Earlier today as he departed the white house for dual campaign stops in Ohio, President Trump stopped to make remarks and ¹take questions from the press pool.
[¹Note: as customary during his entire term, President Trump takes all questions and makes himself available without issue. Contrast availability to ultra-controlled Biden]
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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: So we’re going to Ohio. Things seem to be very good. We have been doing very well with the China virus, but they’ve had a pretty big spike in Europe, as you know, and UK in particular. And I’m sure they’ll have that under control, hopefully soon.
But we’re in very good shape. The vaccines are coming along. I just got a report: The vaccines are coming along rapidly. Therapeutics are coming along very well. And we’ll see what happens. But too bad about Europe. Too bad.
Q Is there a chance you would announce your Supreme Court pick before Friday?
THE PRESIDENT: I would say on Friday or Saturday I’ll be announcing the pick. It’s — five women are being looked at and vetted very carefully. Five. And we’ll make a decision probably Saturday, but Friday or Saturday.
Q Do you plan to meet with any of them in person? Do you plan to meet with any of them in person before you make your decision?
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, I will.
Q When are you going to do that?
THE PRESIDENT: During this period of time.
Q Do you think all five?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t know. I doubt it. I doubt it.
Q But in person?
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll meet with a few, probably.
Q Have you talked to any of them yet?
THE PRESIDENT: Say it?
Q Have you talked to any of them yet?
THE PRESIDENT: I have. I have.
Q Today? On the phone?
THE PRESIDENT: Today and yesterday, the day before.
Q Is it better to have a vote on your nominee before the election or after?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’d much rather have a vote before the election because there’s a lot of work to be done, and I’d much rather have it. And we have plenty of time to do it. I mean, there’s really a lot of time.
So let’s say I make the announcement on Saturday — there’s a great deal of time before the election. That’ll be up to Mitch in the Senate. But I’d certainly much rather have the vote. I think it sends a good signal. And it’s solidarity and lots of other things. And I’m just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So I would rather see it before the election.
Q Are you worried about some senators — Republican senators who may be a little reluctant?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’ll have to see. I would think that that would be very bad for them. I think their voters — the people that voted them put them there because of a certain ideology or certain feel. And they don’t want to have somebody do that. I think it’s very bad if they do that.
Q What makes you think that the last words — supposedly the last wishes of Justice Ginsburg were made up? Because it supposedly came from her granddaughter, not from one of the Democrats.
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, it just sounds to me like it would be somebody else. I don’t believe — it could be. It could be. And it might not be, too. Just too — it was just too convenient.
Q What would be your concern if the vote happened after Election Day?
THE PRESIDENT: No concern. I just think it would be better. They asked, “Would I rather have it…” I’d rather have it before the election. I think it would be better for our country.
And we — we’ll pick somebody that’s outstanding, very qualified. They’re all qualified, but somebody that is outstanding. And I’d rather see it all take place before the election, so before November 3rd.
Q Are you concerned if you lost the election, it would be harder to get the person confirmed?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I don’t think so. No. I think we’re going to win. If you look at the polls — the real polls — we’re doing very well.
We’re going to Ohio tonight, and we’re packed. We’re packed everywhere. So people — there’s never been — we’ve never had spirit like we have now. Even four years ago, the spirit now is greater even than it was four years ago.
Q What will be your message tomorrow to the U.N.? And did you just tape it?
THE PRESIDENT: I did. I just taped — I just did it just now. My message is a strong message on China, and basically — you’ll see it. You’ll see it tomorrow. But I just did it a little while ago.
Q Are you leaning toward one candidate over another? Are you leaning toward —
THE PRESIDENT: I have one or two that I think are — they’re all outstanding, but I have one or two that I have in mind, yeah.
Q Who do you think poisoned Alexei Navalny?
THE PRESIDENT: Say it?
Q Who do you think poisoned Alexei Navalny in Russia?
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll talk about that at another time.
Q Is Amy Coney Barrett one of the leading contenders, in your mind?
THE PRESIDENT: She’s one of the people that’s very respected, but they’re all respected. She is certainly one of the candidates, yes.
Q When you go down to Miami, will you meet with Barbara Lagoa?
THE PRESIDENT: I may. She’s highly thought of and has got a lot of support. You know, a lot of people — I’m getting a lot of phone calls from a lot of people. She has a lot of support. I don’t know her, but I hear she’s outstanding. And she’s one of the people we’re looking at.
Q Did you push the DOJ to name Seattle and New York and Portland “anarchistic cities”?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think they are. But that’s up to DOJ. That’ll be up to — that will be up to the Attorney General. But certainly they are. If you look at Portland, if you look at what’s going on there, what a mess.
Go ahead.
And we can straighten it out — all Democrats. All radical left. We could straighten it out so fast.
Go ahead.
Q When will you make a final decision on TikTok?
THE PRESIDENT: That’s working its way through. I’ve given a preliminary okay. They will work — they’re two great companies — Oracle and Walmart. Larry Ellison is a — you know, a great genius at that kind of thing. The technology is incredible.
And so if we can save it, we’ll save it. And if we can’t, we’ll cut it off. But they have preliminary. We’ll see what they can do.
We have to have total security. That’s the only thing — very important. We have to have total security.
I’ll see you in Ohio. Thank you.
Sundance who’s your pick?
Regardless of who is picked, Trump will announce Saturday so his pick will own the Sunday talk shows! No oxygen for Biden except for the bottle he is sucking on in his basement.
The way Biden was huffing and puffing just walking to the podium, he could not make it up the stairs to Air Force One. Trump should issue the AF1 challenge to Biden…
Who knows maybe he picks Sundance…
Wouldn’t that be something, who is Sundance what
dose he or she do? Never know 1 sharp cookie,I remember
when I first found this fort I herd more than 1 person state
they thought POTUS & Sundance were one in the same.
Now that you mention it, has anyone ever seen a Sundance and Trump in the same room? Hmmmm?
I once saw Sundance in the same room with Dick Durbin . . . so it isn’t him.
aiee…nor Jeff Sessions…aiee-aiee…ooh, it hurts, it hurts
The Lexet Blog has a good overview of the pros and cons of each.
All of the prospective candidates records should be examined before picking someone.Amy coney Barrett is pro life but where does she stand on other constitutional issues.Lets do some research on these candidates and pray the right one is selected
And you don’t think the research has been done already?
The t’s crossed, the i’s dotted.
Likely just a last minute conversation to see where they all stand.
And discussions with Turtle and Gramercy to see who can get confirmed.
Although Gramercy and Cruz say they have the votes. See my previous post on Gramercy.
Mitch should hold his hearings in a tiny room in the Capitol basement, no camera’s etc. Give the idiot party their own Schiff treatment.
Its funny how decorum goes out the window when the swamp figures careers are on the line. Suddenly they have no problem moving fast. It looks like they have all the votes to get it out of Committee, put it on the floor, and confirm before election. I am guessing Mitch gave Trump a list and guaranteed a win off the list. I think collins and Murkowski are a yes. Mitt abstains out of principle. His political career is over. Susan and lisa cant piss off the base.
52-43-1. Cocaine Mitch has the votes.
Typo
52- 47- 1
Manchin from WV has said he is a yes, so the numbers are even better.
Now he says he is a no,
Something else to watch. If Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly wins that seat in the U.S. Senate against mcSally, he could take office as early as Nov. 30, shrinking the GOP’s Senate majority.
I thought Kelly had a pretty good lead against McSally.
Arizona voters want another anti American Democrat in 2020 ?
I assume it’s all the transplants to Arizona causing the issues.
Kelly is a gun grabber.
I believe the polls on the Arizona Senate race are at least as skewed as the Presidential polls. I see McSally winning because Arizona is not controlled by the very slimy Never-Trumper, Jeff Flake. Dems have been hyping this because they are in a position to lose even more Senate seats in November.
It will be interesting to see how the RATS handle the inability to escape from a sunken ship. At some point their last resort is to nuke the entire planet and hope they get Trump. TDS level 6 is incurable.
Barrett is a Roberts clone. BIG hell no. Lagoa is the best choice. Have faith in VSG, he knows the score.
How so? I favor Barrett. Change my mind with some facts about her.
I have heard talk on the net about Barrett not strong on second amendment and illegal immigration.
Very good, need to know information. Starts at around the 10 min mark.
I guess it’s down to who’s PDJT’s pick. Gramercy agrees with Cruz. They have the votes to confirm.
https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1308218584083038209/pu/img/Lx6YiOyXd8W1IFNe?format=jpg&name=small
Q: Do you think GOP Senators will be a little reluctant?
A: That would be very bad for them.
Love this guy!
Or what? Is it going to be bad for Collins or Murkowski?
mazziflol,
I do not think that Murkowski is running in this cycle.
It will be bad for Murkowski in 2022; already been said by POTUS.
Listen carefully.
A certain former governor once tweeted, ‘I can see 2022 from here!’
A certain former governor and VP nominee.
Can’t wait.
AND POTUS WILL Fly to ALASKA and make DOUBLY sure that Murkowski looses that seat and a STAUNCH REPUBLICAN takes it…NO MORE RINOS FROM HERE ON OUT!!!!!!
Alaskans do have short political memories because they live in the most freedom loving State in the country, and they don’t think a lot about politics while they are enjoying their freedom. But I think they see that Murkowski probably has to go and will take care of that if she votes against the President and American freedom on this.
As for abortion, which is a big issue for Murkowski, I believe any and all abortion restrictions should be determined at the State level. There is nothing in the Constitution about the rights of the unborn. Constitutional limits on the power of the Federal Government would seem to support that view. I believe that is also the position of our President and at least that of Amy Barrett and other candidates for SCOTUS. I think Murkowski should support that view, since she has sworn to uphold the Constitution.
I think, after she factors in her political future, she will vote for any qualified candidate.
THE DEM ALASKANS have short memories due to being FROZEN IN a time paradox…
I don’t thin they will. Their job is significantly easier because the nominee is a woman.
What are Collins and Murkowski going to do if Trump announces that if the woman is not selected, then the next nominee will be a man? Remember those ancient washing machines with a wringer?
Collins and Murkowski will vote with President Trump. Period. Their only instinct is for political survival . . . and they are d-e-d without President Trump.
It’s going to be a women. No brainer. Amy Barrett is beloved by the establishment Republicans. Ask yourself why? Just say no to Amy.
When I think of all the truly evil people others have recommended to President Trump the last four year, I suggest he pick anybody but Amy Barrett.
Fool me 573 times shame on me?
I prefer Amy, but group politics, and election impact, point to the Hispanic woman.
If she agrees with anything coming from the pope she should not be in consideration.
Pope Francis: “Let me in!”
Saint Peter: “Go away”
Pope Francis: “I’m getting in!”
Saint Peter: “No your not!”
What did I do wrong?
You worked for Geroge Soros.
AND MaY THE HOUNDS OF HELL HAUNT!!!
A wise latina? I disagree with demographics being a consideration for any nominee, the decision should be based solely on merit.
I believe Lagoa voted to deny criminals who haven’t paid their due to society to regain the right to vote, so that’s a plus.
Amy Barrett. bad rulings, bad choice. Lagoa is absolutely the best choice. Immigrant family made good and good roots. Female and Cuban south florida vote locked in.
I heard that Lagoa was the lawyer who represented little Elian Gonzalez’s relatives pro bono when the Clinton administration was sending him back to Cuba after his mom died getting him here.Remember the raid with jack boots and guns taking the boy away from their home, bad as the Roger Stone arrest.
And he does it all w/o a teleprompter.
And then there’s Sundance dropping bits on twitter that keeps the excitement levels up there … today’s bit on Weissmann …
how many OMG moments between now and Nov 3 ??
Barbara Lagoa is the pick that will get through the quickest. Great story and superior resume. She’s been a judge at every level and has been in leadership positions such as Chief in her stint on FL Appeal Court. She was on FL Supreme Court and US Court of Appeals. She’s a judge through and through. Her personal story is genuine.
She has a lot of support, comes from a key swing state and her background as a Cuban America fluent in Spanish is very important in this supercharged politics environment. With her you get a well qualified conservative judge, who also is female and Hispanic. It makes too much sense.
Amy Coney Barrett can always be a replacement in the future for Alito or even Thomas if they endorse her in a second Trump term. If Breyer passes on, which is distinctly possible, that’s another spot she can fill.
With all that said, Trump wants to make a pick that will make the base the most happy and demoralize the opposition the most when they are confirmed. I still think that person is Lagoa.
I found this video compelling. Fast forward to the most relevant parts
like the pick overall but feel she has not been on the federal bench long enough…Politically offers the good optics but 45 picks the best and brightest…Columbia Grad but not top ten!
I’ve posted this before. Justice Kagan had zero bench time. State or federal.
She has been on the bench for sometime. Coney Barrett doesn’t have near the bench experience Lagoa has. Lagoa has climbed the steps. She’s ready.
definitely prefer Lagoa over Barrett…Politically, Barrett brings only baggage…reminds me of Globalist Chief Justice Roberts
Lagoa looks like she would vote the way I would want her to, more often. But Barrett could be counted on to interpret the Constitution like her mentor Antonin Scalia did. I think the decisions she makes would be much better informed than my own. I trust PDJT to get it right.
I don’t think Amy Barrett is comparable with Roberts at all. Roberts was a George Bush appointee and George Bush was a failure in appointing him, even as Bush’s second or third choice as I recall. Bush was in over his head when it came to the law and he knew it. So, we got Roberts because the Bureaucratic Swamp liked him.
I got that elitist feeling from Barrett too. Lagoa is more down to Earth and she worked her way up
Agree on all points. I hope he picks her.
Her “personal story” should not be a factor. It should not be a factor for any nominee.
I respectfully disagree. Her personal story assures us that she PROFOUNDLY respects the rule of law, not the whim of dictators and out-of-control judges.
Good thing the decision is Donald Trump’s to make.
In an election year and to defanged the savagery of the Left for replacing their patron saint Ginsburg, you better believe we need someone with a heckuva personal story. Especially if we are looking to ram her through in record time before the election
Your points are persuasive. Thanks for sharing.
My reluctance on supporting her is that Swamp Rat Rubio is full-throated in support of her.
I wouldn’t read too much into that except to say Rubio is Cuban and as Senator of FL, he’s gonna advocate for her no matter what.
I put stock in DeSantis as well. I view DeSantis as a potential MAGA candidate in the future.
I wouldn’t worry about Rubio. All of the Florida peeps are pushing her…Sen Scott, Gov DeSantis, Rep Gaetz, etc.
I agree with all of this but would prefer Allison Jones Rushing. She’s probably too young but anyone who pulls a (R) Yea=53 (D) Nay=44 is doing something right. https://ballotpedia.org/Allison_Jones_Rushing
Barrett got the same vote. To me that’s too razor thin. Too close for comfort this close to an election. Lagoa got 80 votes and it’s do to the Dems penchant for being any white person placed on court no matter their qualifications. It’s not necessarily an indictment of Lagoa as a true conservative.
I like what Ive heard about Barrett for the most part….. Only two warning bells need confirmation on is the she supported mandatory masks and vaccines… I’ll have to look into that
check out this discussion which includes a discussion of her pro 2nd Amendment dissent.
The Indomitable ACB:
Here is another one. I’ll take a hard pass on Barrett. Seems she loves top down government control over civil liberties. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/04/illinois-coronavirus-lockdown-court-challenge-408747
“Wood’s 22-page opinion was joined by Judges Amy Barrett and Amy St. Eve,”
You know I am just thinking though the fact that Trump stands to win on two levels by Nov 3. On the SC and the election. He did warn us to expect so much winning that it would be hard to take! But I say bring on the winning! Give us more Mr President!
I guarantee President Trump will pick the can candidate best for our nation and not the candidate that increases his chance for re-election. Long term outlook vs short term outlook.
Therefore – since he thinks of us first – he will be reelected.
I am hoping Amy Barrett is not the pick. I’ve been reading Robert Barnes on twitter lately and he has some sobering facts about her past decisions. Robert Barnes is the lawyer that made big bucks placing bets in Vegas on Trump winning the election in 2016. I have liked his takes over the past four years on various issues. Scroll down the tweets to see all his comments on various decisions.
Tweets by barnes_law
I’ve been following Barnes and am in agreement about ACB. I take a hard pass on her although I suspect we could do worse. I like Allison Jones Rushing but think that POTUS will likely pick Lagoa. She seems pretty solid and more support from FL never hurts.
From a discussion between Viva Frei and Robert Barnes Law:
Jump to 37:20 for the discussion on the candidates for Supreme Court Justice.
It is very interesting.
Let’s go with Vanilla!
Joan Larsen…Iowa born…Top of her law class at Northwestern…
Both Dimm Michigan Senators voted for her confirmation in 2017! three years of federal rulings plus 2 years on Michigan Supreme Court…
realized Kavanaugh insanity may have been done to get someone else on the court so lets go Vanilla this time!
Reading the endorsements Amy Coney Barrett has rings all kinds of warning bells for me. Full of never Trump activists from the Obama administration, leftist Harvard professor Feldman and is a grad of Notre Dame, a school which covered up images of Christ when Obama spoke there so that hardly seems like a place that would produce a conservative justice even on religious issues.
I know she seems like the obvious pick but it reminds me of the Wray confirmation. Traitors everywhere these days.
https://nypost.com/2020/09/21/why-amy-coney-barrett-is-hands-down-best-pick-to-replace-ruth-bader-ginsburg/
Agreed, and there are other issues than abortion, and I haven’t yet seen her credentials on those issues (maybe she has them, just don’t see them discussed). IMO, Roe v Wade will not be overturned any time soon, so we need judges that can preserve our nation till the time that would be a possibility.
Check out her discussion of her pro 2nd Amendment dissent
The Indomitable ACB
In my OPINE, she did not go far enough.
The second Amendment clearly states….
“Shall Not Be Infringed”, is not an open statement!!
We the People should own the same weaponry as our Military, same as it was on
April,19 1775….
Read the founders thoughts on the Right to Bear Arms, it is quite clearly the Right of the people to Own arms, to protect ourselves from an Opressive Government or anyone else who seeks to do us harm. Regardless of felons or whatever adjective you want to throw out there..
Notre Dame’s law school has been traditionally very patriotic.
It isn’t as American as it once was, and whoever ordered Christ’s image to be removed for Barry the Hawaiian born Moslem son of a CIA whore should be excommunicated, That said, most lawyers graduate from law schools without Christ’s image or the Ten Commandments anywhere on campus, to include virtually all SC judges, who are Ivy Leaguers.
BTW, Stephon Tuitt, a proud Steelers anthem stander, and Tyler Eifert, the Jag who honored the murdered black former police chief on his helmet, are Notre Dame footballers. Despite their coach being soft politically and in the running game.
Pelosi and the Squad getting B-slapped as the senate won’t put up with their bullsh** anymore.
Whomever POTUS picks; I will rest easy.
Why?
Because POTUS uses common sense and covers all the bases during the interviews; he is very prescient.
I trust him.
The end.
Now that the Dems have said they will pack the court if given the chance , President Trump should listen and do it first if he wins Congress. If he goes up to 13 the Dems would have to go to 19. When your enemies (and they certainly are the enemy) tells you what they’re going to do believe it.
I think Lagoa will be the pick for it’s obvious electoral benefit.
I sense that McConnell knew prior to RBG’s passing who the President chose as the top contender(s) to succeed her. When the President published his lengthy list, McConnell and Graham whipped the voting outcome for the President’s favorite(s), and McConnell later told the President which one(s) could gets the votes to be confirmed.
My sense was strengthened by Graham and Cruz publicly signaling that a vote would succeed in confirming the President’s nominee.
The stakes are too high to not have had this process fully gamed prior to its implementation. JMO
Here’s a dark horse pick that some think is on the top five list.
https://ballotpedia.org/Britt_Grant
This was the best thing I saw in an otherwise overwhelming depressing day. Thank you President Trump for the smiles.
The Indomitable ACB.
Trump is wise to choose only women nominees for the Supreme Court seat. It avoids the whole “he raped me forty years ago, but I didn’t tell anyone until now) scenario. the Democrats would use as a delaying technique. You have to wonder if another man will ever be nominated for the Supreme court?
As an older and wiser fellow (well, I’m 72…!), I can assure you it doesn’t matter who the President picks, because they will screw it up. Yes, that’s right, the Supreme Court is cursed, and will never, ever do the right thing. It has been a dark, dark joke (to me) all of my adult life; it wouldn’t surprise me to learn it is the very heart of the Thing that all of the other Washington evils hive around. Think Cthulthu, “The Colour Out of Space” (the original story by H. P. Lovecraft, not the Nicholas Cage movie).
I am shocked, shocked I tell you. They’re out there, the pods, going to every city. Keep watching the skies…! (yes, yes, I know, the snowflakes — hysterical bunnies — won’t get this…look at those faces, all serious)
President Trump should be fair . . . he should be conciliatory . . . he should put aside partisan politics . . . he should “reach across the aisle” . . . and re-nominate Merrick “Judgy” Garland.
Just think about how bad Judgy Garland feels. He was quoted as saying, “If other judges can be on the Supreme Court . . . why, oh why, can’t I”?
Can’t we all get along?
No matter how Mitt ZeDung votes he’s finished as a Repub. He can never run away from his impeachment vote. Never.
I will pay to have it pre-chiseled on his tombstone.
I counted 6 on the list.
My pick is Allison Jones Rushing.
Barrett isn’t as conservative as people think (death penalty, Pope issues, etc…).
Lagoa seems like a ‘prop’, and some said it’s too early for her (not enough experience).
With some 40 days left, they’ll be rushing to get Rushing into SCOTUS. All-is-on to have Allison voted in. Her resume also looks good having been a part of a Christian organization abiding by American values.
Allison Jones Rushing.
I’m on team Rushing too!
Her only being 38 years old is probably the thing that will take her out of the running (maybe), but she is impressive. And the LGTBQxyz crowd is going insane over her being a potential pick, so she must be great. ?
If not for politics of the moment, my pick would be Alison Jones Rushing of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (53 – 44 senate vote Mar 5th, 2019) The Dems made a big fuss about her long association with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF),, a Christian based Group. She was very active there as a leader who wrote Amicus Briefs for them. She Clerked for Neil Gorsuch and also for Clarence Thomas. She is only 38 years old.
The best pick now looks like Barbara Lagoa 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (18 – 4 Judiciary Committee & 80 – 15 senate vote, both on Nov. 19, 2019). She was one of the lawyers that represented Elian Gonzales’s Florida Family when Clinton and Janet Reno sent in SWAT to hunt him down and send him back to Cuba as Castro demanded. There is a Video of Da Nang Dick Blumenthal gushing over her in the Senate Judiciary Committee. They questioned her less than a year ago so why not just a senate floor vote this time around? She is is 52 Years old. Is this pick too Obvious?
Just wondering if we know her stance on immigration?
Why are there no white male Protestants on the SCOTUS?
Gorsuch.
There are currently 6 Catholics and two Jews on the SCOTUS. Why not appoint a Protestant?
Gorsuch.
According to Wikipedia, he attended Christ the King, a K–8 Catholic school.
Wow, did a reporter actually say “Thank you sir” to President Trump at the end of the clip? Refreshing.
___-kissing. Fire that guy.
Part of the reason I left the Democratic party was how they attacked each other. It makes me sad to see that we as the Republican party are not that much different, going after Amy Coney Barret. Is that who we are? Can we trust our President and not try to influence him?
I will support whoever our VSGPDJT nominates.
Any one of the five mentioned will be far better than RBG.
But will some one explain to me why Amy Coney Barrett joined in the decision this month supporting the Illinois lockdown in the case involving Governor Pritzker??
I don’t know why, but it crosses her off my list. Liberty is at the top my list of judicial virtues.
Just trying to read tea leaves of PDJT’s answers about the judges where he said he had one on particular that he really liked. His answers about ACB and Lagoa seemed more of a general “I like what I’ve heard about them” but not the kind of answer you’d expect if one were locked into picking that individual. I think someone else may be at the top of his list. We shall see.