March 16, 2016

"Today, I will announce the person whom I believe is eminently qualified to sit on the Supreme Court."

Emails Barack Obama. 

The announcement comes at 11 E.T.

Exciting! Exciting to see who it is. I think we know. The linked NYT report says, "Among the finalists are the federal appellate judges Sri Srinivasan, Merrick B. Garland and Paul Watford."

I assume it's the first of those 3, based on the way the media has been reporting on this story. I could be wrong.

I assume the choice has a lot to do with playing a theme in the music of the 2016 election. Whether this person gets to take the Scalia seat on the Court is another matter, an important matter, but subordinate, I think, to the way useful political drama can be stirred up for electoral purposes. That's what I will be following and writing about. I'm sure the nominee will be highly qualified and immensely respectable. It wouldn't work as a political move if he were not.

So: it's exciting to see who the nominee is, but more exciting to see how the nomination/confirmation process interacts with out volatile presidential campaign.

ADDED: As noted by rhhardin in the comments, Obama misused that pesky word that you should never use unless you're absolutely sure it's correct: whom.

UPDATE: CNN is saying (half an hour before the announcement) that it's going to be Garland.

35 comments:

rhhardin said...

It's who, not whom.

Persidents used to know that.

Ann Althouse said...

@rh

Good point.

Ann Althouse said...

Diid you write "Persidents" on purpose? Some enigmatic humor? Or is it that thing of when you correct someone else, you make a mistake yourself? It's God/nature's way of humbling us.

Heartless Aztec said...

Fun times, fun times...

Wince said...

Obama considered himself the subject of that sentence, the unnamed nominee the object?

No surprise there.

Why does he say "name" not nominate?

Wince said...

Whoops, "announce".

rhhardin said...

It was a typo but works as humor.

David Begley said...

Can we now impeach Obama for that grammar error?

Seriously, regardless of who he picks we all will suffer with a constant harangue of how evil the Senate is for no confirmation hearings. Perfect example of the Dem-MSM coalition. Tiresome.

It will be the man from Kansas. The Hindu. Doubly historic.

rehajm said...

A viable candidate likely to be abandoned given Republicans right to choose? Is there an aftermarket for judicial tissue?

Mrs Whatsit said...

The quick trick for figuring out whether to use "who" or "whom" is to substitute "he" and "him" and see which one sounds right. You have to change the sentence around a little to make it work. So, you wouldn't say "I believe him is eminently qualified." You'd say, "I believe he is eminently qualified." Presto! It's "who," not "whom."

rhhardin said...

Thurber says that "whom" should be used when a note of austerity or dignity is desired.

Humperdink said...

Hopefully he will be pre-Borked by the R's prior to any hearings. Do it just like the D's would. Sling mud, dirt, tar and anything else that may or may not stick. All the while letting the electorate know where and when these seeds were planted.

Trump's response to this nomination will be interesting.

David Begley said...

Obama should do his job and get the grammar right.

Unknown said...

Where was Josh Sincere when Barry needed him? Josh must know some English.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

I'm sure the nominee will be highly qualified...

To me the number one qualification is the understanding that the Constitution is there to be followed, not led.

So no, not a chance in hell that the nominee will be qualified.

MayBee said...

The Republicans should refuse to give the nominee hearings just based on the fact they have accepted the impossible nomination and are therefore proven to be a political stooge.

MayBee said...

Someone is being nominated for one reason only: To prove Republicans give Barack Obama, the black president, an unprecedented amount of disrespect. Vote for Hillary, black people!

Big Mike said...

I'm sure the nominee will be highly qualified and immensely respectable. It wouldn't work as a political move if he were not.

@Althouse, you keep assuming that Obama, absent the political acumen supplied by advisors Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, is capable of making a wise political move. I think you need to recalibrate your rosy eyeglasses.

jimbino said...

Also be careful of "is" as in Obama's "the problem is, is that...." and Clinton's "It depends what the meaning of "is" is.

David Begley said...

The spin on why SS must have a vote:

1. He's friends with Ted Cruz. In fact, nearly his only friend.

2. He was confirmed 97-0 to the Court of Appeals. And SCOTUS is exactly the same as those other appellate courts.

Unknown said...

Who is qualified? He is qualified.
Whom is qualified? Him is.

Curious George said...

"Whom" is Kenyan for "who."

James Pawlak said...

The GOP should allow hearings on any such candidate(s)---AND APPLY THE DEMOCRAT'S METHODS AS USED IN THE ROBERT BORK HEARINGS.

David Begley said...

I doubt SS can be Borked. A limited paper record other than cases he argued and briefed. Probably not much there. The Left is all fired up that he defended Enron. For the Left, that's worse than defending a Gitmo detainee.

Bob Boyd said...

The idea will be to make it about the nominee and not the position.

Mick said...

The R establishment will bend over for the Usurper (as always, protecting the knowledge of the treason they committed in allowing him in the Oval Office) just so Trump doesn't get to make the appointment.

David Begley said...

Now it is supposedly Garland.

Giant mistake. Not historic and diverse enough.

pm317 said...

Merrick Garland

Static Ping said...

Yawn.

Let me know when something important happens.

David Begley said...

An older, white guy gets the nod. The ultimate white privilege.

But he is just a sacrificial lamb.

David Begley said...

Garland is also a Harvard alum. What's the matter with Yale? Not a diverse nominee. More Yalies needed.

rhhardin said...

Robert Pearsall Lay a Garland

Lay a garland on my hearse
of the dismal yew.
Maidens, willow branches wear,
say I died true.
My love was false, but I was firm
from my hour of birth.
Upon my buried body lie
lightly, gentle earth.

Ann Althouse said...

I've always assumed that Bob Dylan thought it was funny to sing, in "I Pity the Poor Immigrant,"

I pity the poor immigrant
Who wishes he would’ve stayed home
Who uses all his power to do evil
But in the end is always left so alone
That man whom with his fingers cheats
And who lies with ev’ry breath
Who passionately hates his life 
And likewise, fears his death

Ann Althouse said...

Or was it just the influence of "with" and the echo in his head of all the classy people whom've said "with whom"?

Ann Althouse said...

I believe I am the first person on the internet ever to write "whom've."