Democrats See Gift in GOP Blocking Court Nominee

New York Times: “Democrats, sensing a prime opportunity to make Republicans pay a political price for bowing to their hard-liners, moved quickly on Saturday to stir up outrage from their own partisans.”

Said Hillary Clinton: “It is outrageous that Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail have already pledged to block any replacement that President Obama nominates.”

“Republican officials privately acknowledged that refusing to bring Mr. Obama’s appointment to a vote could prove difficult to sustain, particularly with the Senate controlled by a handful of Republican incumbents from moderate and liberal-leaning states. It was notable that Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who faces re-election this year, made no pledge about blocking Mr. Obama’s pick in his statement regarding Justice Scalia’s death.”