It's Wednesday, July 20 and Day 158 since Justice Antonin Scalia died and Mitch McConnell laid down his Supreme Court blockade: No meetings, no hearings, no votes on his replacement. It's also Day 121 since President Obama named Merrick Garland to be Scalia's replacement. What's the Senate doing today instead of considering the Supreme Court nominee?
Recessing, of course, and a good chunk of the Republicans are probably wondering how to deal with McConnell's gloating over his obstruction of Garland on national television Tuesday night. Because while he was crowing over his gift to Donald Trump, he was also achieving a dubious record.
Wednesday marked a bleak achievement for Merrick Garland.
He passed Louis Brandeis as the Supreme Court nominee with the longest wait for a Senate hearing.
And while Brandeis' saga ended with his 1916 confirmation Garland's prospects remain, at best, unclear.
There's always the possibility of a lame-duck confirmation, but that doesn't seem likely. Why would McConnell relent then on his petty crusade against Obama by giving him this parting gift? He wouldn't.
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