MSNBC’s Matthews slams ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ Gorsuch: ‘It’s not his turn’

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews is imploring Democrats to vote against President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, because “it’s not his turn.”

The host of “Hardball” during his latest show cited Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) decision to not act on President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Trump “wants Democrats to join Republicans in giving his pick the 60 votes to override the expected filibuster,” said Matthews during his nightly “Trump Watch” commentary.

{mosads}”Let me suggest a very good reason not to let this happen — it’s not about Trump’s pick, it’s about President Obama’s pick, the one Mitch McConnell and his bunch decided to not even deserve a vote, did not even deserve a hearing, did not even deserve the respect of someone nominated to this high position.”

McConnell insisted in a floor speech last May that the Scalia vacancy should be filled by the next president.

“The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country, so of course the American people should have a say in the court’s direction,” McConnell said.

“The Senate will continue to observe the ‘Biden rule’ so the American people have a voice in this momentous decision. The American people may well elect a president who decides to nominate Judge Garland for Senate consideration. The next president may also nominate somebody very different. Either way, our view is this: Give the people a voice in filling this vacancy,” he said, referring to comments then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-Del.) made during the 1992 presidential election, though at the time there was not a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

In making his closing argument on Tuesday, Matthews characterized Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings as largely consisting of “charm and dancing.”

“I don’t want to see Donald Trump stuff his nominee through the hoop,” he concluded. “Why? Because it’s not his turn. It’s Merrick Garland’s turn and everyone knows it.”

“Vote nay on Gorsuch, demand the 60 votes and don’t give them to Trump. It’s not this guy’s turn. It’s not his guy’s turn and all the charm and dancing and Mr. Nice Guy is not going to change it. It’s not about Gorsuch or even Trump. It’s about Mitch McConnell and the brand of low-level politics he stands for. Get it?”

The 71-year-old Matthews is a former speechwriter for President Carter.

On Wednesday, all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will be allotted 20 minutes each to question Gorsuch on judicial philosophy after receiving 30 minutes each on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old Gorsuch is a 10-year veteran of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He was nominated to that court by former President George W. Bush.

According to data from a Harvard–Harris Poll survey provided exclusively to The Hill, 44 percent of respondents say the Senate should confirm Gorsuch. Thirty-two percent say they’re unsure, and 25 percent say Gorsuch should not be confirmed.