Judge Merrick Garland
President Barack Obama has named D.C. Circuit Court Judge Merrick Garland, 63, as his nominee to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Republicans have vowed not to consider any Obama nominee during the election year and said the next president should make the appointment.
That could be a risky gamble for Republicans. It assumes they win in the fall.
Should they win, however, President Trump might decide to turn the nomination process into a reality show. Ten judges compete to see who becomes the next Supreme Court justice.
“What would you do if protesters interrupted a campaign rally?” President Trump would ask.
“Calm down the crowd first,” the first contestant would answer.
“You’re fired,” President Trump would say. “Get ’em outta here.”
Or maybe, as he has suggested in the past, he’d appoint his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, a pro-choice federal judge.
On the Democratic side, President Bernie Sanders would appoint someone like Judge Phyllis Frye, a transgender judge from Houston, who pioneered trans rights in Texas.
Or President Clinton might nominate constitutional law scholar Barack Obama. Or maybe Michelle Obama. Or Wendy Davis.
So Judge Merrick Garland? He’s moderate. He’s the best they’re going to get.
Hold hearings on the nomination.
