>>> EN ROUTE TO HIS GOLF RESORT IN NORTHERN JERSEY, THE
PRESIDENT SPOKE WITH REPORTERS
ON AIR FORCE ONE.
AGAIN, AUDIO BUT NOT VIDEO WAS
ALLOWED OF HIS COMMENTS, AND HE
WAS ASKED TO COMMENT ON FILLING
THIS KENNEDY VACANCY ON THE
SUPREME COURT.
SUPREME COURT. HE SAID HE’LL MAKE HIS CHOICE
PUBLIC ON JULY 9, AND HE TALKED
ABOUT HIS LIST OF JUDICIAL
CANDIDATES.
CANDIDATES. >> WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW.
KNOW. WE HAVE 25 VERY OUTSTANDING
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. LOOK, I LIKE THEM ALL.
BUT I’VE GOT IT DOWN TO ABOUT
FIVE.
FIVE. >> ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY
WHO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S A --
IT’S A GREAT GROUP OF
INTELLECTUAL TALENT, BUT WE
REALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE
GENERALLY CONSERVATIVE.
GENERALLY CONSERVATIVE. I’M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM THAT
QUESTION BY THE WAY.
THAT’S NOT A QUESTION I’LL BE
ASKING.
ASKING. BUT IT IS A GROUP OF VERY HIGHLY
TALENTED, VERY BRILLIANT, MOSTLY
CONSERVATIVE JUDGES.
CONSERVATIVE JUDGES. >> THE PRESIDENT SAID THERE ARE
TWO WOMEN AMONG THE FIVE NAMES
ON HIS LIST, AND WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THE LIST WITH ONE OF THE
LEADING LIVING EXPERTS ON THE
SUPREME COURT.
SUPREME COURT. TOM GOLDSTEIN, AND WE’RE SO
HAPPY TO HAVE HIM, HAS BEEN OF
COUNSEL IF OVER 100 CASES BEFORE
THE COURT, IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANTLY, HE HAS PERSONALLY
ARGUED 41 CASES BEFORE THE
COURT.
COURT. HOW MANY HAVE YOU ARGUED?
THERE ARE ONLY THREE PEOPLE IN
THE MODERN ERA WHO HAVE ARGUED
MORE.
MORE. IN HIS SPARE TIME, IS THE
PUBLISHER OF SCOTUS BLOG ABOUT
THE COURT AND HAS TAUGHT AT
HARVARD AND STANFORD LAW
SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS. THANKS FOR COMING UP FROM D.C.
ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> BEFORE WE GET TO THE LIST,
WHAT ALLOWS THE PRESIDENT TO
SAY, I’M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM
ABOUT ROE?
ABOUT ROE? ISN’T THE FACT THESE HAVE ALL
BEEN VETTED TO WITHIN AN INCH OF
THEIR LIVES BY THE FEDERALIST
SOCIETY?
SOCIETY? >> THE PRESIDENT DID SOMETHING
VERY CLEVER IN THAT HE TURNED TO
CONSERVATIVES AND SAID, YOU GIVE
ME THE CANDIDATES TO START WITH.
SO THESE ARE REALLY WELL KNOWN
COMMODITIES GOING INTO THE
PROCESS.
PROCESS. A LOT IS KNOWN ABOUT THEM
INCLUDING WITH RESPECT TO HOW
THEY’D DEAL WITH THESE
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES BEFORE HE
EVER ASKS TO TALK TO THEM.
>> ANOTHER QUESTION BEFORE WE
GET INTO OUR LIGHTNING ROUND OF
THE NAMES.
THE NAMES. THE PRESIDENT’S SISTER IS NOT
JUST A FEDERAL JUDGE.
A SENIOR FEDERAL JUDGE.
WE NEVER HEAR ABOUT THAT, AND IT
DOESN’T SEEM TO BE THE SOURCE OF
A LOT OF FAMILY CONVERSATION.
WILL SHE PLAY AT ALL A ROLE IN
THIS PROCESS?
THIS PROCESS? >> WELL, IT WAS SAID THAT SHE
PLAYED A ROLE LAST TIME.
ONE OF THE CANDIDATES WE’LL TALK
ABOUT SERVED WITH HER, AND SO
WAS KNOWN TO HER, AND SHE MIGHT
HAVE PASSED ALONG THE
RECOMMENDATION.
RECOMMENDATION. BUT IT IS REALLY INTERESTING
THAT HE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE
TURNING IN THAT DIRECTION.
HIS FAMILY VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM
FOR ADVICE, BUT APPARENTLY NOT
IN THIS CONTEXT.
SPECIFICALLY IT’S THESE OUTSIDE
GROUPS THAT ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. >> ALL RIGHT.
SO ALL YOUR BRAINPOWER AND BONA
FIDES THAT I RAN THROUGH IN
INTRODUCING YOU TO THE AUDIENCE,
THAT GOES INTO YOUR BEST GUESS
LIST OF WHAT HE’S HOLDING IN HIS
HAND, STARTING WITH BRETT
CAVANAUGH OF MARYLAND U.S. COURT
OF APPEALS FOR THE U.S. D.C.
CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT. >> PROBABLY OUR NUMBER ONE
CANDIDATE.
CANDIDATE. HE’S ON THE SECOND MOST
IMPORTANT COURT OF APPEALS IN
THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY. VERY WELL KNOWN COMMODITY.
PROBABLY THE INSIDE WASHINGTON
CANDIDATE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY
QUITE IMPORTANT WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION CASES.
A QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT HIM
ORIGINALLY, AND HE WASN’T ON THE
PRESIDENT’S FIRST LIST BECAUSE
HE WAS PRESENTED WITH A
CHALLENGE TO OBAMACARE, AND HE
DIDN’T VOTE TO STRIKE IT DOWN.
HE VOTED FOR THE PROPOSITION
THAT THE COURTS CAN’T GET
INVOLVED AT ALL.
BUT SINCE THEN, HIS STOCK HAS
REALLY RISEN, AND I THINK HE’S
PROBABLY, IF YOU ASK WHO’S THE
LEADING CANDIDATE, IT’S JUDGE
CAV NAU.
CAV NAU. >> MAGGIE HABERMAN OF "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" TWEETED TONIGHT THAT
THE PRESIDENT’S INTERESTED
MOSTLY IN CANDIDATES FROM
HARVARD OR YALE.
HE’S A YALIE ALL THE WAY, SO
THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING.
>> HE’S GOT ONE OTHER
CHARACTERISTIC TOO.
CHARACTERISTIC TOO. THAT’S HE’S A FORMER CLERK TO
JUSTICE KENNEDY.
JUSTICE KENNEDY. I DO THINK WE HAD THE SENSE THAT
THERE WERE IN BACK CHANNEL
SUGGESTIONS TO JUSTICE KENNEDY,
AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT ANOTHER ONE
OF HIS FORMER CLERKS, MIGHT WELL
REPLACE HIM TO GIVE HIM A SENSE
OF CONTINUITY AND HIS LEGACY WAS
SAFE.
SAFE. >> THE NEXT NAME IS HIGHLY
INTERESTING.
INTERESTING. AMONG HER BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS,
SHE’S THE MOTHER OF SEVEN --
>> SEVEN.
>> SEVEN. >> AND SHE GOT INTO QUITE A WELL
PUBLICIZED CONVERSATION ABOUT
BEING A RELIGIOUS CATHOLIC WITH
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN.
HER NAME IS AMY CONEY BARRETT OF
INDIANA U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
SEVENTH CIRCUIT.
SEVENTH CIRCUIT. >> YES.
>> YES. SHE’S A FORMER PROFESSOR AT
NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL.
THE ONE THING ABOUT HER IS SHE
DOESN’T HAVE A TON OF LEGAL
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. SHE’S DEEPLY RESPECTED, WELL
KNOWN, BUT YOU HAVEN’T SEEN HER
DECIDE A LOT OF CASES.
>> ONLY BEEN ON THE BENCH A FEW
MONTHS.
MONTHS. >> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. SHE’S A TRUMP APPOINT YESEE.
SHE’S YOUNGER THAN 50, WHICH IS
ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.
IT MIGHT END UP SHE NEEDS A
LITTLE MORE SEASONING BEFORE
THEY HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO
SAY SHE’S THE ONE, BUT SHE’S A
RISING STAR.
RISING STAR. >> A FEDERAL JUDGE OF MITCH OF
MITCH McCONNELL.
MITCH McCONNELL. AMUL OF THAPAR.
>> GIVEN SENATOR McCONNELL’S
IMPORTANT ROLE IN ALL OF THIS
PROCESS.
PROCESS. AGAIN, SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T HAVE
A LOT OF COURT OF APPEALS
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. HE WAS A DISTRICT JUDGE,
RECENTLY ELEVATED.
RECENTLY ELEVATED. HE WAS INTERVIEWED THE LAST TIME
AROUND, SO HE’S CLEARLY A
SERIOUS CANDIDATE.
SERIOUS CANDIDATE. THE SECOND ASIAN-AMERICAN,
INDIAN-AMERICAN JUDGE ON THE
U.S. COURTS OF APPEAL.
SO A SIGNIFICANT JURIST, BUT
HASN’T HAD A LOT TO SAY ON A LOT
OF HOT BUTTON ISSUES SO FAR.
MIGHT RAISE TOO MANY QUESTIONS
FOR HAVING THAT CONFIDENCE THAT
HE MIGHT NOT DRIFT TO THE LEFT.
>> AGAIN HE WOULD OF COURSE BE A
FIRST ON THE COURT IN TERMS OF
SOUTHERN ASIANS.
SOUTHERN ASIANS. THOMAS HARDIMAN OF PENNSYLVANIA.
THIS IS THE MAN KNOWN AS THE
FAVORITE OF THE PRESIDENT’S
SISTER, THE SENIOR FEDERAL
JUDGE.
JUDGE. TALK ABOUT HIM.
>> HE CAME IN SECOND LAST TIME,
AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO
SEE WHETHER OR NOT PRESIDENT
TRUMP THINKS, HEY, THAT’S THE
GUY WHO I THOUGHT WAS GREAT LAST
TIME, OR HE WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH
FOR ME LAST TIME.
DEEPLY RESPECTED.
DEEPLY RESPECTED. HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF
CASES INVOLVING GUN RIGHTS, FOR
EXAMPLE, WHICH IS A VERY
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND HAS TENDED
TO RULE IN FAVOR OF THOSE
RIGHTS.
RIGHTS. A VERY SOFT-SPOKEN GUY, SO HE
HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT
OF OTHER IDEOLOGICAL DISPUTES,
BUT HE DOES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE
THAT HE IS CERTAINLY KNOWN TO
THE PRESIDENT GOING IN.
>> THE NEXT ONE IS RAYMOND
KETHLEDGE OF MICHIGAN U.S. COURT
OF APPEALS FOR THE 6th CIRCUIT.
HEARD HIS NAME A LITTLE BIT MORE
TODAY.
TODAY. >> YEAH, ANOTHER KENNEDY --
FORMER KENNEDY CLERK 20 YEARS
AGO.
AGO. SO HE’S BEEN ON THE U.S. COURT
OF APPEALS FOR A LONGER TIME.
HE HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE
SEASONING, NOT QUITE AS LONG AS
JUDGE CAVANAUGH BUT ENOUGH FOR
THEM TO GET A REAL SENSE OF HIM.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THESE JUDGES
WHO ARE OUT OF MICHIGAN FROM THE
HEARTLAND OF THE COUNTRY, AND
THE PRESIDENT LAST TIME SEEMED
VERY INTERESTED IN THAT.
WE DIDN’T GET A LOT OF INSIDE
THE BELTWAY ACTION.
>> THE WOMAN WHO COULD BE THE
SECOND WOMAN ON THE PRESIDENT’S
LIST THAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT,
JOAN LARSEN OF MICHIGAN, COURT
OF AEL PAS 6th CIRCUIT.
>> ANOTHER RECENT TRANSPLANT TO
THE COURT OF APPEALS.
SHOULD HE KAMT
SHE CAME OFF THE STATE SUPREME
COURT.
COURT. HAS BEEN REGARDED IN ACADEMIC
CIRCLES FOR QUITE A WHILE HAS
SOMEONE WHO IS A VERY, VERY
SOLID CONSERVATIVE.
SOLID CONSERVATIVE. IN THE PRESIDENT IS INTERESTED
IN SOMEBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN
SOMEBODY WHO HAS MORE JUDICIAL
EXPERIENCE, HE MIGHT GO FOR
LARSEN.
LARSEN. >> YOUR WILD CARD, WILLIAM H.
PRIOR JR., ALABAMA, THE 11th
CIRCUIT, IS KNOWN FOR ONE THING
AND THAT IS HIS RESISTANCE TO
ROE V. WADE.
>> OFT STATED AND STRONGLY
STATED.
STATED. IF THE PRESIDENT DECIDES I
REALLY NEED FOR MOVEMENT
CONSERVATIVES, EVANGELICALS TO
GET OUT THERE AND SUPPORT ME,
GET TO THE POLLS, SUPPORT THIS
NOMINEE.
NOMINEE. IF YOU WANT THE NUCLEAR OPTION,
IT’S BILL PRYOR.
DEEPLY RESPECTED INTELLECT, BUT
HE IS THE ONE PERSON WHO COULD
THROW INTO QUESTION SOME OF THE
SUPPORT OF THE CENTRIST
REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO DO
EXPRESS SOME CONCERN ABOUT ROE
V. WADE.
V. WADE. BUT HE WOULD REALLY, REALLY,