WASHINGTON — Laying down a challenge to Republicans, President Obama called on the Senate to “rise above” the “venom and rancor” and consider his forthcoming Supreme Court nominee.
“I expect them to hold hearings, I expect there to be a vote. Full stop,” Obama said at a press conference in California.
“The Constitution is pretty clear about what is supposed to happen now,” he added in his first exchange with reporters since Justice Antonin Scalia died Saturday.
“When there is vacancy on the Supreme Court, the president of the United States is to nominate someone, the Senate is to consider that nomination, and either they disapprove of that nominee or that nominee is elevated to the Supreme Court.”
Obama tried to minimize his own role in joining an ultimately unsuccessful filibuster against Justice Samuel Alito in 2006, when Obama was a senator and Alito was President George W. Bush’s nominee.
At the time, he said:
“I will be supporting the filibuster because I think Judge Alito, in fact, is somebody who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values.”
On Tuesday, Obama downplayed his shift.
“I think what’s fair to say is that how judicial nominations have evolved over time is not historically the fault of any single party,” Obama said. “What is also true is that Justice Alito is on the bench right now.”
Obama’s call for senators to “do their job” comes after Senate GOP leaders and leading GOP presidential candidates said the chamber should wait for the next president to nominate Scalia’s successor.
“I understand the pressure that Republican senators are undoubtedly under,” Obama said. “The court is now divided on many issues. This would be a deciding vote.”
On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) left open the possibility of giving Obama’s nominee a hearing.
“I would wait until the nominee is made before I would make any decisions,” he said.