With fifty-three Republicans now in the Senate (and no filibusters allowed on Supreme Court nominations), President Trump would have a free hand in choosing a dream candidate for his conservative base if Thomas were to retire this year. The summer of 2019 would seem an ideal time to add a third younger conservative to the Court... It’s true that Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, would likely violate his Merrick Garland rule and try to push through a nominee in 2020, an election year, but 2019 would be much easier to navigate. So, many conservatives are asking, why shouldn’t Thomas leave now?He's only 70, and Justices these days hang on into their 80s. Why wouldn't he? He only just acquired the distinction of being the longest-serving Justice.
It seems that the President may have had the same thought. Trump has shown unusual solicitude for Justice Thomas and his wife, Ginni, a hard-right political activist. The President and the First Lady had the Thomases to dinner, and then Trump welcomed Ginni and some of her movement colleagues to the White House for an hour-long discussion.... Trump rarely engages in this kind of cultivation, and it’s reasonable to speculate that he’s trying to persuade the Justice that his seat would be in good hands if he decided to leave.
But will Thomas retire?... [A]ccording to his friends, he feels an obligation to continue doing the job for as long as he is able, regardless of the political implications of his departure....
February 14, 2019
Is Trump trying to coax Clarence Thomas to retire in time for him to snag one more Supreme Court appointment?
According to Jeffrey Toobin (at The New Yorker).
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Can you imagine how Ruthless those hearings will be?
No.
Toobin is making shit up and the democrat media pedals it without a critical thought in their brains.
The target for this are stupid people who vote democrat.
1. Trump is older than Thomas.
2. This is not how Trump thinks. Trump is not thinking about securing conservative power before he loses in 2020. Democrats do shit like that. Trump does not view himself as part of a government team.
Depends on his health. If he's in good health, he should stay. Even if that means being replaced by a liberal appointee of President Kamala Harris in 2022. That's life.
Feel the same way about Ginsberg. If her health is manageable, she should stay. However, it's not very assuring that she has made no public announcements about her health after 2 cancer scares, several broken ribs at age 85, but that's a separate issue.
I think Toobin is dreaming and this is fake news.
If true, Thomas is acting sooner than I would have thought. This is how I had thought it might play out as originalists played the game,
With Kavanagh now in place we now have a Firm Five (though Roberts is a little iffy here and there, IMO). Ruth the Buzz, who delusionally thinks she’s in charge of the length of her life span, may suffer a snip of the Abhorred Shears of Atropos sooner than she thinks, with DJT naming her replacement (yes, the Senate will remain GOP). Breyer, longing to spend his final days eating Breyers® Ice Cream with his grandkids and realizing that he will now be facing a Solid Six, responds to the loss of the Buzz, by crying, “What’s the use; I can no longer effectively legislate on behalf of the Democrat Party from the bench,” and resigns. The Don goes into action, and the Solid Six becomes the Solid Seven.
Thomas, Alito, and Trump could execute a strategy here. In late-2022 or mid-2023, Thomas & Alito, each of whom will by then be in his mid-70s, come to DJT (yes, there will be a second term), announce their plans to retire, thereby giving the Don time to line up their respective replacements. Thomas & Alito condition their retirements on the Don’s promise, channeling M. Corleone, to “settle all family business” and to replace them with people in the mold of Scalia, with each nominee to be in his/her mid-40s. In time Roberts does the same, though he’ll be coming to President Mike Pence. An originalist bloc remains in place for decades creating solid originalist precedents.
I think we should review what other things Jeffry Toobin has to say to gauge his credibility.
That, or just blog about the endless shit he makes up daily.
Toobin is trying to drive a wedge here between Trump and Thomas. Think about it from Thomas' point of view- he has been maligned by the Left without respite for 26 years, and when I put myself in his shoes I would definitely want to deny those critics the satisfaction of watching me get replaced by a Democratic president. I think Toobin sees this too, and is attempting to sway Thomas into staying on the court by writing the story exactly that way- Trump trying to induce Thomas to quit, which I think isn't even in Trump's mind at the moment. If Trump really is being extra solicitous to Thomas, it is almost surely because Thomas might well be the one political figure more detested by the Left than Trump himself.
I made prediction in these pages sometime last Summer when Kennedy quit- I predicted that if the Republicans held the Senate in the 2018 election, Thomas would be the next retirement this coming Summer. I will stick by that prediction.
It’s true that Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, would likely violate his Merrick Garland rule and try to push through a nominee in 2020
Riiight. Harry Reid had nothing to do with it.
@Achilles
Right on. The Dems are still smarting from the fact they didn't push RBG harder to leave when they had the chance.
Trump doesn't expect to lose in 2020.
Clarence Thomas would pass William Douglas to become the longest serving U.S. Supreme Court Justice ever on May 20, 2028. But if Democrats win the White House in 2020, they might be expected to hold it until 2032.
So the Biden Rule has now become the Merrick Garland rule?
If Trump wins in 2020, followed by Pence in 2024, Thomas might eventually become the swing judge.
The Garland Rule is misleading. Obama was term limited in 2016. Trump isn't term limited in 2020.
I think he’s the current Justice who has been on the Court the longest.
But Douglas is still the longest (36 years).
Thomas can get there I hope. He was only 43 when he was appointed. He should go out with his boots on.
I've read that he would like to retire or has thought about it, I don't know if that's really his thinking.
Given the evidence Toobin quoted, this is entirely his imagination. I for one love having Thomas on the Supreme Court.
We need to keep Thomas who, with his wife, is an avid RVer who has camped throughout our national parks and forests. He is famous as the only Black Amerikan taxpayer who has visited the White country clubs of Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Zion, and Mesa Verde. Just imagine the fun conversing with them about rampant Amerikan racism over a forest campfire!
I actually favour mandatory retirement for judges at age 70.
Interesting to speculate: Thomas could be given an interesting appointment of some kind, and Trump could nominate Margaret Ryan, ex-Marine Gulf War veteran, who clerked for Thomas and is 15 years younger.
An African American conservative? Thanks to Trump, Terry Moorer became a District Court judge last September. If one thinks of an African American woman, Janice Rogers Brown, who is almost as old as Thomas, retired from the D.C. Circuit in August 2017.
Look up “unreliable source” and you’ll see Jeffrey Toobin’s name first.
Maybe Trump was trying to get the inside scoop re RBG's health.
Thomas should have been made Chief Justice, but Bush II was too liberal to go along with that.
Clarence Thomas should only retire if he's ill and can't do his job aka if he's another Ginsburg. I see no evidence of that. Nor do I trust Toobin to know anything. Think about it, why would Thomas or his wife or Trump tell anything to a Left-wing hack like Toobin?
John Roberts is the one who should retire. What a disappointment.
James K: "Look up “unreliable source” and you’ll see Jeffrey Toobin’s name first."
Careful! Criticizing CNN lefty hacks usuallyl triggers a strong and often vicious defense of CNN by LLR Chuck and other lefties.
Ginsberg should retire. She's senile, She's 85, and she's ill. But she'll hang on till she's dead. She's lived her whole life to change the USA, and she'll never give that up. Just like William Douglas or John McCain.
Hey Chuck, show up and play crossfire!
Is Toobin hoping that Thomas will retire, so that diverse left-wing interests, foreign and domestic, can conduct another warlock, perhaps witch trial, if the candidate is feminine female and pro-human rights?
Anything from The New Yorker is unworthy of serious discussion.
But will Thomas retire?... [A]ccording to his friends, he feels an obligation to continue doing the job for as long as he is able
I'm sure Jeffrey Toobin, who just smeared Thomas' wife as "a hard-right political activist," has many mutual friends with the justice.
The 'Garland rule' was employed because Trump would win the election. Same parameters are in effect now.
RBG has to retire, if she's not already dead. Let's replace one at a time.
Why replace the best Justice with another Souter.
"and his wife, Ginni, a hard-right political activist."
No, Toobin. Ginni doesn't buy into your crazy leftwing ideas like socialism, the Green New Deal and boys in the girls' locker room.
More Fake News.
So the Biden Rule has now become the Merrick Garland rule?
What happened to Garland is neither unique nor unusual. Out of 48 failed Supreme Court nominations, 12 failed because the Senate didn't act on them.
Clarence Thomas is a great man. Leave him alone.
Clarence Thomas is the ONLY solid jurist left since reinquist left. Trump needs to get his jurist from Ginsburg. Mr Thomas is my favorite jurist.
The justice who should retire is Roberts.
What a crock! He's healthy and still sane. Its Ginsburg that needs to step aside
Justice Thomas is teaching a class at Creighton Law and I think it is this week. If I see him at the game this weekend, I'll ask him.
If Trump was so confident that he’ll still be President in 2020 or more so that he’ll win the 2020 election, he wouldn’t be so eager to get rid of Thomas.
The "Merrick Garland rule" is not a rule, it was politics. It has happened before and, when the Senate and White House are controlled by separate parties, will happen again.
Here's my fantasy: RGB is mort, right? Roberts knows this but is trying to pull a "Weekend at Bernies" with lots of liberal health. Alito and Thomas drop in to wish their ill but certainly not dead comrade good health and also to bing a plate of cookies. The leftist at the door don't let them, so Alito and Thomas grab Roberts, who is after all RGB's boss. With no choice, the whole charade collapses and RGB's death is announced. But it also comes out that Roberts knew, so the rest of the Supremes demand his resignation (Well, Kagan plus the 4 conservatives) for lying to them. Roberts decides it's time to get out in disgrace.
Trump gets to replace RGB and Roberts this summer. Next term, Sotomayer keels over in a diabetic coma..........
We could have lots of fun with a democrat suicide counter at that point.
--Vance
Clarence Thomas is pretty vile, but does he deserve to be retired? Maybe no.
Can't stand him. Gives me the creep. the cheeto is afraid that RBG will never retire, or at least not until after the 2020 election.
Vicki from Pasadena
If Trump was so confident that he’ll still be President in 2020 or more so that he’ll win the 2020 election, he wouldn’t be so eager to get rid of Thomas.
There's no evidence Trump has any interest in getting rid of Thomas.
You'd do best to focus your efforts to turn the U.S. into Venzuela on the 2024 election.
If the Democrats had won the midterm, then the Biden rule might be in play. Of course, that requires some credibility on the part of Toobin, who is lacking in that department. As Republicans won both the Senate and retain the White House; the Biden Rule is moot.
Thomas should never retire, he is by far the greatest Justice of his generation. By far.
Inga: "If Trump was so confident that he’ll still be President in 2020 or more so that he’ll win the 2020 election, he wouldn’t be so eager to get rid of Thomas."
LOL
This episode of "Deep Thoughts" has been brought to you by our sponsors: Open Borders Inc., the GND and Infanticide.
would likely violate his Merrick Garland rule
He misspelled 'Biden' rule.
victoria: "Clarence Thomas is pretty vile,"
The pro-Farrakhan party finds Clarence Thomas vile.
Discuss.
The only evidence that he wants to replace Thomas is that he's being friendly to him and his wife? What?
In some ways Toobin is like a little boy playing in mud puddles and fantasizing. I would not call Ginni Thomas hard right. But anybody to the right of Toobin is "hard right" in his fantasy world. And anybody to the left of him is merely "a centrist Democrat".
But I can fantasize myself---about a potential "solid seven" against Justices Kagan and Sotomayor. That would definitely put the Wise Latina off her feed.
Toobin gets to see his fantasies in print. Thomas ain’t going anywhere. I have a better idea: why don’t
the NYT and the New Yorker team begin to praise Thomas—his insights, his independence, his influence—in hopes that Thomas will see that his work is done. Yeah. That’s the ticket!
If Trump was so confident that he’ll still be President in 2020 or more so that he’ll win the 2020 election, he wouldn’t be so eager to get rid of Thomas.
It takes an amazing amount of stupidity to read some made-up, left-wing bullshit like this and come to the conclusion Trump is 'eager' to get rid of Thomas.
Now that's an interesting twist to the dinner parties for the special Justice.
Thank you, Drago, that is a lie. I in no way now or ever have supported Farrakhan. He makes my stomach turn even more than Thomas, who i consider absolutely disgusting.
Vicki from Pasadena
Vicki— you give me the creeps. I bet you contribute to the Southern Poverty Law Center. It takes all kinds to make a world.
African American males do not have the same longevity as white males -- averaging about five years less. So there's that factor.
Interestingly, the life expectancy of AA males in Washington DC is 66.53 while life expectancy of white males in DC is 82.07. Talk about inequality. World Life Expectancy
Whether Trump thinks he'll be reelected or not, there is still a very good chance that if Thomas does not retire under Trump he may have to under a Democrat President, and that is not good for the country or it's principles.
"Trump does not view himself as part of a government team."
He may not consider himself part of the GOP, but I think after seeing the way he has been treated by Democrats and how batshit crazy they are, and that they are pushing things he personally finds despicable and bad for the country, he probably now see himself as a force against that and for conservative values. I think he now sees himself on that team, and so wants to put things in place to preserve his values long term while he can.
Achilles got it right for the most part. I'm not sure whether there was no critical thought, however. It's reasonable to presume that the media would create a story to the effect that Trump is trying to rid the Court of its one African American justice. Fits the narrative that Trump is a racist, and without any easy way to prove the truth such a story, it would sell as another one of those "too good to check" things that seem so common in reporting about Trump.
R.J. Chait - the life expectancy of African American males includes all causes of death at any age. Justice Thomas is at this point largely beyond risk of a major cause of early death among African American men - murder.
How often has Tobin written 'hard LEFT political activist'? I am guessing never.
The NYer just wants Thomas to leave because the court is slowly being remade in his image. I loved Scalia's argle bargle, but Thomas has done more to move the Overton window. He needs to stay as long as he can.
P.S. We drive a lot for vacations. I always check the RVs we pass to see if it's him.
There is no obligation to serve past 70. Why would he feel an obligation to continue? What happens to these people that they think there aren't others who can do the job as good or better? Same with politicians.
@rcocean: "Ginsberg should retire. She's senile."
A lot of us out here are senile, but we deserve representation too!
What we need on SCOTUS are some justices who have proven themselves capable of STEM, instead of all those psychology, history and English majors we've had for ages. It would be nice to see a Muslim. Hindu, Buddhist or Atheist there for some diversity, as well, instead of the continuous stream of Jews and Roman Catholics.
SCOTUS represents neither the Amerikan people nor our aspirations.
Actually the leading causes of death for African American males are heart disease, cancer, stroke. Not homicide. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention AA males have higher rates of hypertension.
“Trump will appoint TWO MORE Supreme Court justices and Clarence Thomas might retire to guarantee a conservative will replace him says disgraced former Trump-whisperer Steve Bannon”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6603443/Trump-appoint-TWO-Supreme-Court-justices-Thomas-retire-says-Steve-Bannon.html
LOL
What we need is for Roberts to leave, and be replaced by Thomas as Chief Justice, with Willets filling the empty seat.
Then have RGB replaced by ACB, and we'll have a Supreme Court worthy of respect
The "Garland Rule" kicks in when one side controls the Presidency, and the voters have given control of the Senate to the other side.
2018 the voters increased GOP control of US Senate. So clearly there's no "Garland Rule" reason for GOP not to vote in conservative Trump nominees
“Thank you, Drago, that is a lie. I in no way now or ever have supported Farrakhan. He makes my stomach turn even more than Thomas, who i consider absolutely disgusting.
Vicki from Pasadena”
Drago cannot address a liberal commenter without lying. Yawn.
Someone made a great comment here awhile back.
Gist was, Ginz hanging on until Hillary elected so Hill could appoint Obama to Supreme Court as payback for Hillary and her gangs support of Obama.
Best laid plans of mice and men and crooks and liars often go awry.
Blogger rcocean said...
Hey Chuck, show up and play crossfire!
Okay.
You misspelled “Ginsburg.”
The No. 1 cause of death for African-American males 15-34 is murder.
— Juan Williams on Sunday, August 24th, 2014 in comments on Fox News Sunday
Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Thank you, Drago, that is a lie. I in no way now or ever have supported Farrakhan. He makes my stomach turn even more than Thomas, who i consider absolutely disgusting.
Vicki from Pasadena”
Drago cannot address a liberal commenter without lying. Yawn.
Prove she never supported Farrakhan, or shut your piehole.
Never believe anything that you read in the New Yorker about Trump.
Don Jr. being considered for supreme court.
Much as I like Thomas, 10-12 years should be the maximum time for all government offices, elected or not.
Does he have children & grandchildren? They've kept a low profile, particularly if he doesn't.
I see many here don't understand the Biden Rule.
It only applied to the last year of a 2nd term, where the President is a lame duck, and a new President is Constitutionally assured.
President Trump would have a free hand in choosing a dream candidate for his conservative base if Thomas were to retire this year.
Justice Thomas is already a dream candidate for his conservative base, dumbass.
Anyone else would be a question mark regardless of their prior record.
I've heard too much stuff from Toobin that is flat out wrong (if I'm being charitable) to give this report any credence.
Doubt I would take retirement advice from a co-worker older than me.
Long Dong Thomas is an unqualified horndog who lied his why on to the court by smearing the integrity, and reputation of Anita Hill. Kavanaughty also lied his way on to a seat on the bench. I'll never forgive or forget his sexual assault of Christine Blasey Ford or her riveting testimony before the Judiciary Committee. Scalito should also resign because he is a clone of our late archnemesis Antonin Scalia who is burning in hell as I type. Every vote those devils took or take is a dagger in the heart of truth, justice, and the American way.
"I see many here don't understand the Biden Rule."
The Biden rule only applies when the opposition party controls the Senate during an election year. That's it. It has nothing to do with a Same-party POTUS with a Same-Party Senate.
And I actually agree with the "Biden Rule". It would've been stupid for the Republicans to have confirmed Garland instead of waiting till after November 2016.
So, how long is Breyer going to live? He's 82.
"So, how long is Breyer going to live? He's 82."
Thankfully, his lifespan isn't up to the likes of you, or he'd be mangled, mauled and murdered already by Neo-Nazis thugs. Frank Sinatra & Tom Jobim - Baubles, bangles and beads:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXggztdT2XE
Jeffrey Toobin's fantasies concerning Thomas are interesting, but I wonder which colleague's daughter he's fucking on the side these days.
I have no idea if Trump is trying to coax Thomas to retire. But although Thomas is a great justice, he should retire. You never know what the future holds. Trump could lose in 2020 and Thomas could die or become incapacitated through a stroke, for instance. Then, we would be facing the prospect of some looney Dem like Harris nominating some young whackadoddle lefty who would make RBG look like a moderate. Optimistically, Thomas has, say, 15 years more. That's a good chunk of time, but if I were him, I wouldn't gamble the country's future by hoping DJT or another Republican is president when I leave the Court. There are plenty of fine young candidates who would help keep the Court conservative for decades to come.
"Jeffrey Toobin's fantasies concerning Thomas are interesting, but I wonder which colleague's daughter he's fucking on the side these days."
Whoever wrote that is a detrimentally excrementally deplorable, i.e., a piece of dog poop.
Thomas should retire in 2027, the third year of Pence’s first term.
"Thomas should retire in 2027, the third year of Pence’s first term."
You're a big joke, big mike.
Justice Thomas is at this point largely beyond risk of a major cause of early death among African American men - murder.
Not while freaks like Trumpit are free and not behind bars.
"Then, we would be facing the prospect of some looney Dem like Harris nominating some young whackadoddle lefty who would make RBG look like a moderate."
Whoever wrote that is a deplorable lunatic.
[The No. 1 cause of death for African-American males 15-34 is murder.
— Juan Williams on Sunday, August 24th, 2014 in comments on Fox News Sunday]
What's your racist point?
So Vicki from Pasadena is a racist who hates Blacks, at least the uppity ones who don’t know their proper place. Good to know.
Does Thomas chain-smoke Kools and chug several 40 oz malt liquors a day? If not, he will not have the same life span as most black males in DC.
"Does Thomas chain-smoke Kools and chug several 40 oz malt liquors a day? If not, he will not have the same life span as most black males in DC."
Another racist redneck deplorable speaks. Texas sucks, and so do you. I'd give Texas back to Mexico, then I'd build a wall.
"Does Thomas chain-smoke Kools and chug several 40 oz malt liquors a day?"
Kavanebriated chugs a lot of beer. Be careful he might make a move on you, confusing you with an old billy goat.
Sadly, in the end, it might not make a difference when Thomas departs from the Court. When the Dems next get control of the Presidency, the Senate, and the House, they may well pack the Court with NPC legal drones.
“What we need on SCOTUS are some justices who have proven themselves capable of STEM, instead of all those psychology, history and English majors we've had for ages. It would be nice to see a Muslim. Hindu, Buddhist or Atheist there for some diversity, as well, instead of the continuous stream of Jews and Roman Catholics.”
We saw that with the Alice case. As an engineering society, we submitted an amicus brief explaining how computer programming worked, and that hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent designing software. Despite that, they went back to their 1970s vision of software being abstract thought, the equivalent of a law of nature, like gravity.
Blogger Trumpit said...
[The No. 1 cause of death for African-American males 15-34 is murder.
— Juan Williams on Sunday, August 24th, 2014 in comments on Fox News Sunday]
What's your racist point?
I think, Trumpit, he left out the part The No. 1 cause of death for African-American males 15-34 is murder. by other blacks
Or are you saying there is some other cause?
John Henry
Hey trumpit, I smoked kools before I quit, they made lumps swell up underneath my arm pits. My favorite drink is Scotch. It costs too much to chug.
I don't believe in murders in the inner city or anywhere. It needs to stop. Sclump should be tried and convicted of a capital offense before he is executed.
Trumpit
"Toobin had a longtime off and on extramarital affair with attorney Casey Greenfield.[21] She is the daughter of American television journalist and author Jeff Greenfield and the ex-wife of screenwriter Matt Manfredi.[22] They had a child in 2009, which Greenfield initially resisted acknowledging.[20][23] Ultimately, Toobin's paternity was confirmed with a DNA test and separately, a Manhattan Family Court judge ordered Toobin to pay child support."
Fuck off!
Talk about a head fake. Where is Ruth?
Personal experience with Toobin convinced me he is not a credible source, but a left wing hack.
Calculating Life Expectancy -- two sources:
"Life expectancy is calculated as the number of years a person is expected to survive based on the statistical average.
The starting point used to calculate life expectancy is age-specific death rates among members of the relevant population. When plenty of data are available for a population, these age-specific death rates can be calculated simply by looking at the mortality rates for a given age." https://www.news-medical.net/health/Calculating-Life-Expectancy.aspx
"What is a life expectancy and how is it determined?
A life expectancy is the statistically calculated average number of years of life remaining at any give age. Life expectancies are calculated using actuarial data that measures mortality rates at each age." https://windsorlifesettlements.com/what-is-a-life-expectancy-and-how-is-it-determined/
Life expectancy is not determined by averaging the total number of males and how old they were when they die. OK?
Toobin bin too cute to keep focus of RBG. With 15-20 years for Thomas to go, only in the fervid imagination would a Dem reign last that long. But then again we might all be dead by 2030 anyway, so what does it matter
It's not the Garland rule, it's the Biden rule. The principle is that when the Senate is in control of the OPPOSITE party, they can hold off on a Supreme Court nomination in an election year until the election is decided. (You know Merrit Garland would have been confirmed immediately if Hillary had won Presidency.)
Imagine a world where lunatics like Trumpit get treatment and secular housing. Maybe a wall or four to protect the sane world from their lunacies. Maybe we could designate Venezuela as the future home for Trumpits of the world, since it matches the world they desire.
Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Thank you, Drago, that is a lie. I in no way now or ever have supported Farrakhan. He makes my stomach turn even more than Thomas, who i consider absolutely disgusting.
Vicki from Pasadena”
Drago cannot address a liberal commenter without lying. Yawn.
Inga just lies out of habit. She couldn't tell the truth if it was tattooed on her forehead.
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