During an interview on Fox Business on Wednesday, host Neil Cavuto quizzed Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on why he opposes consideration of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee when he has supported Merrick Garland in the past.
Throughout the interview, Cavuto called out Hatch for contributing to the politicization of the nomination process.
The Fox Business host began the interview by playing a 1997 clip of Hatch praising Garland when he was nominated to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Cavuto asked, “What changed?”
Hatch said that “nothing” changed, but explained that 19 years had passed and that the Supreme Court is different from a lower court.
Cavuto then mentioned 2010 comments in which Hatch said he would be willing to help Garland get confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“Well, I cleared the way for Merrick Garland, and I still think very highly of him,” Hatch responded. “But I do think we should not bring up a Supreme Court justice and get in this big mess again, wrecking the court, during this really toxic presidential year. And that really bothers me.”
Cavuto then asked Hatch if Republicans would regret blocking Garland if a Democrat wins the White House and nominates a more liberal judge. Hatch told Cavuto that Americans should vote for a Republican.
“I understand what you’re saying, sir, and I appreciate that, you know, it’s a crazy election year, and all. But by that reasoning, nothing would ever get done in an election year because it’s a toxic environment,” Cavuto said in response, suggesting that Republicans vote Garland down if they don’t like him, rather than refusing to hold hearings.
“Well it isn’t quite that simple,” Hatch replied, arguing that nominees should not be put up during election years.
When Cavuto asked why, Hatch said, “Because it’s a toxic environment, it demeans the court. People then make the court into a politicized institution.”
“It’s always politicized, senator,” Cavuto hit back. “It’s always politicized. And by that math you would just rule out the last year of any Congress, of any senator, of any president for getting stuff done.”
After more back and forth, Hatch again discussed politicization of the Supreme Court.
“I’m tired of the court being politicized. And this is politicizing the court during this particular year,” he said.
“Well no, no offense, senator, you’ve played a part in politicizing it. Now, maybe that wasn’t your goal, but both parties do this,” Cavuto replied.
Watch the interview via Media Matters:
Thinking that Cavuto did a good job at anything is a new experience for me. I better lie down. I trust it won’t happen again.
I’m willing to give Cavuto credit for most of what I read but adding that canard, ‘both parties do it’ is kind of a cop out…
This is Fox News. They spend their time telling their viewers that ONLY the Democrats “do it” as long as the “it” is something bad. Both parties do it from a Fox personality is a major concession.
Cavity must be trying to protect Republicans from themselves and block the coming GOP debacle.
After all he is the same guy who rewrote history in his premise to the first GOP debate question a while back when he asked this:
“Investors have already lost $1.6 trillion in market value. That makes it the worst start to a new year ever. Many worry things will get even worse, banks and financial stocks are particularly vulnerable,” Cavuto said. “If this escalates like back when Obama first assumed the presidency,…”
Here we go with the false equivalency thing again. This nomination is not a “both sides do it” situation. President Obama did not select a toxic political candidate.
I’ve asked before but will try again, does anyone know what Republican response was to the Biden and Durbin speeches when they were delivered? Almost certainly they spoke against those speeches. It would be very nice to hear those responses today.