# Nevada Gov Brian Sandoval Being Vetted as Potential Supreme Court Justice!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 24, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005 "2016-02-24T18:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/1 "2016-02-24T18:43:18Z")
Looks insane, but here is now breaking news that Nevada’s moderate Republican governor is being looked on as a potential Supreme Court Justice nominee. Seems the Obama administration really are going to nominate a moderate Republican and make the GOP look foolish for not meeting a fellow Republican. Smart strategy on Obama’s part. Again this only early news, plenty of people are considered and vetted for SC Justice. > **[Republican governor of Nevada Brian Sandoval being considered for Supreme Court](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/24/brian-sandoval-republican-governor-of-nevada-is-being-vetted-for-supreme-court-vacancy/)** > > Sandoval is increasingly viewed by key Democrats as perhaps the only nominee President Obama could select who would be able to break a Republican blockade in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/2 "2016-02-24T18:49:24Z")
Yay! He’s nominating a Republican! That’ll show those Republicans! I will believe it when I see it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/3 "2016-02-24T18:58:50Z")
It’s a smart strategy to publicly vet some moderate Republicans while the GOP is foaming at the mouth. Now they have to decide whether or not to stick to their guns. If they back down, they open the door to Obama picking his real nominee. If they stay strong, they look even more childish than before. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/4 "2016-02-24T19:04:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It’s a smart strategy to publicly vet some moderate Republicans while the GOP is foaming at the mouth. Now they have to decide whether or not to stick to their guns. If they back down, they open the door to Obama picking his real nominee. If they stay strong, they look even more childish than before. That’s what I was thinking - this is a little misdirection to throw them off balance. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/5 "2016-02-24T19:05:30Z")
I agree, very smart move on Barack Obama’s part, for if Mitch McConnell refuses to meet with Brian Sandoval, he will not look good at all nor would fellow GOP. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/6 "2016-02-24T19:06:27Z")
This is probably politics, to get journalists to ask Republican Senators if they would consider a sitting Republican governor for the vacancy. And it’s probably smart politics. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/7 "2016-02-24T19:10:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Yay! He’s nominating a Republican! That’ll show those Republicans! By dinnertime he’ll be “the most liberal nominee of any president in history”. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/8 "2016-02-24T19:20:52Z")
I’m a pretty liberal Nevada resident, and I like Sandoval. He’s a political realist, not an idealogue, who works for the best interests of his state rather than the party - he pushed a tax increase to increase education funding, and he signed on to the Obamacare exchanges to increase insurance rates in Nevada. I don’t agree with everything he does, but I’m happy he’s the governor and I’d be happy with him on the Supreme Court. Nevada Republicans hate him. He’s facing a big primary challenge in the next election, and it’s no sure thing that he’ll be the Republican candidate. Playing politics or not, it’s an interesting idea. A little [background reading](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/nevada-primary-brian-sandoval-213668), if anyone’s interested. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/9 "2016-02-24T19:38:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It’s a smart strategy to publicly vet some moderate Republicans while the GOP is foaming at the mouth. Now they have to decide whether or not to stick to their guns. If they back down, they open the door to Obama picking his real nominee. If they stay strong, they look even more childish than before. Absolutely. Nominate a RINO whose own party wants to primary him. Most people won’t care about that, the perception will be “Republicans won’t even consider a guy with an ‘R’ after his name!” All that said, I know nothing about Sandoval other than what’s written in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambrosio_Spinola)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/10 "2016-02-24T19:53:25Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This is probably politics, to get journalists to ask Republican Senators if they would consider a sitting Republican governor for the vacancy. And it’s probably smart politics. We’ll see. Yes, within less than an hour apparently Cornyn and McConnell say [no way](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/02/24/republicans_against_republican_supreme_court_nominee_cornyn_says.html) to the nomination of a sitting Republican governor. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/11 "2016-02-24T19:59:11Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > Yes, within less than an hour apparently Cornyn and McConnell say [no way](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/02/24/republicans_against_republican_supreme_court_nominee_cornyn_says.html) to the nomination of a sitting Republican governor. Amazing. I like the writer’s suggestion that Obama float the rumor that he’s going to nominate McConnell and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/12 "2016-02-24T20:01:25Z")
He’d make a good VP pick, too: boring but competent and not crazy. The state Democrats were so interested in removing him from office that they nominated a guy who isn’t even prominent enough to get a Wikipedia page. He won by I think the biggest landslide in 2014 (if I’m reading correctly, SD was 0.1% behind and TN not much further. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/13 "2016-02-24T20:01:57Z")
> [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > Yes, within less than an hour apparently Cornyn and McConnell say [no way](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/02/24/republicans_against_republican_supreme_court_nominee_cornyn_says.html) to the nomination of a sitting Republican governor. Amazing. The really amazing part is that _they_ are accusing _Obama_ of “playing politics” with the nomination. The brass balls on those guys! ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/14 "2016-02-24T20:06:47Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Nevada Gov Brian Sandoval Being Vetted as Potential Supreme Court Justice!! > > Looks insane, but here is now breaking news that Nevada’s moderate Republican governor is being looked on as a potential Supreme Court Justice nominee. > > Seems the Obama administration really are going to nominate a moderate Republican and make the GOP look foolish for not meeting a fellow Republican. > > Smart strategy on Obama’s part. Again this only early news, plenty of people are considered and vetted for SC Justice. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/24/brian-sandoval-republican-governor-of-nevada-is-being-vetted-for-supreme-court-vacancy/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/24/brian-sandoval-republican-governor-of-nevada-is-being-vetted-for-supreme-court-vacancy/) Vetted by who and according to who? According to your linked article, the authors claim their source is two people familiar with the process. Who are these two people? Mike and Ike? Abbott and Costello? And just how many people are currently on the DNC/Obama list of potential nominees? 5? 50? 500? Is this actually breaking news or are Mike DeBonis and Juliet Eilperin simply floating a name to assist the DNC/Obama search for a nominee? It certain gives the internet something else to talk about. \*Brian Sandoval, the centrist Republican governor of Nevada, is being vetted by the White House for a possible nomination to the Supreme Court, according to two people familiar with the process. …It is unclear how many potential nominees are undergoing White House vetting for the high court vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death. Obama was seen last week carrying a thick binder of materials on potential picks to review\*. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/15 "2016-02-24T20:07:15Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I like the writer’s suggestion that Obama float the rumor that he’s going to nominate McConnell and see what happens. That would be funny, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/16 "2016-02-24T20:12:21Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > The really amazing part is that _they_ are accusing _Obama_ of “playing politics” with the nomination. The brass balls on those guys! Obama is playing politics with the nomination. Everything a President does is politics. DNC/Obama should nominate Obama for the empty seat on the SCOTUS. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/17 "2016-02-24T20:15:01Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Obama is playing politics with the nomination. Everything a President does is politics. No, a great deal of what a president does is government and not politics. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/18 "2016-02-24T20:15:43Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Vetted by who and according to who? According to your linked article, the authors claim their source is two people familiar with the process. Who are these two people? Mike and Ike? Abbott and Costello? > > And just how many people are currently on the DNC/Obama list of potential nominees? 5? 50? 500? That’s a lot of question marks. Do you have any answers to them? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/19 "2016-02-24T20:24:23Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Obama is playing politics with the nomination. Everything a President does is politics. Obama is fulfilling his constitutional obligation to nominate someone, and is trying to come up with the least objectionable candidate possible. Only the GOP – who are being petulant babies about the whole thing – would try to spin that as “playing politics.” ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005/20 "2016-02-24T20:45:22Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, a great deal of what a president does is government and not politics. Hahahaha. You’re a hoot. Politics is practiced by politicians. All of them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-being-vetted-as-potential-supreme-court-justice/747005.md?page=2)