Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election

President Trump’s Supreme Court nomination and their subsequent confirmation hearing in the Senate are the topics expected dominated of this weekend’s Sunday talk shows.

Sources with knowledge of the nomination told The Hill Friday that the president is slated to choose Judge Amy Coney Barrett, to fill the high court vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Trump and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) decision to push through a Supreme Court Justice pick before a presidential election has caused outrage among Democrats who say that Republicans are being hypocritical. 

The Senate GOP, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) blocked former President Barack Obama’s court pick, Merrick Garland in 2016, stating that a nominee should not be pushed through before an election. 

Graham is slated to appear on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” 

A conservative and a Catholic, Barrett is the first and only woman to occupy an Indiana seat on the Seventh Circuit to date. Previously, she clerked for the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. She is also a law professor at the University of Notre Dame. 

The news of Barrett’s likely nomination has raised questions about whether her religious beliefs would affect her decision making as a Supreme Court justice.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) defended Barrett over her religious background Wednesday, saying, “It’s awful to bring in religion. It truly is.” Manchin, however, does not support filling a Supreme Court vacancy before Election Day.

Manchin is slated to appear on CNN’s “State of the Union” among other guests like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who was previously included in Trump’s Supreme Court nominee shortlist.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has criticized Barrett, saying in 2018 she would be an “activist” on the Supreme Court and would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will start a four-day hearing for Trump’s Supreme Court nominee on Oct. 12, allowing Democrats a public opportunity to question the presumptive nominee Barrett over issues such as health care, as her confirmation could determine the fate of the Affordable Care Act.

Below is the full list of guests who will appear on this weekend’s Sunday talk shows: 

ABC’s “This Week” — Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.; former national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — White House chief of staff Mark Meadows; Sen. Chris Coons, (D-Del.); American Airlines CEO Doug Parker; former White House Counsel Don McGahn; former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson; former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Jill Biden, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden; Pelosi Cotton, Manchin, and Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-N.Y.)

“Fox News Sunday” — Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.); Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia.

Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” — Candace Owens, Sen. Ron Johnson R-Wis., Chairman, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Gov. Affairs, Graham, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee; Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Minority Leader

“America This Week with Eric Bolling” — Kayleigh McEnany- WH Press Secretary, Sen Marco Rubio R-Fla., Rep Matt Gaetz R-Fla., Hank Newsome- Co-Founder, Greater NY BLM; Ilya Shapiro- Cato Institute;Tom Fitton- Judicial Watch, Kimberly Klacik