On Wendesday night's The 11th Hour With Brian Williams, the former Nightly News host warned that the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell possibily invoking the "nuclear option" to confirm Supreme Court nomninee Neil Gorsuch "goes into the category of 'be careful what you wish for.'"
If exercised, the nuclear option would only require a minmum of 50 votes (with a tiebreaker by the Vice President, who also serves as the President of the Senate) as opposed to 60 votes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. In 2013, then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid enacted the option to confirm President Barack Obama's Cabinet nominees, leaving the 60-vote threshold to appoint Supreme Court nominees.
Unfortunately, there was little, if any, media outrage when Reid invoked the nuclear option.
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"It's called nuclear because folks in Washington who like to do drastic things think this is too much of a break from tradition," MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi said. "If you don't get 60 votes in the Senate, think about a different nominee."
Williams remarked, "And then it goes into the category of 'be careful what you wish for.' Because if say your second pick if you get one is too conservative. Your party ends up if they can pick off one or two, you lose big."
Here's the February 1 exchange:
The 11th Hour With Brian Williams
11:23:39 PM-11:24:40 PM [1 min., 1 sec.]
BRIAN WILLIAMS: As a viewer’s guide, there was discussion today of the nuclear option in the senate. Just like in real life, it's a phrase that never should be tossed around. President said, Mitch, meaning the majority leader McConnell should invoke it, what does it mean?
ALI VELSHI: Instead of getting 60 votes in the Senate to confirm a Supreme Court nominee, they changed the rules so that only 50 can affirm the nominee. Which is dangerous because if you do it once, it means others can do it after you. Democrats have considered using it before and they decide against it, but the idea is change the rules while you're in power to make sure your Supreme Court nominee goes through. It's called nuclear because folks in Washington who like to do drastic things think this is too much of a break from tradition. If you don't get 60 votes in the Senate, think about a different nominee.
WILLIAMS: And then it goes into the category of 'be careful what you wish for.' Because if say your second pick if you get one is too conservative. Your party ends up if they can pick off one or two, you lose big.
VELSHI: That's right. And that's why this is dangerous. It's not that others haven't considered doing it, it's the cavalier nature in which Donald Trump suggested to his friend Mitch McConnell that they should go for this. He did say it's up to Mitch and his people.
WILLIAMS: The Senate tends to be a great chamber of sober second thought. And perhaps they will think was fascinating reading this week.
