Thread by @Three_Star_Dave

It's absolutely appropriate that Joe Biden not pre-announce a short list of SCOTUS nominees, if only to not look like a dangerous radical like Donald Trump, who just short-listed Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz on his own list. 1/

Tom Cotton's first comment after the mention by Trump, by the way. 2/

https://twitter.com/TomCottonAR/status/1303786807692124160

I mean, honestly, the idea that Trump will get to name at least 1 new SCOTUS justice in a second term is sufficient reason to vote him out. Proposing Cotton or Cruz should have folk literally throwing money at the Biden campaign. 3/

That said, these kind of pre-announcements are only a positive if they rile up a goodly portion of the base. Because, as demonstrated, they are just as likely to rile up a goodly portion of the opposition. 4/

And that assumes this is even a quasi-honest suggestion by Trump, vs. a whim, a transactional favor, or simply a means of distraction. 5/

I mean, it's not like Trump wouldn't love a serious distraction. Like the drum beat of tell-all books and new scandals and accusations toward Trump coming out daily. Or, of course, 190K people dead of #COVID19 under Trump's denialist watch. 6/

One thing I will say in favor of Trump's recommendations: I think it's high time that we had some high-ranking politicians on SCOTUS again. Senators, Governors, etc., used to be part of the mix there, and they arguably brought a pragmatic perspective to cases. 7/

But *not* Ted Cruz or Tom Cotton. God, no. 8/8

#TrumpMustGo