Zeoli: It's All About The Supreme Court And Never Hillary
By Rich Zeoli
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- I want my Never Trump friends to understand how crucial this moment is for the future of the Supreme Court. No, I can't guarantee that a President Trump will appoint originalists in the mold of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. I can't promise you that his nominees will be conservatives in the vein of Justices Samuel Alito or Clarence Thomas. But I can promise you this: President Hillary Clinton will absolutely appoint liberal justices.
Democrats never get this wrong. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayer, and Elana Kagan have all proven to be stalwart liberals. I can't say the same for Republican appointees John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, and David Souter when it comes to upholding conservative principles on the Court but at least there's a chance.
There's no question in my mind that a President Hillary Clinton will appoint Justices who will overturn the landmark second amendment case, District of Columbia v Heller which affirmed an individual right to bear arms. Chelsea Clinton showed her hand at a recent political rally when she said her mother will appoint Justices who will make a definite ruling on this issue i.e.: overturn Heller and rule that the second amendment exists for the purpose of arming militias not individuals.
I can't promise you that President Trump will appoint justices who will uphold Heller. I can promise you that a President Clinton will appoint justices who will overturn Heller.
Some argue that it's better to focus on the Senate in order to block her nominees. There's no way a Republican senate can block four Supreme Court appointments. Cries of sexism would ring throughout DC and the media would lament over old white guys blocking the nominations of the first woman president. Moderate Republican senators will cave. She will get her nominees.
And unlike a presidential term, these are lifetime appointments. Four justices appointed by President Hillary Clinton can alter the landscape of the Republic for the next quarter century. If President Trump does a bad job, he can be voted out. We can't vote out liberal Supreme Court Justices.
I can't promise you President Trump's nominees will lead to a conservative court. I can promise you with absolutely certainty that President Clinton's will produce 6-3 or 7-2 liberal majority.
Are you willing to take that chance?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 83 years old. Anthony Kennedy, 79 years old. Stephen Breyer, 77 years old. Clarence Thomas, 67 years old. And let's not forget there already is a vacancy on the Court.
The next President of the United States may appoint as many of five Justices. If it's President Hillary Clinton it is a guarantee this will become the most liberal court we have seen in decades, possibly ever. At least there is a chance that a President Trump will work with Republicans in the Senate to appoint conservatives.
For this reason above all else, it's Never Hillary.