Some Truth: Justice Anthony Kennedy

We're going to be hearing a lot about this, so it's critical that grassroots people and the Peanut Gallery (aka, Facebook and Twitter) have access to the truth.

Libs are going to trot out Justice Anthony Kennedy (a Reagan appointment to the Supreme Court) as proof that justices have been appointed during a President's final year in office.

Um. Kind of. Kennedy replaced Justice Lewis Powell. Powell retired at the age of 80 in June 1987. (The next presidential election was 17 months away). Reagan reacted swiftly, nominating Robert Bork. Bork was "borked" by the Senate. His nomination was (abominably and in some of the nastiest terms) rejected. For what it's worth, the American people should never have to sit and listen to a sanctimonious murderer  belittle and lie a good man. (Yeah, I'm looking at you, Ted Kennedy.)

So the U.S. Senate summarily rejected Robert Bork in October of 1987 -- still a FULL year before the presidential election. 

Reagan next suggested the appointment of Douglas Ginsburg, who withdrew his nomination. He was pressured to withdraw because he used marijuana in the 1960s. (Nice work, liberals. No double standard there. Kennedy leaves a woman to drown and gets to act sanctimonious, while Ginsburg is shamed from a high role for toking. Whatever). That was in the first week of Nov. 1987 -- not yet an election year as the calendar reads, but almost exactly one year from the 1988 election.

Finally, the Reagan nominated Anthony Kennedy one week after Ginsburg withdrew, Nov. 12, 1987. Yes, Kennedy was approved during an election year, but it's a lie or a complete willful ignorance to suggest that the Kennedy process was full speed ahead in an election year. 

President is quite welcome to nominate whoever he wants for Scalia's seat. But the Senate is under no obligation neither from precedence or constitutionally to offer its "consent" to whomever Obama throws up.