A little history, Prof. McConnell, if you please

The Werkes is a big fan of Sen. Mitch McConnell. Count on Mitch to deliver a masterful speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, as he does here Sunday 10-25-2020 to advance Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

The senator is calm, measured, factual, informed by history. All the hallmarks of a well drafted speech, confidently delivered. Starts off by name-checking Hamilton. Quotes liberals and conservatives alike (including some Dems on the Judiciary Committee!) attesting to the nominee’s qualifications (and notes Democrats don’t dispute them). Feeding the opposition’s words back at them is strong medicine.

McConnell has mastered the pregnant pause. Repeats key phrases. Sticks it to “his friends on the other side of the aisle” but does so with a stiletto, not a maul. (Oh, if Trump could learn to do that he would be leading the polls!) The majority leader permits himself a brief smile before moving on. Chuck Schumer, by contrast (not seen in this 14-minute clip), is unhinged. 

Typical Schumer hyperbole: This confirmation “will go down as one of the darkest days in the 231-year history of the United States Senate.” It is to laugh.

⇒ Mitch McConnell on the Democrats: “They’ve been shopping the same horror stories for 50 years.”

(Like Hyman Roth has been dying of the same heart attack for 50 years.)

Like Republicans “suppressing the vote.” In a real-life example originalist, textualism jurisprudence, Justice Neil Gorsuch ruled that November 3 means November 3. “Wisconsin has gone to extraordinary lengths to take account of Covid, including sending all registered voters an absentee-ballot application and return envelope in the summer that they have been able to return since September.” Other judges, he continued, might “unfurl the precinct maps and decide whether States should add polling places, revise their hours, rearrange the voting booths.”

Other judges, the Werkes notes, like the kind Chuck Schumer wants.

Blaska’s Bottom Line: The Supreme Court is and should be independent of either party.