Durbin Dismisses Hypocrisy on SCOTUS Vote: ‘Come On, Chuck, Get Real’
CHUCK TODD: In 2016--I'm going to play a quote of yours in September of 2016 about that -- the other Supreme Court vacancy that we were dealing with back then. Here's what you said.
[BEGIN TAPE]
SENATOR DICK DURBIN: In a few weeks the Supreme Court will start its new term with eight justices; we need nine. Major legal questions are hanging in limbo because the court is deadlocked on four/four votes.
[END TAPE]
CHUCK TODD: There's been some talk among some of your colleagues for Democrats to push for a delay until after the election. Obviously you didn't like that in 2016. Where are you on this?
SENATOR DICK DURBIN: Well, I asked Senator McConnell when Kennedy made his announcement whether he was going to be consistent. He said during the course of the vacancy at the end of the Obama presidency, "Let's wait and let the people decide in an election." Many of his colleagues came to the floor on the Republican side and said, "The people of this country are going to vote. They'll decide the future of the Supreme Court." Well, I asked Senator McConnell, "Are you going to use the same standard this go-around?" And obviously he is not. The net result of that, of course, is that we are going to move forward quickly to fill the vacancy. And I think it's pretty clear Senator McConnell was seizing the moment, stopping Obama from filling the vacancy with an extraordinarily qualified man--
CHUCK TODD: No, I understand that, but where are you on this now? Do you want it delayed? I understand you want to point out hypocrisy on McConnell's side. But there's hypocrisy on your side on this too, right? Do you think if it was wrong to delay in 2016, is it wrong to delay now?
SENATOR DICK DURBIN: Well, come on, Chuck. Get real. Senator McConnell invented this new rule and wouldn't even consider a meeting with Merrick Garland. And now he's saying--
CHUCK TODD: I take your point--
