>>> GOOD MORNING.
REMEMBERING AN ICON.
RUTH BADER GINSBURG, ONLY THE
SECOND WOMAN EVER TO SERVE ON
THE SUPREME COURT, HAS DIED AT
THE AGE OF 87.
A TOWERING FIGURE WHO FOUGHT FOR
WOMEN'S EQUAL RIGHTS FROM DAY
ONE.
>> CONTRIBUTES TO THE END OF THE
DAYS WHEN WOMEN, AT LEAST HALF
THE TALENT POOL IN OUR SOCIETY,
APPEAR IN HIGH PLACES, ONLY AS
ONE-AT-A-TIME PERFORMERS.
>> GINSBURG, A KEY MEMBER OF THE
COURT'S LIBERAL BLOCK THROUGH
THE DECADES, ALSO A POP CULTURE
ICON, THE SUBJECT OF BOOKS,
DOCUMENTARIES, AND MOVIES.
>> 65 YEARS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN UNIMAGINABLE THAT MY
DAUGHTER WOULD ASPIRE TO A
CAREER.
AND WHILE AMERICANS MOURN HER
PASSING, THIS MORNING, THE FIGHT
HAS ALREADY BEGUN OVER FILLING
HER SEAT ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST
COURT.
GINSBURG SAYING ON HER DEATHBED,
THE DECISION SHOULD BE LEFT TO
THE NEXT PRESIDENT, BUT SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL
SAYS HE'S READY TO MOVE AHEAD,
AS A BATTLE BREWS IN WASHINGTON,
WE'LL LOOK BACK AT RUTH BADER
GINSBURG'S LIFE AND THE LEGACY
SHE LEAVES BEHIND.
TODAY, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th,
2020.
>> Announcer: FROM NBC NEWS,
THIS IS "TODAY" WITH PETER
ALEXANDER, KRISTEN WELKER, AND
DYLAN DREYER.
>> AND WELCOME TO TODAY AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
ON THIS SATURDAY MORNING.
IT IS A SOMBER DAY.
FLAGS ARE FLYING AT HALF-STAFF
HERE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL,
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE
SUPREME COURT, ALL IN HONOR OF
RUTH BADER GINSBURG, SHE WAS
SMALL IN STATURE, PETER, BUT A
TOWERING FIGURE IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
>> YEAH, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
87 YEARS OLD, BUT CELEBRATED BY
A NEW GENERATION AS THE
NOTORIOUS RBG.
SHE DEDICATED HER LIFE TO
EXPANDING RIGHTS, AND HER
DISSENTS, I THINK, WERE EVEN
MORE POWERFUL BECAUSE OF THE
DISCRIMINATION, THE SEXISM THAT
SHE HERSELF EXPERIENCED AS A
YOUNG WOMAN AND AS A YOUNG
THIS WAS THE EMOTIONAL SCENE ON
THE STEPS OF THE SUPREME COURT
LAST NIGHT.
LOOK AT THE CROWD THERE.
PEOPLE COMING TO MOURN, TO PAY
THEIR RESPECTS.
THEIR NUMBERS SWELLING AS THE
NIGHT WENT ON.
AND AS GINSBURG IS REMEMBERED,
ATTENTION IS ALREADY TURNING TO
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
WHO WILL FILL HER SEAT.
AND AS IMPORTANTLY, WHO WILL
MAKE THAT DECISION.
>> YEAH, THAT IS THE BIG
QUESTION.
OUR TEAM IS COVERING ALL OF IT
FROM THOSE LANDMARK RULINGS TO
JUSTICE JGINSBURG'S LASTING
LEGACY.
BUT WE DO WANT TO BEGIN WITH
NBC'S JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT,
PETE WILLIAMS.
HE IS OUTSIDE OF THE SUPREME
COURT ON THIS SOMBER MORNING.
PETE, GOOD MORNING.
>> Reporter: KRISTEN, JUSTICE
GINSBURG'S DEATH ENDS ONE OF THE
MOST REMARKABLE CAREERS IN
AMERICAN LEGAL HISTORY, AND IT
MEANS THAT THE SUPREME COURT
WILL BEGIN ITS NEW TERM JUST TWO
WEEKS FROM NOW WITH GREAT
UNCERTAINTY, ABOUT WHO WILL PUT
HER SUCCESSOR ON THE COURT AND
HOW SOON THAT WILL HAPPEN.
IN HER FINAL DAYS, JUSTICE
GINSBURG HERSELF WEIGHED IN ON
HOW THAT SHOULD WORK.
THE SUPREME COURT SAYS RUTH
BADER GINSBURG DIED FRIDAY AT
HER HOME IN WASHINGTON,
SURROUNDED BY FAMILY MEMBERS.
THE COURT SAID HER DEATH WAS
CAUSED BY COMPLICATIONS OF
PANCREATIC CANCER.
ONE OF HER CLOSEST FRIENDS, NINA
TOTENBERG OF NPR SAYS A FEW DAYS
BEFORE JUSTICE GINSBURG'S DEATH,
SHE GAVE THIS STATEMENT TO HER
DAUG
GRANDDAUGHTER.
QUOTE, MY FERVENT WISH IS THAT I
NOT BE REPLACED UNTIL THE NEW
PRESIDENT IS INSTALLED.
JUSTICE GINSBURG WAS
CONSISTENTLY ONE OF THE SUPREME
COURT'S MODERATE TO LIBERAL
MEMBERS.
AS FIRST A LAWYER, AND THEN A
JUDGE AND JUSTICE, SHE BELIEVED
THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEED
WOMEN GREATER RIGHTS.
>> OVER THE COURSE OF NOW TWO
CENTURIES, IT HAS GROWN AND
DEVELOPED SO THAT MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT
CONCEPT, WE THE PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: REJECTED AFTER LAW
SCHOOL FOR A SUPREME COURT
CLERKSHIP BECAUSE SHE WAS A
WOMAN, SHE BEGAN HER CAREER AS A
LAW PROFESSOR AND PIONEERING
ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN'S LEGAL
RIGHTS, SUCCESSFULLY ARGUING A
STRING OF CASES BEFORE THE
SUPREME COURT THAT MADE IT
EASIER TO SUE FOR SEX
DISCRIMINATION.
IT WAS PRESIDENT CARTER WHO
FIRST APPOINTED HER TO BE A
FEDERAL JUDGE.
>> SHE HAS GENUINELY
DISTINGUISHED HERSELF.
>> Reporter: HEN IN 1993,
PRESIDENT CLINTON PUT HER ON THE
SUPREME COURT, MAKING HER THE
SECOND WOMAN JUSTICE.
>> IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE END OF
THE DAYS WHEN WOMEN, AT LEAST
HALF THE TALENT POOL IN OUR
SOCIETY, APPEAR IN HIGH PLACES
ONLY AS ONE-AT-A-TIME
PERFORMERS.
>> Reporter: AT HER CONFORMATION
HEARING, SHE CLEARLY STATED HER
SUPPORT FOR THE RIGHT TO
ABORTION.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING CENTRAL TO
A WOMAN'S LIFE, TO HER DIGNITY.
>> Reporter: AND AS A JUSTICE,
SHE VOTED TO UPHOLD ABORTION
RIGHTS.
SHE WROTE THE COURT'S OPINION,
PUTTING AN END TO THE MEN-ONLY
POLICY AT VMI, THE VIRGINIA
MILITARY INSTITUTE, SAYING IT
WAS BASED ON OUTMODED
STEREOTYPES.
SHE JOINED THE COURT'S
MAJORITIES IN STRIKING DOWN THE
DEATH PENALTY FOR JUVENILES AND
IN RULING, QUOTE, DEATH IS NOT A
SUITABLE PUNISHMENT FOR A
MENTALLY RETARDED CRIMINAL.
AND SHE VOTED TO ROLL BACK BUSH
ADMINISTRATION POLICIES ON THE
WAR ON TERROR, A BLISTERING
OPINION IN THE CASE ON EQUAL PAY
FOR WOMEN RENEWED HER STANDING
AS A FEMINIST ICON.
>> WE WELCOME TODAY JUSTICE RUTH
BADER GINSBURG.
>> Reporter: SHE WAS NICKNAMED
NOTORIOUS RBG AND FEATURED IN A
DOCUMENTARY MOVIE.
>> I AM 84 YEARS OLD AND
EVERYONE WANTS TO TAKE A PICTURE
WITH ME.
>> Reporter: SHE MARRIED A
FELLOW STUDENT IN COLLEGE,
MARTIN GINSBURG.
THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN.
YEARS LATER, SHE RECALLED
RECEIVING SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE
ON HER WEDDING DAY.
>> IT PAYS, MOTHER SAID, IT PAYS
SOMETIMES TO BE A LITTLE.
I HAVE FOLLOWED THAT ADVICE WITH
ONLY OCCASIONAL LAPSES, NOT ONLY
IN HOME, BUT EVEN RELATING TO MY
COLLEAGUES A TO THE SUPREME
COURT.
>> Reporter: A PASSIONATE OPERA
FAN, SHE APPEARED IN SEVERAL
WASHINGTON PRODUCTIONS, IN FULL
COSTUME, BUT IN SILENT ROLES.
REGULAR CHECKUPS AND EARLY
INTERVENTION HELPED HIM RECOVER
FROM THREE SURGERIES.
AND DOCTORS INSERTED A STENT
AFTER DISCOVERING A BLOCKAGE IN
A HEART ARTERY.
NOW THE COURT'S MOST POWERFUL
LIBERAL JUSTICE IS GONE.
>> THERE'S NO WORD YET ON ANY
PUBLIC MEMORIAL FOR JUSTICE
GINSBURG.
CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS
CALLED HER A JURIST OF HISTORIC
STATURE, A TIRELESS AND RESOLUTE
CHAMPION OF JUSTICE, WHO WILL BE
REMEMBERED BY FUTURE
GENERATIONS.
KRISTEN?
>> AND PETE, YOU LAY OUT THE
STAKES SO WELL, INCLUDING THAT
THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT JUSTICES ON
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM A
PRACTICAL MATTER MOVING FORWARD,
PETE?
>> THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED
AFTER JUSTICE SCALIA DIED, WE
HAD A 4-4 TIE WITH LIBERALS AND
SKR
CONSERVATIVES AND THEY BASICALLY
PUNTED ON THE MOST DIFFICULT
CASES.
RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE FIVE SKRVES
AND THREE LIBERALS WHEN THE NEW
TERM BEGINS.
WILL THEY PUNT AGAIN.
JUST A WEEK AFTER THE ELECTION,
THE COURT WILL HEAR THE BIG CASE
ON THE FUTURE OF OBAMACARE.
>> SO THAT'S PART OF THE
UNCERTAINTY HERE, KRISTEN.
>> ALL OF IT RIGHT BEFORE THE
PETE WAILLIAMS OUTSIDE THE
SUPREME COURT, PETE, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS
MORNING.
>> WE WANT TO BRING IN MICHAEL
B
BESCHLOSS, AS WELL AS BETSEY
WEST, BEHIND THE DOCUMENTARIRY,
"RBG."
GOOD MORNING.
AS OTHERS HAVE SAID OF GINSBURG,
SHE USED TO TEACH HER CLERKS TO
KEEP IT TIGHT AND GET IT RIGHT,
SO I WILL TRY TO DO THE SAME.
WHY DID SHE HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT?
AND HOW WILL SHE BE REMEMBERED?
>> AS DOING SO MUCH FOR WOMEN'S
RIGHTS OVER THE COURSE OF HER
ENTIRE CAREER, AND ALSO FOR THE
LAST TEN YEARS, BEING THE
PROGRESSIVE LEADER OF THE
SUPREME COURT AFTER THE
RETIREMENT OF JOHN PAUL STEVENS.
PLUS, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE MOST FAMOUS SUPREME COURT
JUSTICES IN HISTORY, WHICH CAN'T
BE SAID FOR MOST OF THEM.
>> AND BETSEY, TAKE US BEHIND
THE SCENES, BECAUSE YOU WORKED
ON THIS DOCUMENTARY, YOU GOT TO
SPEND TIME WITH HER.
WHAT WAS SHE LIKE AND WHERE DID
THIS STRENGTH THAT SHE HAD COME
FROM?
>> WELL, SHE WAS A VERY QUIET
PERSON.
AND YET SHE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF
HUMOR, LOVED TO LAUGH, AND I
THINK AT THE CORE, HER MOST
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC WAS
DETERMINATION.
THIS WOMAN WAS DETERMINED TO DO
THE JOB THAT SHE LOVED.
SHE LOVED BEING A SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE, SHE LOVED THE LAW.
AND SHE GAVE IT HER ALL.
>> MICHAEL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN
ERA WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY
DIVISIONS IN THE WAY THAT WE
VIEW OUR POLITICS AND SOME OF
THE BEST STORIES BEING SHARED
ABOUT GINSBURG RIGHT NOW ARE
ABOUT THE REMARKABLE
RELATIONSHIP THAT SHE HAD WITH
ONE OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE
JUSTICES, ANTONIN SCALIA.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT
THAT SORT OF BYGONE ERA OF
POLITICS?
>> THEY LOVED OPERA, THEY HAD A
WONDERFUL PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP,
ALTHOUGH THEY DISAGREED
POLITICALLY ABOUT JUST ABOUT
EVERYTHING, AND THAT GOES BACK
TO WHAT THE FOUNDERS WANTED.
THE FOUNDERS WANTED AMERICANS TO
FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER OVER
POLICY, BUT AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE WERE AMERICANS WHO LOVED
ONE ANOTHER.
I HOPE THAT'S NOT A BYGONE ERA,
AND IT MAY NOT BE ON THE SUPREME
COURT, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE
ARE VERY BIG IDEOLOGICAL
DIVISIONS TODAY, THERE'S SOME
VERY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG
THE JUSTICES NOW.
>> IT IS JUST REMARKABLE TO LOOK
BACK AT PICTURES OF THE TWO OF
THEM TOGETHER.
BETSEY, SHE BECAME A WILDLY
POPULAR FIGURE FOR THIS NEXT
GENERATION OF WOMEN.
WHY IS THAT?
THE NOTORIOUS RBG?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AS
JUSTICE GINSBURG WAS WRITING
THESE VERY STINGING DISSENTS TO
DECISIONS THAT THE SUPREME COURT
WAS ISSUING, AND AS IT BECAME
MORE CONSERVATIVE, YOUNG WOMEN
AND OTHERS, PROGRESSIVES, REALLY
GRAVITATED TO THE NOTORIOUS RBG.
THE IDEA THAT THIS TEENY
OCTOGENARIAN WAS SPEAKING TRUTH
TO POWER, THERE WAS JUST
SOMETHING SO APPEALING TO THAT.
AND IT DID CATCH ON.
THE T-SHIRTS, THE MUGS.
WHEN WE WOULD GO TO FILM JUSTICE
GINSBURG GIVING SPEECHES TO LAW
SCHOOLS, I MEAN, THE LINE WOULD
BE AROUND THE BLOCK.
PEOPLE WOULD SAY, OH, I DON'T
HAVE A TICKET, I JUST WANT TO
SEE HER.
>> YOU REMEMBER THAT IMAGE,
THERE WAS A TIME YOU WOULD WALK
INTO THE COURT AND YOU WOULD SEE
EIGHT MEN AND THEN AT THE END
THIS SMALL, PETITE WOMAN, BUT
SHE WAS SUCH A POWERHOUSE.
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, BETSEY, THANK
YOU BOTH.
>>> SO THERE IS A LOOMING
QUESTION THIS MORNING.
WHO WILL APPOINT THE NEXT
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.
AS WE MENTIONED, JUSTICE
GINSBURG SAID SHE WANTED THE
NAMING OF HER SUCCESSOR TO WAIT
UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
BUT SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH
McCONNELL IS VOWING TO BRING THE
PRESIDENT'S NOMINATION TO A VOTE
ON THE SENATE FLOOR NOW.
NBC'S JEFF BENNETT HAS MORE FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE.
JEFF, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> Reporter: KRISTEN, GOOD
MORNING.
THE NEWS OF JUSTICE GINSBURG'S
DEATH SETS UP A POTENTIALLY
BRUTAL AND PARTISAN NOMINATION
FIGHT IN THE FINAL STRETCH OF
THE 2020 CAMPAIGN, AND ADDS A
NEW LAYER OF URGENCY AROUND THE
OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION.
BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND JOE
BIDEN LEARNED THE NEWS OF HER
PASSING WHILE ON THE CAMPAIGN
TRAIL.
PRESIDENT TRUMP REACTING WITH
SURPRISE UPON LEARNING ABOUT THE
DEATH OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
R
RUTH BADER GINSBURG FRIDAY
NIGHT.
>> RUTH BADER GINSBURG HAS
PASSED AWAY.
>> SHE JUST DIED?
>> YES.
>> WOW.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU'RE
TELLING ME NOW FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
SHE LED AN AMAZING LIFE.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY?
SHE WAS AN AMAZING WOMAN,
WHETHER YOU AGREED OR NOT, SHE
WAS AN AMAZING WOMAN WHO LED AN
AMAZING LIFE.
I'M ACTUALLY SAD TO HEAR THAT.
I AM SAD TO HEAR THAT.
>> Reporter: AS WORD OF HER
DEATH SENT SHOCK WAVES AROUND
THE COUNTRY, THE PRESIDENT WAS
SPEAKING AT A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN
MINNESOTA, TOUTING THE
IMPORTANCE OF JUDICIAL
NOMINATIONS, YET UNAWARE OF
GINSBURG'S PASSING.
EVEN AS A SUPPORTER SHOUTED THE
NEWS.
>> THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL GET
ONE, TWO, THREE, OR FOUR SUPREME
COURT JUSTICES.
I HAD TWO.
MANY PRESIDENTS HAVE HAD NONE.
THEY'VE HAD NONE, BECAUSE
THEY'RE THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY TEND TO BE APPOINTED YOUNG.
>> RUTH BADER GINSBURG STOOD FOR
ALL OF US.
>> Reporter: DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE JOE BIDEN
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER
RETURNING FROM HIS OWN CAMPAIGN
TRIP TO MINNESOTA FRIDAY.
>> WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE LOSS
OF THE JUSTICE AND HER ENDURING
LEGACY.
BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT, LET ME BE
CLEAR, THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD
PICK THE PRESIDENT AND THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD PICK THE
JUSTICE FOR THE SENATE TO
CONSIDER.
>> Reporter: GINSBURG'S DEATH
SPARKING AN HISTORIC AND HEATED
POLITICAL BATTLE, WITH SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL
VOWING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEE TO
SUCCEED HER, OFFERING THE
PRESIDENT A CHANCE TO CEMENT A
RIGHTWARD TILT OF THE SUPREME
COURT FOR A GENERATION.
AND WITH THE ELECTION LESS THAN
TWO MONTHS AWAY, McCONNELL SAYS
THE SENATE WILL ACT TO FILL THE
VACANCY, EVEN THOUGH HE SPENT
MOST OF 2016, DENYING A
CONFIRMATION HEARING TO MERRICK
GARLAND, FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA'S PICK TO FILL THE SEAT OF
ANTONIN SCALIA.
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEE WILL
RECEIVE A VOTE ON THE FLOOR OF
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
MEANTIME, FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE LATE
JUSTICE.
GEORGE W. BUSH IN A STATEMENT
SAID THAT GINSBURG DEDICATED
MANY OF HER 87 REMARKABLE YEARS
TO THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE AND
EQUALITY AND INSPIRED MORE THAN
ONE GENERATION.
FROM BARACK OBAMA, SHE FOUGHT TO
THE END, THROUGH HER CANCER,
WITH UNWAVERING FAITH IN OUR
DEMOCRACY AND ITS IDEALS.
HE SAYS OF A NOMINATION PROCESS,
A BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE LAW IS
THAT WE APPLY RULES WITH
CONSISTENCY AND NOT BASED ON
WHAT'S CONVENIENT IN THE MOMENT.
AND BILL CLINTON, WHO APPOINTED
GINSBURG TO THE COURT IN 1993,
SAYS THIS.
HER LANDMARK OPINIONS ADVANCING
GENDER EQUALITY, MARRIAGE
EQUALITY, THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES, RIGHTS OF
IMMIGRANTS AND SO MANY MORE
MOVED US CLOSER TO A MORE
PERFECT UNION.
KRISTEN, PETER?
>> QUITE PERSONAL FOR BILL
CLINTON, WHO APPOINTED HER.
JEFF BENNETT, THANK YOU NTHAT.
>>> WE WANT TO TURN NOW TO NBC'S
KASIE HUNT, SHE COVERS CONGRESS
FOR US IN NBC.
THE DIVISIONS IN CONGRESS THAT
YOU WITNESSED ARE ALREADY SO
DEEP, AND NOW YOU HAVE WHAT IS
REALLY JUST A POTENTIALLY
COMBUSTIBLE MOMENT THERE.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
>> PETER, GOOD MORNING.
IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO
OVERSTATE JUST WHAT A
CATACLYSMIC MOMENT THIS COULD BE
FOR THE U.S. SENATE.
THEY ARE ALREADY INCREDIBLY
DIVIDED OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN
UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE AS MANY
OF THEM ARE FACING RE-ELECTION,
MANY OF THEM FACING PRESSURE TO
POTENTIALLY DIVIDE THEMSELVES
FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THEY'VE REFUSED TO DO THAT AND
COME UNDER INTENSE CRITICISM.
SO TO HAVE A BATTLE LIKE THIS
ONE, SUPREME COURT NOMINATIONS
ARE ALWAYS INCREDIBLY
CONTENTIOUS, BUT JUST
40-SOMETHING DAYS AHEAD OF AN
ELECTION, WE ARE REACHING NEW
TERRITORY.
NOW, ONE QUESTION WE'RE ASKING
OUR SOURCES AND WHAT WE'RE
STARTING TO HEAR IS BECAUSE
MITCH McCONNELL, THE MAJORITY
LEADER MIGHT ACTUALLY WAIT UNTIL
AFTER ELECTION DAY TO HOLD A
FINAL VOTE.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL
SAY, WELL, ISN'T THAT WHAT RUTH
BADER GINSBURG WANTED?
SHE ASKED FOR A NEW PRESIDENT TO
BE INSTALLED BEFORE HER
SUCCESSOR WAS CHOSEN, SO WHY
WOULD McCONNELL WAIT UNTIL AFTER
THE ELECTION?
DON'T FORGET THAT HE'S TRYING TO
KEEP THE SENATE IN REPUBLICAN
HANDS.
THAT'S ANOTHER KEY QUESTION
THAT'S GOING TO BE AT STAKE WHEN
VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS ON
ELECTION DAY.
IF THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE
THAT VOTERS ARE FOCUSED ON,
BECAUSE THE QUESTION HASN'T BEEN
ANSWERED YET, THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY REALLY ENERGYIZE
ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS VOTERS,
PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T COMFORTABLE
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE
SUPREME COURT AS THEIR VOTING
ISSUE.
THAT COULD HELP REPUBLICANS HANG
ON TO THE SUPREME COURT.
SO I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD KEEP
THAT IN MIND AS THEY WATCH HOW
THEY MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND
HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
BUT WE CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW
ANGRY DEMOCRATS ALREADY ARE,
BECAUSE OF THE TREATMENT OF
MERRICK GARLAND, THIS IS REALLY,
AGAIN, POTENTIALLY A CATACLYSMIC
MOMENT FOR THE SENATE HERE,
PETER.
>> AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF
LAWMAKERS HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR
SOME OF THEIR PAST COMMENTS ON
THIS VERY ISSUE.
KASIE HUNT, WE THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> AND WE NOW WANT TO TURN TO
CHUCK TODD, WHO IS NBC'S
POLITICAL DIRECTOR AND MODERATOR
OF "MEET THE PRESS."
CHUCK, GOOD MORNING.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING US
ON SUCH A MONUMENTAL MORNING.
LET'S PICK UP WHERE KASIE LEFT
OFF, WHICH IS THE POLITICS OF
THIS.
THIS NOW PUTS THE ISSUE OF THE
SUPREME COURT SQUARELY AT THE
CENTER OF AN ALREADY-CONTENTIOUS
ELECTION CYCLE.
SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE
ELECTION AND WHICH VOTERS WILL
IT ENERGIZE, CHUCK?
>> WELL, LOOK, THINK ABOUT WHERE
WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS BEHIND,
SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE BEHIND.
THEY'VE BEEN DESPERATE TO TRY TO
CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS
CAMPAIGN.
SO THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND
THAT THERE IS -- THAT THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY -- YOU'RE GOING TO
SEE AT LEAST THE PARTY
LEADERSHIP, McCONNELL AND TRUMP
BELIEVE, GET EVERYBODY BEHIND
THIS IDEA, BEHIND A PICK, WHAT I
THINK I WOULD BE.
I'M GUESSING THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS GOING TO END UP DOING AMY
COMEY BARRETT, SOMEONE HE'S
ALREADY -- A CONSERVATIVE JUDGE,
LIVES IN INDIANA.
SOMEBODY WHO I THINK THEY
BELIEVE WILL FIRE UP --
PARTICULARLY, SHE'S CATHOLIC.
THE PRESIDENT WOULD LIKE TO
IMPROVE HIS STANDING WITH
CATHOLICS, PARTICULARLY IN THE
UPPER MIDWESTERN STATES.
I THINK THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN
PARTY IS GOING TO GET BEHIND
THIS STATE, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE
AND I BELIEVE THAT DONALD TRUMP
WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT BECAUSE OF
THE SUPREME COURT OPENING.
HAD THERE NOT BEEN A SUPREME
COURT OPENING, I'M NOT CONVINCED
DONALD TRUMP EVER WINS A FIRST
TERM LET ALONE HERE FIGHTS FOR A
HOWEVER, KRISTEN, I THINK THE
LEFT IS SO FIRED UP TO A POINT
THAT I THINK THE RIGHT OUGHT TO
BE CAREFUL HERE THAT THIS
DOESN'T BOOMERANG.
I THINK IF THE PRESIDENT AND
SENATE REPUBLICANS DECIDE TO
IGNORE THE VIRUS, IGNORE THE
ECONOMY.
I MEAN, CHECK OUT HOW THE UNITED
STATES SENATE IS RUNNING NOW.
THEY CAN'T NEGOTIATE FOR A
RELIEF BILL, BUT BOY THEY CAN
MOVE THINGS QUICKLY TO DO A
CONFIRMATION HEARING?
I THINK THIS IS VERY TRICKY
POLITICS HERE FOR REPUBLICANS.
I REALLY DO.
AND I THINK THEY OUGHT TO BE
CAREFUL IT DOESN'T BOOMERANG ON
THEM.
>> I THINK YOU RAISE AN
IMPORTANT POINT, CHUCK.
HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THE
DEMOCRATIC BASE?
CHUCK TODD, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.