Earlier today President Donald Trump held a press availability to announce the list of names he would use to select the next Supreme Court nominee. [List Follows Transcript] Additionally, President Trump delivered remarks on his response to COVID-19.
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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, my fellow Americans. Apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make. For this reason, candidates for President owe the American people a specific list of the individuals they consider for the United States Supreme Court.
Four years ago, I announced my first list of highly qualified candidates and promised to fill Justice Scalia’s vacant seat from among — from among those names.
Just days after my inauguration, I kept that promise when I nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch. And, as you know, he has been very spectacular. A year later, I nominated and the Senate confirmed another outstanding justice, Brett Kavanaugh.
By the end of my first term, we will have confirmed a record number of federal judges — over 300 — all of whom will faithfully uphold our Constitution as written.
What has always made America exceptional is our reverence for the impartial rule of law. People have come here from all over the world to pursue the American Dream based on this sacred principle.
Equality under the law is the bedrock of our society. It is the principle that inspired American heroes to abolish slavery and end segregation, secure civil rights, and build the most free and just nation in history.
Unfortunately, there is a growing radical-left movement that rejects the principle of equal treatment under law. If this extreme movement is granted a majority on the Supreme Court, it will fundamentally transform America without a single vote of Congress.
Radical justices will erase the Second Amendment, silence political speech, and require taxpayers to fund extreme late-term abortion. They will give unelected bureaucrats that power to destroy millions of American jobs. They will remove the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. They will unilaterally declare the death penalty unconstitutional, even for the most depraved mass murderers. They will erase national borders, cripple police departments, and grant new protections to anarchists, rioters, violent criminals, and terrorists.
In the recent past, many of our most treasured freedoms, including religious liberty, free speech, and the right to keep and bear arms, have been saved by a single vote on the United States Supreme Court. Our cherished rights are at risk, including the right to life and our great Second Amendment.
Over the next four years, America’s President will choose hundreds of federal judges, and, in all likelihood, one, two, three, and even four Supreme Court justices. The outcome of these decisions will determine whether we hold fast to our nation’s founding principles or whether they are lost forever.
That is why today I am announcing 20 additions to my original list of candidates for the United States Supreme Court. Should there be another vacancy on the Supreme Court during my presidency, my nominee will come from the names I have shared with the American public, including the original list and these 20 additions.
Joe Biden has refused to release his list, perhaps because he knows the names are so extremely far left that they could never withstand public scrutiny or receive acceptance.
He must release a list of justices for people to properly make a decision as to how they will vote. It is very important that he do so.
My original list of potential justices include many of our nation’s brightest legal minds, such as Bill Pryor, Amy Coney Barrett, and Thomas Hardiman. Outstanding people. Like those distinguished individuals, the 20 additions I am announcing today would be jurists in the mold of Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito.
Their names are as follows:
* Bridget Bade of Arizona, judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
* Daniel Cameron of Kentucky, Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
* Paul Clement of Virginia, former Solicitor General of the United States
* Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas
* Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
* Stuart Kyle Duncan of Louisiana, judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
* Steven Engel of the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice
* Noel Francisco, former Solicitor General of the United States
* Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri
* James Ho of Texas, judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
* Gregory Katsas of Virginia, judge on the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals
* Barbara Lagoa of Florida, judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
* Christopher Landau of Maryland, United States Ambassador to Mexico
* Carlos Muñiz of Florida, justice on the Supreme Court of Florida
* Martha Pacold of Illinois, judge on the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
* Peter Phipps of Pennsylvania, judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
* Sarah Pitlyk of Missouri, judge on the District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
* Allison Jones Rushing of North Carolina, judge on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
* Kate Todd of Virginia, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President
* Lawrence VanDyke of Nevada, judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Every one of these individuals will ensure equal justice, equal treatment, and equal rights for citizens of every race, color, religion, and creed. Together, we will defend our righteous heritage and preserve our magnificent American way of life.
Thank you. God Bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Q Mr. President, why did you intentionally downplay the —
Does anybody have any questions on the judges? Please.
Q I do, sir. Why did —
THE PRESIDENT: Anybody? On the judges? Excuse me. Any questions? They’re outstanding people. Very important decision.
Very important that Joe Biden put up potential nominees. I think it’s a very important thing for our country that he do that.
Okay? Please, go ahead. Do you have a question? Question?
Q Mr. President, have you spoken to these candidates?
Q Mr. President, can you address the concerns from the Woodward book in regards to whether — did you mislead the public by saying that you downplayed the coronavirus and that you repeatedly did that in order to reduce panic? Did you mislead the public?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think if you said “in order to reduce panic,” perhaps that’s so. The fact is, I’m a cheerleader for this country, I love our country, and I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic, as you say. And certainly, I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy.
We want to show confidence. We want to show strength. We want to show strength as a nation. And that’s what I’ve done. And we’ve done very well. We’ve done well from any standard. You look at our numbers, compared to other countries, other parts of the world. It’s been an amazing job that we’ve done.
I think it’s very sad, in many respects, because the incredible individuals working so hard on it, including our Vice President, they’ve done this great job. They haven’t been acknowledged by the news media — and they should — for the job we’ve done. Whether it’s ventilators — and now, you’ll see very soon, with vaccines and with therapeutics, the job we’ve done has been incredible.
Q But, Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: But we don’t want to — we don’t want to instill panic. We don’t want to jump up and down and start shouting that we have a problem that is a — a tremendous problem — scare everybody.
And I’ll tell you the other thing: We immediately started buying. All over the world, we started buying masks and gowns and everything else. And we don’t want to cause pricing to go up to a level that becomes almost unaffordable. So —
Q But, Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, in that sense — so, in that sense, I agree with it.
Yeah, please.
Q Mr. President, how do you reassure the American public, going forward, that they can trust what you’re saying?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that’s really a big part of trust. We have to have leadership. We have to show leadership. And the last thing you want to do is create a panic in the country. This was a horrible thing. It was sent to us by China. It should not have happened — should never have happened. This is a disgusting, terrible situation that was foisted upon us.
And we have to show — we just don’t want to use — the best word is “panic.” We don’t want to have to show panic. We’re not going to show panic. And that’s exactly what I did. And I was very open — whether it’s to Woodward or anybody else. It’s just another political hit job. But whether it was Woodward or anybody else, you cannot show a sense of panic or you’re going to have bigger problems than you ever had before.
Please.
Q Respectfully, sir, your comments amounted to more than trying to reduce panic, sir. On February 7th, you told Woodward —
THE PRESIDENT: Please, please.
Q — “It’s more deadly than [even] your strenuous flu.” But —
THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me, he’s — he’s going.
Q But then, publicly, you weren’t saying that at all.
THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead, please.
Q Look, Mr. President, don’t you think if you were more forthright with the American, more lives could have been saved? Do you take responsibility at all for some of the 200,000 deaths that we’ve had?
THE PRESIDENT: So, I think if we didn’t do what we did, we would have had millions of people die. We closed up our country. We closed it up very, very quickly, very effectively. We did a job. We learned about this horrible disease, along with the rest of the world, which had to learn about it. And then we opened it up. And now we know the vulnerable; we know who it attacks, who it’s so vicious against. And I think we’ve done, from every standpoint, a — a incredible job.
We shouldn’t have lost anybody. Nobody should have lost — China released something that they shouldn’t have been allowed to re- — they should not have released. It came out of China. It went to Europe. It went all over the world. It should have never happened. They could have stopped it. They stopped it from going into the remainder of China. It started in Wuhan, and they stopped it. But they didn’t stop it from coming to our country.
Now, we had to show calm. We had to show — you know, if it was up to you or whoever — I have no idea what he said in the book. And again, it’s a book that — I gave him some quotes and, frankly, we’ll see how the book turned out. I have no idea. You’re asking me questions for the first time.
But, again, the last thing we can show is panic or excitement or fear or anything else. We had to take care of the — we had to take care of the situation we were given.
Now, long before anybody else wanted to do it, I closed our borders to a very heavily infected China. If I didn’t do that, we would have had hundreds of thousands more people die. Dr. Fauci said it. Many people said it. It was a great decision. It was a decision I made and I had to make.
It was a decision that a lot of people thought I was wrong. Nancy Pelosi said I was wrong. Joe Bo- — Biden said I was wrong. They all came back, and they said it was the right decision. And I was way early. That was in January. The end of January, I did that.
So that was a very good thing we did. Otherwise, we would have had hundreds of thousands more. But if we didn’t close the country, we would have been talking about millions of people, instead of the numbers that we have right now.
Go ahead.
Q Mr. President, you mentioned that you were trying to avoid price gouging. But you mentioned to Bob Woodward that you recognized, as this virus spread through the air, in — on February 7th — you didn’t begin Project Air Bridge until March; you didn’t use the Defense Production Act until March; you didn’t start ramping up ventilator production until March.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I mean, you didn’t — you didn’t really think it was going to be to the point where it was. All of a sudden, the world was infected. The entire world was infected. Everyone was scrambling around, looking where to buy facemasks and all of the other things.
We’ve opened up factories. We’ve had tremendous success with facemasks and with shields and with the ventilators. We’re now supplying the rest of the world. We have all the ventilators we can use.
And remember this: The ventilators were very important. Not one person that needed a ventilator didn’t get it. And these are very complex, expensive machines to make. We opened up something like hadn’t been done since the Second World War. We — honestly, we’ve done a — an incredible job.
But we don’t want to run around, screaming, shouting, “Oh, look at this. Look at this.” We have to show leadership. And leadership is all about confidence. And confidence is confidence in our country.
And our people have been great. We’ve been put through a lot by China. By releasing this, by having this come here, we were put through a lot. They could have done something about it, and they chose not to.
I am very honored to have presented to you today a list of 20 incredible people. And we will talk later. I’m sure we’ll be meeting later in the day.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Bridget Bade is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to her appointment in 2019, Judge Bade was a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Arizona and an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. Judge Bade served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Judge Bade earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Arizona State University and her J.D., cum laude, from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.
Daniel Cameron is the 51st Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Before his election in 2019, Attorney General Cameron practiced law with Frost Brown Todd, LLC and served as Legal Counsel to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He served as a law clerk to Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Attorney General Cameron received his B.S. from the University of Louisville and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.
Tom Cotton is a United States Senator for the State of Arkansas. Prior to his election in 2014, Senator Cotton served as a Member in the United States House of Representatives and in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Captain while serving in both Iraq with the 101st Airborne and in Afghanistan with a Provincial Reconstruction Team. Prior to his military service, Senator Cotton practiced law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP. Senator Cotton served as a law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Paul Clement is a partner with Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. He previously served as Solicitor General of the United States and has argued over 100 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. He served as a law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge Laurence Silberman on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Mr. Clement received his B.S.F.S., summa cum laude, from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service; his M.Phil. from Cambridge University; and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Ted Cruz is a United States Senator for the State of Texas. Prior to his election in 2012, Senator Cruz was a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP and served as Solicitor General of Texas. Senator Cruz served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist on the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge J. Michael Luttig on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Senator Cruz received his A.B., cum laude, from Princeton University and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Stuart Kyle Duncan is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Before his appointment in 2018, he was a partner at Schaerr Duncan, LLP and General Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Earlier in his career, Judge Duncan served as Solicitor General of Louisiana. Judge Duncan served as a law clerk to Judge John M. Duhé, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Louisiana State University; his J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University; and his LL.M. from Columbia University Law School.
Steven Engel is the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel of the United States Department of Justice. Prior to his appointment in 2017, Mr. Engel was a partner with Dechert, LLP and previously served in the Office of Legal Counsel as Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Mr. Engel served as a law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court of the United States and to Judge Alex Kozinski on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Engel earned his A.B., summa cum laude, from Harvard College; his M. Phil. from Cambridge University; and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
Noel Francisco is the former Solicitor General of the United States. Prior to his appointment in 2017, Mr. Francisco was a partner at Jones Day and served in the Office of Legal Counsel as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and as Associate Counsel to the President. Mr. Francisco served as a law clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge J. Michael Luttig on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Mr. Francisco received his B.A., with honors, from the University of Chicago and his J.D., with high honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.
Josh Hawley is a United States Senator for the State of Missouri. Prior to his election in 2018, Senator Hawley served as Attorney General of the State of Missouri, was an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri School of Law, and was an attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Senator Hawley served as a law clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts on the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge Michael McConnell on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He received his B.A., with honors, from Stanford University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
James Ho is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Prior to his appointment in 2018, Judge Ho was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP and served as Solicitor General of Texas. Judge Ho clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge Jerry Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his B.A., with honors, from Stanford University and his J.D., with high honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.
Gregory Katsas is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Prior to his appointment in 2017, Judge Katsas served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President. He was previously a partner at Jones Day and served in senior positions in the United States Department of Justice, including as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division and Acting Associate Attorney General. Judge Katsas served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, both at the Supreme Court of the United and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and to Judge Edward Becker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Judge Katsas earned his A.B., cum laude, from Princeton University and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Barbara Lagoa is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Before her appointment in 2019, Judge Lagoa was a Justice on the Supreme Court of Florida. She also served as District Judge on the Florida Third District Court of Appeal and as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Judge Lagoa earned her B.A., cum laude, from Florida International University and her J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Christopher Landau is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Mexican States. Prior to his appointment in 2019, Ambassador Landau was a partner with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and, before that, headed the Appellate Litigation Practice Group at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. Ambassador Landau served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, both on the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and to Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States. He received his A.B., summa cum laude, from Harvard College and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Carlos Muñiz is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Florida. Prior to his appointment in 2019, Justice Muñiz served as General Counsel to the United States Department of Education and in various positions in the Florida State government, including as Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Justice Muñiz served as a law clerk to Judge Jose Cabranes on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and to Judge Thomas Flannery on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Justice Muñiz received his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
Martha Pacold is a Judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Prior to her appointment in 2019, Judge Pacold served as both Deputy General Counsel of the Department of the Treasury. Earlier in her career, Judge Pacold was a partner at Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott, LLP and served as Counsel to the Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice. Judge Pacold served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States, to Judge Jay Bybee of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and to Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judge Pacold earned her B.A., with highest distinction, from Indiana University, and her J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.
Peter Phipps is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Prior to his elevation in 2019, Judge Phipps served as United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Before taking the bench, Judge Phipps served as Senior Trial Counsel in the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division at the United States Department of Justice. Judge Phipps served as a law clerk to Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He earned both his B.S. and his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Dayton and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Sarah Pitlyk is a Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Prior to her appointment in 2019, Judge Pitlyk was Special Counsel at the Thomas More Society and in private practice at Clark & Sauer, LLC. Ms. Pitlyk served as a law clerk to then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Boston College; her M.A.’s from Georgetown University and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium; and her J.D. from Yale Law School.
Allison Jones Rushing is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Prior to her appointment in 2019, Judge Rushing was a partner at Williams & Connolly, LLP. Judge Rushing clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court of the United States, Judge David Sentelle on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and then-Judge Neil Gorsuch on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Judge Rushing earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Wake Forest University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Duke University School of Law.
Kate Todd is Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President. Before her appointment in 2019, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel of the United States Chamber Litigation Center and as a partner at what was previously Wiley Rein & Fielding, LLP. Ms. Todd served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Ms. Todd earned her B.A., with distinction, from Cornell University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Lawrence VanDyke is a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Prior to his appointment earlier this year, Judge VanDyke served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the United States Department of Justice. Earlier in his career, Judge VanDyke served as both Solicitor General of Nevada and Solicitor General of Montana. Judge VanDyke served as a law clerk to Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He earned his B.S., with highest honors, from Montana State University; his B.Th., summa cum laude, from Bear Valley Bible Institute; and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
DNA Ratcliffe, this is your cue to watch for the illegal searches that will surely come from all angles on these individuals, as they did before. BE ON ALERT!
Am I crazy to ask about Jonathan Turley?
A Dem to be sure, but one who knows Constitutional Law and interprets it as written.
He was the only Dem to defend the President when the Constitutionality of (I can’t remember what, there’s been so many…) was up for debate.
It might be seen as a nonpartisan hand up?
That’s an interesting proposition. He has an inquisitive mind and certainly knows the constitution. He lacks the judicial experience which is probably needed for the highest court in the land.
Ginsberg didn’t grow her career in the court system. She taught at university, then worked for the ACLU when she was selected by Carter for the Court of Appeals, a big career jump. Once might argue she lacked the constitutional rigor to be on a court, and may have spent much of her time at uni and ACLU formulating her progressive stances independent of the constitution.
She then served on the district court for 13 years when she was plucked by Clinton (Hillary I would argue) to serve on the SC. Her constitutional background had not been particularly strong before promotion to her current job since she had only been on the court for 13 years, and she even today, seems to rule based on progressive stances formulated from her earlier career.
So it would seem some very strong court experience that over time tests and grows one’s constitutional knowledge may produce some better SC candidates. Nominating someone with a strong and lengthy court background allows those making judicial appointments to also review their long court record and rulings, so you know pretty much what you are getting before the Senate takes up the vote.
In Turley’s case, he’s somewhat of a white canvas with no paint. But I respect his mind quite a bit. Good question you ask.
Historically, the path to SCOTUS did NOT run exclusively through the lower courts, as it has in more recent times.
Former Govenors, having some practical political experience, and others have served, and served well.
I am not sure there is even a LEGAL requirement that a SCOTUS Judge have a law degree.
I am not the first to ‘argue’ for more career diversity on the Court, and from PDJT’s list, with Cruz and Hawley, etc.its apperent he has heard and agrees.
Good to see, SOME potential nominees with experience OUTSIDE the courts.
Yup. Especially since not only has education become marxist indoctrination, but Law, Journalism and Education Depts and colleges have been a specific focus for such infiltration.
Marxists ARE crazy,….but they ain’t STUPID.
Speaking of Ginsberg, does the President know that she’s already gone or very close to it and he is gauging how the public will react to him making a nomination this close to the election? Make a deal with the Turtle – you get my SCOTUS nominee through and I won’t go after you and your wife?
No, you are not crazy. I also have often thought of Jonathan Turley. He has stuck his neck out for sure for going against the rabid left on their opinions. At least he is sane and if it comes to having to nominate a “moderate” he would definitely be better than any of the on the court. Maybe he should be included for “diversity” but it might not go over well with conservatives in this climate. I’ve also thought of John Yoo of Stanford U. He’s a Bush Republican but lately he has come around to Trump and has advised him on some things. He may have some baggage related to the “torture memos” concerning Iraq. He is sometimes on Fox.
If you keep a rattle snake as a pet, it’s a fact that it’s going to bite you sooner or later.
Look at the Agriculture Sec in Florida…that hasn’t worked out too well for the people either.
Jonathan Turkey is this generation’s Pat Moyniham . . . a demonrat who sometimes talks some conservative talk, but when the chips are down ALWAYS sides with the far leftists.
Pfooey on Turkey!
As a lib, though, he’d see the Constitution as “living document” and we know where that has led.
Trump could nominate Turley for his temperment, which seems moderate and he has been fair to Trump, although he does not politically fit the bill. But the only reason to pick a dem would be because he had to compromise on a real conservative, if the votes would not go his way otherwise.
What happened to Amy Coney Barrett?
I believe these names are in addition to the existing list put forth by the president. So, a selection could come from that pool or from these new additions. If I have this wrong hopefully someone will clarify or confirm!
“That is why today I am announcing 20 additions to my original list of candidates for the United States Supreme Court. Should there be another vacancy on the Supreme Court during my presidency, my nominee will come from the names I have shared with the American public, including the original list and these 20 additions.” From the transcript.
Yomin you are right!
Justice Barrett will be named in Justice Ginsburg’s place.
He named her at the beginning, the three from the original list. Thomas Hardiman from my state of PA is one of the three,
I wouldn’t be surprised at Barrett being nominated. Why else would have Trump mentioned her name specifically?
I’m sure all have said they were still interested, even after they saw what happened last time.
That is exactly what I’m hoping for.
Barrett scares me. I don’t like her recent decision on siding with Antifa over Christian worshipers. That tells me more than anything else ever could.
If you actually read the article/transcript, it says a couple times that this list is in addition to the prior list, and he specifically called out Bill Pryor, Amy Coney Barrett, and Thomas Hardiman from the original list.
Yeah, i guess Sullivan didn’t make the list
IMHO, Sullivan is on a list alright…..just not this list.
Historically, the path to SCOTUS did NOT run exclusively through the lower courts, as it has in more recent times.
Former Govenors, having some practical political experience, and others have served, and served well.
I am not sure there is even a LEGAL requirement that a SCOTUS Judge have a law degree.
I am not the first to ‘argue’ for more career diversity on the Court, and from PDJT’s list, with Cruz and Hawley, etc.its apperent he has heard and agrees.
Good to see, SOME potential nominees with experience OUTSIDE the courts.
Darn phone messed up, posted comment below in the,wrong place.
What I MEANT to say is,Judge Emmet Sullivan is certainly on MY list.
Not at the VERY top,…but he’s there all right!
Sullivan is on the top of Biden’s list…
Biden doesn’t have a list, he doesn’t have a CLUE! His ‘minders’ might like Sullivan, but HE thinks they are talking about ED!
No, Sullivans on my list, along with Mitch, Chuck, Nanzi and Paul….
For climbing 13 steps, or tar and feathering,…perhaps defenestration, long a favorite of mine, although I only recently learned it had such a neat name!
Buy, Sully isn’t doing this on his own, he is being directed. I want those doing the directing.
Mine too. The sh*t list.
EXACTLY. The “Defenestration” or “People I would REALLY like to throw out a window, but only if it was at LEAST 8 floors up” list.
Only 8? ?
I figure 8 pretty good chance he won’t be able to dispute my account, that je tripped and fell through the window “right in front of me, I couldn’t do anything, it was TERRIBLE!”
MINIMUM of 8-10, I’d say,. .
That works. Plus there are plenty of buildings that high. I was thinking much higher, say, 30+ stories so that there wasn’t much left to scrape up off the pavement. After all, it’ll take a 180 lb person over 1,400 feet to reach terminal velocity in free fall. >>Splat!<<
Buried as well. Good thinking!
🙂 Give them a few seconds to contemplate the errors of their ways, that led to their predicament, on the way down, as well.
I was going to say “make peace with God, but most worship another eternal, and I suspect he isn’t very forgiving of FAILURE,…
Exactly! The Defenestration or “People I would REALLY like to toss out a window, as long as it was at LEAST 8 floors up” list.
He’s not eligible for the Supreme Court, since he’d end up being a judge on his own case against Flynn, lol.
Why would you want to chance losing a senate seat like the episode with Jeff Sessions by appointing a current senator to the SC when there are plenty of Conservative federal judges with a track record to choose from?
With the number of names on the list, I tend to doubt the senators would be in serious consideration. I think it is more for effect on the reactions from the propagandist teams and getting Dementia Joe to make stupid comments.
On the other hand, the senators would not be bad choices either, and could help keep the SCOTUS more in line with the Constitution for a longer time than a President’s terms in office.
Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, but no Mike Lee. Interesting.
Mike Lee loves giving away American jobs to Indians too much
And he’s moved away from his support from Pres. Trump when Pres. Trump didn’t put him on the SCOTUS List 4 yrs. ago
I don’t know if it has anything to do with it, but I think he started moving away from Trump, or pretending to, when Mitt Romney came to town.
Hawley for President; Cruz for SCOTUS.
I love josh hawley. Good man and would make a great Supreme Court Justice or a President. For the next president, though, I would love to see Thomas Massey. He also stands up for the constitution, even when he’s the only one in the crowd and all his cohorts are mad at him. Research him. When PTrump called him a 3rd rate hack, and Massey said, that’s not right, I’m, at least 2nd rate, I laughed so hard and started researching him. I’m completely impressed.
Let President Pence nominate Lee, if he chooses.
Ted Cruz was considered a very good law student by Alan Dershowitz, I believe. Cruz might make a better jurist than politician.
As Texas Solicitor General, Ted Cruz argued 9 cases at SCOTUS . He was in his 30’s.
Just to watch heads explode.
This is a master stroke by President Trump.
Not mentioning Mike Lee was extremely wise. Remember he was one of the Never Trumpers on the convention floor, also favors Big Tech and out sourcing. Simply not compatible with the MAGA agenda. Now he has come along way since 2016, but I still don’t trust him at all.
Mentioning a few Senators, like Ted Cruz is smart politics. What you have to remember, is there are still some squishy die-hard Conservatives, that don’t like President Trump because of his tweets and tone etc. I know it sounds ridiculous but i’m afraid they are stuck on that. However, these same people really like Ted Cruz etc. By adding him to the list, he has just given these numskulls a reason to get off their backside and vote holding their nose for the President.
I also really like how it puts pressure on the Dems, they will never produce a list, because it will expose how extreme left they are, even to people who don’t pay much attention to politics, and push some Catholics, or evangelical hold outs into the arms of President Trump.
This is very smart politics and remember chances are he has put some people on that list he has no intention of picking, but it causes the left to go into meltdown LOL 🙂
The late Phyllis Schlafly thought Ted Cruz would be perfect for the Supreme Court. She was spot-on about many things, so I always remembered her remarks about Ted Cruz for the Supreme Court.
Dershowitz says Sen. Cruz has one of the best legal minds he has ever taught.
I bet Sen. Cruz is the only senator to call McConnell A LIAR out on the Senate floor (back in the Tea Party days).
In a state like Texas, there are plenty of republican candidates to replace him. Also, his relatively young age could give him 30 to 40 years on the bench.
And as a Hispanic Canadian, he meets the “diversity” quota required by the left. LOL.
Not a lot of conservative judges. They are just not conservative when the pedal hits the metal. See Roberts.
Sure we can all make excuses for Roberts, but he was supposed to be a “conservative judge” as well and turned into a RINO.
Now we need a Cotton or a Cruz in there. Hands down. They have political instincts but will respect the constitution.
I agree with the last part of your comment but I don’t think Roberts was ever seriously considered a conservative. He was a Bush appointee, which should have been a caution signal to everyone. There was hope he’d be a conservative, but obviously he isn’t.
President Trump went with the info he had at the time. Turns out the info was wrong. The virus isn’t and never was ‘airborne.’ Nor is it or was it 5 times as deadly as the flu. The info was wrong and it’s a good thing President Trump didn’t panic the public.
I think that’s what we should be taking away from all of this.
This is what I’m so frustrated at, igbmiel. He went with what the corruptocrats at the cdc said and he seems to be doubling down on the vaccine crap. I want him to come out and say he was fed erroneous crap by these money buddies of bill gates. I’m especially mad at pence, being the head of the task force and not bringing on these front line doctors who are using things that work, instead of being used by people who are more than willing to let people die in search of political points, power and money. The fact that all these democrat states are being allowed to keep drugs out of the hands of the people that need them and threatening doctors and pharmacists with their licenses is a disgusting abuse of power being allowed by Pence, as the head of the task force.
I hope whoever has been whispering in PT’s ear didn’t have any say in this. We need great Justices. He will pick at least two more in a second term.
Sydney Powell, Conrad Black?
My first thought was Sidney Powell. Although, Mike Flynn isn’t out of the woods yet, is he? Please Ms Powell, get Flynn off leash so he can obliterate those DC punks. Then we can use you in the highest court in the land!
I’d like her as Director of the FBI OR as AG for DOJ or DAG.
But as a SCOTUS justice she’d have a lifetime appointment whereas in the other positions she’d be out as soon as a non-conservative president is elected, which most likely will not too long after President Trump’s final term is done. Powell should be in a position to impact the court for more than just a few years. However, we can mention whoever we like, it’s quite possible she may not want the job and be content in private practice.
Ted Cruz on this list for some other reason then a nomination ?
I would never consider Ted for many reason and the biggest reason is his wife and her past connections including her signing her name to a book relating to the North American Union that nobody talks about anymore.
SanJac,
Thanks for the reminder I forgot.
And with this list’s reading, heads of our enemies were seen to explode across the fruited plain. What a nice sight.
BOOM!
Well this is classic (private citizen) Mr. Donald J Trump.
“There is an empty lot over there and this is what I will build.”. To be certain, I grew up with him doing this type of projection all the time. Wollman Rink is falling into disrepair and the city cannot afford a huge union battle, “I can get it done and under budget, without issue.”
Although I recognize the move, and I see what he is doing, I am a little concerned about the timing; however, I concede he is quite good at knowing the “when” very well, and I trust him.
This is also out of the playbook of Mr. Roy Cohen Esq. It is an extremely pro-active method, that puts an opponent on their heels and backing up.
Certainly, I will need more time to process the list, but I do find the announcement very reminiscent of the old days. ?
I agree.This would be a crowning achievement for Mitch McConnell, who was there when Clarence Thomas was skewered.
I think this is the play: If Trump loses the election Justice Thomas retires and Mitch slams in another Justice before the end of the term.
In return, Justice Thomas gets to pick the next Justices including any that might be needed in the next term.
This also frees up Justice Thomas to head any Special Counsel role that may or may not be needed.
In any event, Trump sees around corners, so it is possible he knows something we don’t.
Very reasonable.
Now do we all still think Justice Anton S. put his own pillow on his face?
Just wondering.
I’ve never for one second thought he was anything but murdered in cold blood. Believe a Duck is a Duck when you see one.
Fauci has been huddling with Hillary. Is it any wonder President Trump gave info that may not have been 100% factual. Sort of like al-Brennan briefing the Gang of 8 individually. Why? Maybe 7 together and Nunes got his own briefing. 7 sets of talking points and one pack of lies disseminated by the CYA chief!
Harry Reid was individually briefed by Brennan, who likely gave him some part or all of the Steele Dossier because Reid turned around & gave a copy to Comey and demanded twice by letter to start an investigation into the Trump campaign.
He should have listed Barr…might light a fire under him
Barr is too old. Any nominee needs to be around 50, give or take a couple years, so as to be on the Court for decades.
As I recall, Trump brought in top medical minds to assess the situation and provide guidance. While he bears responsibility for all of the federal decisions, he did what was prudent. He sought input from the medial field, he followed their advice and he left the administration and implementation of the services to the states. Now they want him to be the fall guy for 200,000 deaths (10,000 are covid only deaths). Give me a break. Cuomo certainly is not responsible for anything that happened in New York. Newsom in California – the other liberal left wing governors who did everything they could to drive up the numbers. Woodward needs to go to the woodpile for his idioacy.
I would like Josh Hawley to stay right where he is. I think he’s one of the only people who can properly question Big Tech on their overreach with their platforms. His questions are excellent- very on point and I enjoy seeing the techies squirm.
I despise ALL so-called Republican Senators – – – no recess appointments says it all.
I’m with you there. 100%
Carrie: Me, too. He”s already sponsored some good ideas. I think he”s pretty good on anti-trust law, too…if the DOJ ever gets around to trying to break big tech companies up.
As I understand the two terms (originalist v textualist). if we want a Scalia type, we want an originalist, not a Gorsuch textualist.)
Now I wonder if Noel Francisco resigned his post as solicitor general in order to dampen the appearance of being the loyal partisan soldier.
Such an impressively bright man.
Bunch of disgusting vultures (the press corps). Hard to see how he puts up with them. You have my gratitude and my prayers, Mr. President.
I can see Tom Cotton on SCOTUS. He seems to have the serious, deliberate temperament.
No. He was at Sea Island, GA. He is a decepticon!
And he’s on the Senate Intel Committee where we suspect all members were/are in on the coup.
Biden’s list would probably include:
Both Obama’s
Hillary
Sally Yates
Loretta Lynch
And Weissman
?
You forgot Hunter.
LOL- yeah he’s so well rounded, fluent in Mandarin, an expert in oil and gas and that sneaky law degree!
No Italians? They tend to make very reliable justices. Or after Scalia and Alito is the quota filled?
They’re all busy guarding the Columbus statues.
One of my thoughts too, Tommy. Whatsamatta, Signore Trump . . . you no like-a Scalia and Alito? I’m a-tellin you this here list-a is a-no good! Let’s-a get some paisani on it . . . subito!
OMG love your comment. A+
Yes, we do! Alito and Scalia (along with perhaps one of the most incredible judicial minds ever, Just Thomas) have been the only saving grace on these joke of a SCOTUS rosters for a long time now.
The Narrative Control Establishment is determined to shift public focus back to Covid-19 to help out Biden. Predictable.
Great list…OBiden???
Notice Simms and their Cover Buddies don’t want to know about the potential nominees…
NOT 1 FREAKIN QUESTION??.
I don’t know: “Why did you add to your original list?” “were there any rulings that stand out to you?”
“Who advised you on this list?”
“We notice a few have worked in your administration…why did you place them on the list and not others?
It was a full on frontal attack today at the WH press conferences.
Almost as if the media had a prewritten script or something.
Nah.
45 gave them TRANSPARENCY!
And the media is too stupid & too blind to see the transparency & the truth.
Dems heads are gonna explode… They need more whistleblowers and hit piece books STAT !
Very good list. See the DNC & Biden.hide from this?
BTW, I can’t support Mr. Ho … he supports birthright citizenship for illegal aliens. (Wilipedia)
If we can get an A. Scalia-like person in their 40s… even better.
What about his son? Too inexperienced?
Good to know; strike him from my list below.
I read through the list and would eliminate anyone who got a degree from Harvard or Yale. That leaves Bade, Cameron, Duncan, Francisco, Ho, Lagoa, Pacold, Phipps, Jones
No Mr. Ho. Wikipedia says he is for birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Although I would normally agree littleflower, I have to admit even though Lawrence VanDyke ended up at Harvard Law- his path there was unconventional…
“He earned his B.S., with highest honors, from Montana State University; his B.Th., summa cum laude, from Bear Valley Bible Institute; and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.”
Admittedly, I don’t know much about most of these judges but their ties to Deep State institutions and people are a little concerning.
Most are Ivy League educated. Some are even affiliated with Cambridge University. Two are connected to Mitch McConnell. One worked for the DOJ civil rights division. One was connected to Pam Bondi. Cruz and Cotton are not trustworthy. Sadly, Hawley may not be either (has not recessed the Senate).
Clerking for Scalia doesn’t mean they are originalists. Remember, Scalia liked to pick liberal clerks to teach/challenge them.
Regardless, I hope someone trustworthy is going over all of their rulings with a fine tooth comb. And that who ever is chosen has a very long record to review!
I would imagine some got put on the list to appease others, but will truly NEVER be under real consideration.
Really glad to see that nine of these are not sitting judges.
Disgusting how fake news hyenas show zero interest in the serious topic of Supreme Court nominees (!) selections. Instead, they prattle on about some book that’s 180 degrees off topic.
As if American citizens care what Bob Woodward says about anything. He’s another globalist shill. Are these reporters from the National Enquirer? Does anyone take these morons seriously?
Like I posted earlier, nobody cares about their books and propaganda.
This will change no one’s minds. And it will even help Trump because it will wake up more people as to why they are not asking questions about the Supreme Court Justices but instead of a washed up author Woodward peddling a slanted hit job to join, Drudge, Bolton?
Again, no one cares.
That’s Woodturd.
Big, big oversight by President Trump . . . huge oversight. There are several U.S. Senators on the list, but not the best and brightest, the one we all rely on . . . Fightin’ Roy Blunt.
I hope someone on the Trump team corrects this big mistake . . . like RIGHT NOW!
You have used “Fightin’ Roy Blunt” many times, but I’ve never known whether you were serious about that title. Exactly what has Roy Blunt been fighting and has he been winning those fights?
Never heard of the man you espouse. There is a UNIParty Roy Blunt, who is nothing but hot air. He’s not worthy of shining even RBG’s shoes.
Fuggedaboutit.
Ted Cruz is not a natural born citizen. Yet, he has already tried once to usurp the presidency. Sooner or later, the NBC issue will come before the SCOTUS. We cannot afford to have anyone on that Court who we already know will vote contrary to the Framer’s original intent on that issue.
Having said that, I have to believe President Trump was laughing inside at his joke on Cruz by making him think he might possibly be considered worthy of being on that list.
BINGO!
@ TwoLaine… Thank you! I’ve noticed there are way too many Ted Cruz lovers here who apparently either do not understand why the NBC requirement was added to the Constitution; or, do not care that Cruz fails to meet the Framers’ criteria as to what must occur in order to become one: in no particular as they’re all equally necessary… 1. A US citizen father at the time the child is born; 2. A US citizen mother at the the time the child is born; and, 3. birth on US soil.
Someone mentioned he may not be appointed because of his wife, a HUGE GLOBALIST. I believe that.
Sorry Cruz. If not for your wife, I would think your chances are excellent. Cruz would vote with the globalists, 100 percent of the time.
Same with Cotton, if not for your membership on the failed Senate Intelligence Committee, your chances would have been excellent. Cotton was part of the coup.
None of these two choices make any sense , when looked at in this light.
God help this country.
This list contains people with backgrounds similar to those of Roberts and Gorsuch and who likely have similar views as Roberts and Gorsuch. Instead of doing the same thing again and again and getting country club Republicans, he should appoint someone who didn’t go to an Ivy league school and who hasn’t worked at an establishment law firm. Establishment law firms uniformly support the radical left agenda, and anyone high up at one of those firms should be suspect. And actual conservatives are rare at Ivy league schools. People who pretend to be conservative for political reasons, however, are more common.
Wasn’t Cruz on the wrong side of the funding for the wall? Trump has the legal authority to use National Emergencies to get the funding to build the wall , but some Conservatives in the Senate claim he doesn’t. Those who claim he doesn’t are wrong
“Q Mr. President, how do you reassure the American public, going forward, that they can trust what you’re saying?” That’s the equivalent of “when did you stop beating your wife?” It’s enough to make you want to barf.
Thanks for including these bios of the nominees. I watched the announcement. The ‘press’ corps are horrible.