Commentators of the GOP stripe are aghast that Obama would do this, STOOP to do this, to Merrick Garland, a well respected, moderate Circuit Court judge. After all, Mitch and his gang have sworn off having hearings, ’cause they’re standing on principle and precedent that doesn’t exist. But they know that their supporters have a vague and malleable view of history.
More to the point, how could mean old Obama do this to anyone, much less a well respected judge like Judge Garland? See, because Merrick Garland is such a naif, such an innocent rube, that he went along with the nomination with no idea of what he was in for. It doesn’t matter if Mitch’s gang has history on their side or not: what matters is what Obama did to this honorable man.
I have no problem believing that the GOP leadership is as clueless as they sound. Although, they’re taking pains to try to sound principled (and failing for at least half the people). My point this time, as it often is about this sort of Republican casuistry, is the contempt they obviously have for their faithful constituents.