Yesterday, the White House some unknown entity leaked the story that President Obama was vetting Nevada’s Governor Brian Sandoval — a Republican — for a Supreme Court seat. This seemed like an entirely stupid thing to do on a lot of levels, not the least of which was moving the Overton Window on Supreme Court nominations from “presidents nominate who they want” to “Republican presidents nominate who they want and Democratic presidents really should nominate Republicans to compromise.” It’s the same nonsense that lands Republicans in Democratic cabinets as Secretary of Defense while Republicans make a Democrat Secretary of Transportation and call it even.
Well, it’s all water under the bridge now because Nevada politics guru Jon Ralston tweeted this news:
I gather Sandoval realized he was was a pawn and wanted no part of it. He wants a judicial or Cabinet post someday. pic.twitter.com/e5ySKReaut
— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) February 25, 2016
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Some might consider this a loss for President Obama, but I’m not sure it’s that bad. He gets to avoid the fury of his base at the prospect of appointing a Republican to the Supreme Court, while still getting the PR bump he may have sought all along. It’s the old story of Winston Churchill and the prostitute:
Churchill: “Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?”
Socialite: “My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course… ”
Churchill: “Would you sleep with me for five pounds?”
Socialite: “Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!”
Churchill: “Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price.”
Yesterday’s news forced journos to ask McConnell, et al., “Would you ding a GOP star?” That put McConnell in the bind of either saying “yes,” which would supercharge the Obama spin that this has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with obstructionist gridlock, or “no,” which would put him in the position of the socialite in the above story. McConnell — necessarily — opted for what was behind door number 1, and what did he get for it? A Republican candidate off the table and a mini-“government shutdown” narrative to tell those voters in already Blue Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Colorado, Florida, and Ohio going to the polls to decide the fate of Republican Senators. I’m sure that’s going to work out just peachy for Mitch.
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So this might well be the best result for Obama. Like he probably planned it all along.
Earlier: President Vetting Republican For SCOTUS — Obama Officially Overthinking This