Senate Majority Whip — and Judiciary Committee Chairman — Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Monday that President Joe Biden’s judicial picks thus far have been “more controversial” than he expected.
Durbin, who will preside over the first committee hearings for any potential Supreme Court nominee, is set to do exactly that following Justice Stephen Breyer’s announcement last week that he planned to retire at the end of the court’s current session.
“Asked if he thinks it’s gonna be harder for GOPers to criticize/oppose a Black woman for SCOTUS, Durbin notes some of Biden’s other court picks have been ‘more controversial than I anticipated,'” Bendery tweeted on Monday evening. “Me: ‘Is there a theme to them?’ Durbin: ‘Assertive women of color.'”
Asked if he thinks it’s gonna be harder for GOPers to criticize/oppose a Black woman for SCOTUS, Durbin notes some of Biden’s other court picks have been “more controversial than I anticipated.”
Me: Is there a theme to them?
Durbin: “Assertive women of color.”
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 31, 2022
Bendery added that, according to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, President Biden plans to invite Durbin and Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to meet with him at the White House to discuss his choice on Tuesday.
Biden is hosting Sens. Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley — the top Dem and GOPer on the Judiciary Committee — at the White House tomorrow to talk about filling Breyer’s SCOTUS seat, says @PressSec
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 31, 2022
While a number of possible choices to replace Breyer have been floated, Biden has made it clear that he intends to follow through on his campaign promise to nominate the first black woman to the Supreme Court — a promise that has sparked reactions on both sides of the aisle.
Critics have suggested that by limiting the field of potential nominees to one specific race and one specific gender, Biden has made the selection process both sexist and racist.
The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway explained: “President Biden pledging to be both racist and sexist, and discriminating against people who aren’t the preferred sex and race — something that, if any of the rest of us did that in our hiring decisions, would be not allowed. And yet he openly pledged it. I think people should strongly speak against such sexism and racism.”
“President Biden pledging to be both racist and sexist” pic.twitter.com/eSmclanilM
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 28, 2022
“The View” host Sunny Hostin argued that it was very important for Biden to follow through on the promise he made, arguing that it could shore up support from African American women voters.
With Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer retiring, @Sunny Hostin says “it’s a great time for [Biden] to change the narrative with the [Black] community”: “Keeping his promise to the community is very important.” https://t.co/mSZs91onxp pic.twitter.com/wvze4xXWMh
— The View (@TheView) January 27, 2022
“Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd explained that a battle over Biden’s eventual pick could reinvigorate voters who had lost their enthusiasm — and getting his pick confirmed would be a political win that could take some of the sting out of recent legislative losses.
WATCH: A successful Supreme Court nominee will give Pres. Biden a much-needed political win after stalling on voting rights and Build Back Better.
Replacing Breyer won’t change the Court’s conservative tilt, but it could change the narrative of Biden’s presidency. pic.twitter.com/GcsdE0Qo7x
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) January 31, 2022