Then as well as now, it's all about power and politics to achieve a greater principle - a lasting SCOTUS majority
GOP had 54-member majority in 2016, and an 11-9 majority on Judiciary Committee.
Graham/Flake woulda felt compelled to approve an Obama nom (add Hatch for Garland), and send to floor.
Kirk, Collins, Murkowski woulda added their votes to confirm.
Dems woulda turned court left.
McConnell stepped in with his made-up principle to protect his members from the consequences of their prior commitments that they themselves wanted to abandon (but on their own had no good reason to) when the balance of the Court for a generation was finally at stake.
Democrats, for their part, demanded hearings and a vote for Obama's nominee BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY HAD THE VOTES to turn the court solidly liberal for the first time since 1969.
It's why RBG joined the #WeNeedNine bandwagon, too
The roles are reversed in 2020 because Republicans have the votes to confirm Trump's nominee to finally complete their own mission, begun in 1969, to get a solidly conservative SCOTUS majority that obviates any wobbly vote....and Democrats don't have the votes to stop it.
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