# 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:** 4
**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, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/61 "2017-02-01T02:02:02Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > 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. Please, let’s not re-litigate that. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/62 "2017-02-01T02:06:26Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > 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. I don’t recall a president announcing a pick this way, but maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Did Obama interrupt everybody’s prime time television viewing when he announced Garland? What about other presidents? ---
**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, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/63 "2017-02-01T02:07:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Please, let’s not re-litigate that. I understand cringing at this but I will when people bring up how great Scalia and his originalism were and that’s just what we need again. ---
**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, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/64 "2017-02-01T02:13:01Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > 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. Correct. There is a protest outside the Supreme Court building and a protester is holding a printed sign saying “Neil Gorsuch: Extreme and Dangerous.” Did these paid protestors have 21 different templates printed? Thomas Hardison: Extreme and Dangerous. William Pryor: Extreme and Dangerous, etc. I guess the “Extreme and Dangerous” is good enough until actual talking points are made. ---
**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, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/65 "2017-02-01T02:22:30Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Correct. There is a protest outside the Supreme Court building and a protester is holding a printed sign saying “Neil Gorsuch: Extreme and Dangerous.” > > Did these paid protestors have 21 different templates printed? Thomas Hardison: Extreme and Dangerous. William Pryor: Extreme and Dangerous, etc. > > I guess the “Extreme and Dangerous” is good enough until actual talking points are made. They very well might have. Trump’s list was published a while ago. Plenty of time to research and print signs. Heck, a laptop and a portable printer and some Elmer’s Glue and you can have a professional looking sign in a couple minutes. Or, you know, some cardboard and a marker can make a sign on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/66 "2017-02-01T02:29:50Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Correct. There is a protest outside the Supreme Court building and a protester is holding a printed sign saying “Neil Gorsuch: Extreme and Dangerous.” > > Did these paid protestors have 21 different templates printed? Thomas Hardison: Extreme and Dangerous. William Pryor: Extreme and Dangerous, etc. > > I guess the “Extreme and Dangerous” is good enough until actual talking points are made. You opposed Garland the day he was nominated on the grounds that he was a moderate instead of a conservative, observing that nominations shouldn’t pretend to be above politics any more. Just, you know, FYI! ---
**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, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/67 "2017-02-01T02:47:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Why? His record on guns is not strong enough - mostly non existent. I’m weary that he could turn out to be another Kennedy or worse, Souter. ---
**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, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/68 "2017-02-01T02:55:53Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > His record on guns is not strong enough - mostly non existent. I’m weary that he could turn out to be another Kennedy or worse, Souter. If he is confirmed [538 pegs him as the most conservative member of the court](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-trumps-nominee-will-alter-the-supreme-court/) aside from Thomas. I have not read all his decisions (and never will) and I have no idea of his stance on gun control but his conservative credentials seem pretty solid. You never know I guess and there are no promises he won’t take all your guns but if I were a betting man I would bet he will be on the side of gun owners. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/69 "2017-02-01T03:04:47Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I have no problem with dems stopping any Trump nomination forever. And then the opposition party blocking any nominee of the next President (whichever way that goes)? And the next one? And the one after that? How far do we take this? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/70 "2017-02-01T03:07:10Z")
I thought you weren’t supposed to nominate a justice in your final year as president. Trump seems to be breaking this new tradition. ---
**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, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/71 "2017-02-01T03:10:18Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > And then the opposition party blocking any nominee of the next President (whichever way that goes)? And the next one? And the one after that? > > How far do we take this? Till the republicans give the dems back the one they took. Otherwise how does it play out? Republicans got the initiative so endlessly block dem nominations then tell the dems they have to play nice when the tables are turned? Also, there is nothing that says the Supreme Court must have nine justices. It ran for a long time with fewer. Would be best with an odd number though. ---
**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, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/72 "2017-02-01T05:41:34Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I thought you weren’t supposed to nominate a justice in your final year as president. Trump seems to be breaking this new tradition. I don’t care what anybody says, that’s funny right there. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/73 "2017-02-01T05:41:40Z")
Gorsuch was the youngest of the 3 nominee candidates (others being Pryor and Hardiman.) ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/74 "2017-02-01T05:46:44Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I don’t recall a president announcing a pick this way, but maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Did Obama interrupt everybody’s prime time television viewing when he announced Garland? What about other presidents? No, this is novel, but expect it to be repeated. While many Trump supporters hoped that President Trump would run government like a business, he will in fact run it like a reality television show. So, lots of heavily-trailed live coverage of cliffhanger appointments. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/75 "2017-02-01T05:48:46Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > His record on guns is not strong enough - mostly non existent. I’m weary that he could turn out to be another Kennedy or worse, Souter. What has Anthony Kennedy done wrong on guns? Are Heller and McDonald not enough now? > [@UDS](#): > > No, this is novel, but expect it to be repeated. While many Trump supporters hoped that President Trump would run government like a business, he will in fact run it like a reality television show. So, lots of heavily-trailed live coverage of cliffhanger appointments. Reality TV is, arguably, his _most successful_ business venture. ---
**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, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/76 "2017-02-01T05:53:00Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > His record on guns is not strong enough - mostly non existent. I’m weary that he could turn out to be another Kennedy or worse, Souter. I don’t see anything in his resume that would indicate Souter. > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I thought you weren’t supposed to nominate a justice in your final year as president. Trump seems to be breaking this new tradition. > [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I don’t care what anybody says, that’s funny right there. Agreed. I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/77 "2017-02-01T06:07:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Please, let’s not re-litigate that. Hahaha. That, sir, was a good one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/78 "2017-02-01T06:07:45Z")
He did write a strong defense of fourth amendment rights in [United States vs. Carloss](https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?q=United+States+v.+Carloss&hl=en&as_sdt=6,33&case=4429129744961041669&scilh=0). ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/79 "2017-02-01T08:15:42Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Till the republicans give the dems back the one they took. Dems need to be the bigger party for the good of the country, which I guess means ignoring the lessons of the iterated prisoner’s dilemma. Or maybe they can console themselves by saying they’re playing tit-for-tat with forgiveness. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665/80 "2017-02-01T08:46:34Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I thought you weren’t supposed to nominate a justice in your final year as president. Trump seems to be breaking this new tradition. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Please, let’s not re-litigate that. The funny is strong with the Dope this morning! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-first-supreme-court-nominee/778665.md?page=5)