# Trump's First Supreme Court Nominee **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 31, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665 "2017-01-31T15:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/41 "2017-01-31T23:44:32Z")
The Glenn Beck analysis was that Hardiman was to the left of Roberts, but to the right of Kennedy. Gorsuch was to the right of Scalia but to the left of Thomas. No idea where he got that, but Hardiman must have done something liberal at one point. I agree with the majority that Pryor is likely out. Too much baggage with his comment on Roe. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/42 "2017-02-01T01:04:25Z")
It’s Gorsuch ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/43 "2017-02-01T01:04:42Z")
And the choice is (drum roll): Judge Neil Gorsuch ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/44 "2017-02-01T01:07:26Z")
It’s Gorsuch, Jim. And diversity, too. Harvard Law!! ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/45 "2017-02-01T01:11:49Z")
As I indicated earlier, this is a deeply mainline choice for Trump. Very surprising that he didn’t do something whackadoodle with it. Sad. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/46 "2017-02-01T01:12:06Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > To me, Gorsuch is a conventional choice with fairly impeccable credentials. I would see him being easily confirmed, with the usual partisan objections from the Democratic side. The objection is partisan but less about ideology and more that the republicans stole a supreme court nomination from president Obama. I have no problem with dems stopping any Trump nomination forever. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/47 "2017-02-01T01:14:21Z")
Gorsuch is as respectful of the moment as Trump was not. After 8 years of seeing Obama speak, watching Trump and listening to him is an exercise in pain. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/48 "2017-02-01T01:14:37Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > As I indicated earlier, this is a deeply mainline choice for Trump. Very surprising that he didn’t do something whackadoodle with it. Sad. Mainline maybe. Gorsuch certainly has great credentials and a solid career. He is, however, the [most conservative of all the choices](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-trumps-nominee-will-alter-the-supreme-court/) and will be second only to Thomas in terms of conservatism. I found Scalia’s judicial philosophy odious enough. This tilts the court further right than it once was. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/49 "2017-02-01T01:15:47Z")
He’ll be approved with much noise and ruckus from the Dems. Probably more of a showdown next time around. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/50 "2017-02-01T01:17:23Z")
I’m disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/51 "2017-02-01T01:17:59Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I’m disappointed. Why? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/52 "2017-02-01T01:19:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He’ll be approved with much noise and ruckus from the Dems. > > Probably more of a showdown next time around. I would think so. What are the Dem talking points against him? ---
**Author:** ![arfurvirus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@arfurvirus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arfurvirus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/53 "2017-02-01T01:20:36Z")
Great choice! Scalia Jr. "the constitution is **not** a living document. He’s against legislating from the bench too. Solid pick. Once he is through, Thomas will retire. Ginsberg has a foot in the grave already… the SCOTUS is looking up. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/54 "2017-02-01T01:26:19Z")
> [@arfurvirus](#): > > Great choice! Scalia Jr. "the constitution is **not** a living document. He’s against legislating from the bench too. > > Solid pick. Once he is through, Thomas will retire. Ginsberg has a foot in the grave already… the SCOTUS is looking up. 😃 Does “legislating from the bench” include striking down the Voting Rights Act that the Congress had just passed? Because less of that crap would be great. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/55 "2017-02-01T01:26:52Z")
Why am I relieved that he didn’t appoint a sovereign citizen? Anyway, given the fact that he is strong on originalism I think this is as positive as it could get with a Trump nominee. Not that I want an ultra-conservative judge but maybe this is the early stages of stockholm syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/56 "2017-02-01T01:28:17Z")
A safe choice. Imho He shares Scalia’s judicial philosophy. Doesn’t seem to hold any extreme views. I’m pleasantly surprised with this pick. Trump could have picked someone a lot more controversial. > **[President Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/31/politics/donald-trump-supreme-court-nominee/index.html)** > > President Donald Trump will nominate Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, Trump announced Tuesday night at the White House. > [@](#): > > Unlike others on Trump’s list, Gorsuch has an Ivy League pedigree, having attended Columbia and Harvard, and also studied at Oxford, where he earned a doctorate in legal philosophy. > > Gorsuch is a fourth generation Coloradan and a former clerk to both Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/57 "2017-02-01T01:33:10Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You mean he’s not going to nominate Bannon? Or his son? Or himself? > > Small steps! I am surprise Trump didn’t have himself clone to fill in his whole cabinet and supreme judge ! ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/58 "2017-02-01T01:47:31Z")
I just got a form email asking me to contact my congressman to tell him that I oppose Judge Gorsuch as he is a radical supporter of corporations and will be a part of “Trump’s Corporate Court.” 🙂 It’s not even been one hour! The email couldn’t even have been composed in that time! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/59 "2017-02-01T01:57:07Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I just got a form email asking me to contact my congressman to tell him that I oppose Judge Gorsuch as he is a radical supporter of corporations and will be a part of “Trump’s Corporate Court.” > > 🙂 > > It’s not even been one hour! The email couldn’t even have been composed in that time! Didn’t we know Trump had narrowed it down to two – _maybe_ three – guys well in advance of this announcement? If so, then the folks in question could’ve just as easily researched the candidates and composed two or three e-mails in advance likewise. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/60 "2017-02-01T01:59:49Z")
> [@arfurvirus](#): > > Great choice! Scalia Jr. "the constitution is **not** a living document. He’s against legislating from the bench too. Scalia legislated from the bench a great deal of the time. Scalia was also, as most “originalists” are, really quite flexible on that notion. He was an originalist when it suited him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665.md?page=4)