldandhappy]

27. Calling their bluff!! Love it!

Doubt this is anything other than an appearance of nominating the gov. But it forces the people making all the comments to either continue the comments, or back off. I love my president.

[nichomachus]

30. Well, there goes 50 percent of Hillary's GE platform

"You have to vote Dem because of the Supreme Court." That would be down the drain. All she's left with it "It's my turn and I'm female."

[Beowulf]

33. Dangerous bluff.

What if McConnell calls it? And arranges just enough Republicans to vote for approval? Should we assume all the Democrats in the Senate would support PBO on this? Would Warren? Would Sanders? Franken? Brown?

If they are just using Sandoval as a trial balloon, why would Sandoval go along with this? Wouldn't he condemn this move. Does Hillary support this man? Is this an example of the kind of judge she would nominate? She will be asked this question. Does she say "yes" and lose even more of the base, does she say "no" and lose all credibility about wanting to continue PBO's legacy? Someone in the Whitehouse was too clever by half on this one.

There's no win here. At best it affirms what everyone already knows, with the GOP Senate it's personal with Obama. This just deflates the Democratic base and if McConnell is smart (which I admit is not a given), he could put some Democrats including Hillary in a very difficult situation.

[Cosmocat]

39. He's not going to call a bluff

Because the republicans have ginned their idiot voters into such a foaming hatred and rage of all things BHO, that he could reanimate and nominate Scalia and they would not be able to bring him up for a vote without massive blowback from their voting pods.

There is no one, NO ONE BHO could nominate that these morons would hold a vote on.

It is unforunate, but the reality is that the only thing he can do is find someone he can nominate that is 1) very qualified 2) has no personal or ethical issues 3) is a moderate.

While the idiots will scream that whoever it is a left wing, socialist, america hating communist, it will be on the margins, the people who bother to pay SOME attention, and maybe break a small percentage of voters that can swing some senate elections to Ds.

[thereismore]

32. Is Obama going with a republican? It's your legacy Mr. President! nt

[Martak Sarno]

34. From that "piece of paper:"

I dunno - maybe?

Article II (Article 2 - Executive)

Section 3

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States

Recess appointment while Congress has been...adjourned?

Looks legal?

[lbrtbell]

38. Obama's Third-Way policies strike again! - n/t

[Lodestar]

40. He's throwing chum in the water...

will they bite?