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2016 presidential candidates on the Supreme Court
From Ballotpedia
 Date: November 8, 2016 |
Winner: Donald Trump (R) Hillary Clinton (D) • Jill Stein (G) • Gary Johnson (L) • Vice presidential candidates |
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This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Read what the 2016 candidates and their respective party platforms said about the Supreme Court below.
Interested in reading more about the 2016 candidates' stances on issues related to the Supreme Court? Ballotpedia also covered what the candidates said about civil liberties, crime and justice, Constitutional rights, President Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, and filling the Supreme Court vacancy.
| OVERVIEW OF CANDIDATE POSITIONS | |
Democratic ticket
Hillary Clinton
- In the third and final presidential debate on October 19, 2016, Hillary Clinton discussed her vision for the Supreme Court. She said, "I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people, not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy. For me, that means that we need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system."[1]
- Clinton applauded President Barack Obama’s nomination of federal judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court on March 16, 2016. She said in a statement, "He has chosen a nominee with considerable experience on the bench and in public service, a brilliant legal mind, and a long history of bipartisan support and admiration. Now, it's up to members of the Senate to meet their own, and perform the Constitutional duty they swore to undertake. … This Senate has almost a full year to consider and confirm Judge Garland. It should begin that work immediately by giving Judge Garland a full and fair hearing followed by a vote.”[2]
- On February 18, 2016, Clinton participated in a televised town hall on MSNBC where she defended her votes against former President George W. Bush’s Supreme Court nominees Samuel Alito and John Roberts. She said, “I voted against [Alito]. We had a process. The nomination was made and we went through the process. What the Republicans today are saying is you can't vote on anything. We don't want the president to send us a nominee. I think that is very different." Her comments came after Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away on February 13, 2016, and many Senate Republicans said that the seat should be filled by the next president rather than President Obama.[3]
- During a campaign event in Iowa on January 26, 2016, a voter asked Clinton if she would consider appointing President Obama to the U.S. Supreme Court. She said, "Wow, what a great idea. No one has ever suggested that to me, I love that, wow. He may have a few other things to do but I tell you that's a great idea. I would certainly take that under advisement. I mean he’s brilliant, and he can set forth an argument, and he was a law professor, so he’s got all the credentials. Now we do have to get a Democratic Senate to get him confirmed so you’re going to have to help me on that, OK?"[4]
- In a January 8, 2016, op-ed in The Boston Globe, Clinton said that she would appoint justices to the Supreme Court that would "protect the constitutional principles of liberty and equality for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or political viewpoint; make sure the scales of justice aren’t tipped away from individuals toward corporations and special interests; and protect citizens’ right to vote, rather than billionaires’ right to buy elections." Clinton said that on "Election Day, three of the current justices will be over 80 years old, which is past the court’s average retirement age. The next president could easily appoint more than one justice. That makes this a make-or-break moment — for the court and our country." She added that Republicans have been vocal about packing the court with conservative justices. "After years of accusing liberals of judicial activism, conservatives are wholeheartedly relying on Republican-appointed judges to undo progressive achievements. They’re using radical legal strategies to accomplish through the courts what they’ve failed to do through legislation, like dismembering the Voting Rights Act or attacking unions. A Republican president would support those efforts. I will oppose them," Clinton said.[5]
- Following oral arguments in Evenwel v. Abbott, Clinton said that the Supreme Court should guarantee the concept of “one person, one vote.” She said in a December 9, 2015, statement: "In the Supreme Court yesterday, parties challenging Texas’ Senate apportionment plan insisted that political representation in our democracy should be based on eligible voters, instead of total population. This change would mean that many in America, including children and non-citizen residents, would no longer be counted for purposes of representation in every state in the country. Such measures are an insult to the millions of Americans who have fought throughout our history for our country to achieve equality and justice for all people. The Supreme Court should protect political equality and turn away this harmful and reckless attempt to write off so many."[6]
| Hillary Clinton: Supreme Court Justice Appointments. |
- During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on October 28, 2015, Hillary Clinton said she opposed abolishing the death penalty. “We have a lot of evidence now that the death penalty has been too frequently applied and very unfortunately, often times in a discriminatory way. … I do not favor abolishing it, however, because I think there are certain egregious cases that still deserve consideration of the death penalty, but I’d like to see those be very limited and rare,” Clinton said.[7]
- Clinton voted against President George W. Bush's nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.[8]
- In 2007, Clinton explained that she viewed the United States Constitution as an "organic, growing, evolving set of principles that have stood the test of time and that and can't just be looked at as though it is frozen at some point in the late eighteenth century."[9]
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland
- In a radio interview that aired on September 15, 2016, on the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," Hillary Clinton did not rule out renominating Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. She said that she would "look broadly and widely for people who represent the diversity of our country" if she had the opportunity to make "any" Supreme Court nominations. Clinton also said that she would not ask President Obama to withdraw Merrick Garland’s nomination. Clinton said, "I think we should stick with one president at a time." She continued, "I’m going to let this president serve out his term with distinction and make the decisions that he thinks are right for the country."[10]
- On March 28, 2016, Clinton gave a speech in Madison, Wisconsin, in which she called on Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to "do his job" and schedule committee hearings for Judge Merrick Garland.[11][12]
- On March 16, 2016, Clinton released the following statement on the nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the United States Supreme Court.[13]
Statements on the death of Antonin Scalia and the Supreme Court vacancy
- In response to a question from moderator Chris Wallace during the third presidential debate on October 19, 2016, Hillary Clinton gave the following remarks on the U.S. Supreme Court: "You know, I think when we talk about the Supreme Court, it really raises the central issue in this election. Namely, what kind of country are we going to be? What kind of opportunities will we provide for our citizens? What kind of rights will Americans have? And I feel strongly that the Supreme Court needs to stand on the side of the American people. Not on the side of the powerful corporations and the wealthy. For me, that means that we need a Supreme Court that will stand up on behalf of women's rights, on behalf of the rights of the LGBT community, that will stand up and say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country because of the way it permits dark, unaccountable money to come into our electoral system. I have major disagreements with my opponent about these issues and others that will be before the Supreme Court. But I feel that at this point in our country's history, it is important that we not reverse marriage equality, that we not reverse Roe v. Wade, that we stand up against Citizens United, we stand up for the rights of people in the workplace, that we stand up and basically say, the Supreme Court should represent all of us. That's how I see the court. And the kind of people that I would be looking to nominate to the court would be in the great tradition of standing up to the powerful, standing up on behalf of our rights as Americans. And I look forward to having that opportunity. I would hope that the Senate would do its job and confirm the nominee that President Obama has sent to them. That's the way the constitution fundamentally should operate. The President nominates and the Senate advises and consents or not. But they go forward with the process."[14]
- During a radio interview on September 15, 2016, Clinton indicated that she would not request that President Barack Obama withdraw his nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court if she were elected president in November. "I’m going to let this president serve out his term with distinction and make the decisions that he thinks are right," she said. Clinton added, “If I have the opportunity to make any Supreme Court appointments I’m going to look broadly and widely for people who represent the diversity of our country, who bring some common-sense, real-world experience."[15]
- During her speech on March 28, 2016, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Clinton called on U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to “step up and do his job” by giving Merrick Garland a hearing. "He says we should wait for a new president because – and I quote – 'The American people shouldn't be denied a voice.’ Well, as one of the more than 65 million Americans who voted to re-elect Barack Obama, I'd say my voice is being ignored right now because of their obstructionism,” Clinton said.[16]
- During a speech in Harlem on February 16, 2016, Hillary Clinton criticized Republicans who wanted to postpone confirming a replacement for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia until after the 2016 presidential election. She said that the spirit that was influencing that movement was the same one that fueled efforts to restrict voting, calling both efforts “a blast from the Jim Crow past.” She said that Republicans speak "as if somehow he’s not the real President. That’s in keeping with what we’ve heard all along right? … Many Republicans talk in coded racial language ... they demonize President Obama.”[17]
- Discussing the characteristics of potential Supreme Court nominees on February 15, 2016, during a campaign stop in Nevada, Clinton said, “I think the President's going to look for somebody who has a record that is gonna be hard for the Republicans to be against. Somebody who is a sensible person with a good record and maybe somebody who's already been confirmed by the Senate." She continued, "We've got some judges on the courts of appeals, they were confirmed 99 to nothing. So there [sic] people who have already gone through the process."[18]
- On February 13, 2016, Clinton extended her condolences to Antonin Scalia's family and criticized Republicans who called for a delay in filling Scalia's seat. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Justice Scalia as they mourn his sudden passing. I did not hold Justice Scalia’s views, but he was a dedicated public servant who brought energy and passion to the bench. The Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail who are calling for Justice Scalia’s seat to remain vacant dishonor our Constitution. The Senate has a constitutional responsibility here that it cannot abdicate for partisan political reasons," she said in a statement.[19]
| The 2016 Democratic Party Platform on the judiciary | ||||||
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Tim Kaine
- On October 28, 2016, in offering up a "prediction" on the Supreme Court nomination process should Merrick Garland not receive consideration "during a post-election lame duck session," Kaine said, "We will change the Senate rules to uphold the law, that the court will be nine members ... I was in the Senate when the Republicans’ stonewalling around appointments caused Senate Democratic majority to switch the vote threshold on appointments from 60 to 51. And we did it on everything but a Supreme Court justice ... If these guys think they’re going to stonewall the filling of that vacancy or other vacancies, then a Democratic Senate majority will say, ‘We’re not going to let you thwart the law.' ... The battle is: Do we want a lawfully constituted full court or will we let the Republicans have a hobbled, limited and weakened court? ... The voters are going to stop them, or we’re going to stop them." Kaine also noted that "I think there’s still a significant likelihood that Merrick Garland will get a vote before the end of the year."[22]
- On September 27, 2016, Kaine announced that he was a co-sponsor of a resolution calling for a hearing and a vote on the nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland before the Senate adjourns for its next recess. The resolution would prohibit the Senate "from adjourning, recessing, or convening in a pro forma session unless the Senate has provided a hearing and a vote on the pending nomination to the position of justice of the Supreme Court of the United States."[23]
- As members of the U.S. Senate held meetings with President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, Roll Call asked each senator what was discussed. Kaine told Roll Call that he told Garland he would "encourage colleagues to 'respect the traditions of the Senate' and the Constitution."[24]
- On May 17, 2016, Tim Kaine made remarks on the Senate floor to acknowledge the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. In his speech, Kaine stressed the importance of having a nine-member Supreme Court and shared how many Virginia constituents perceive the fact that President Obama's Supreme Court nominee has not received a hearing. Kaine said in part, "While most know what the Brown case resolved, few remember that the Brown ruling was in serious jeopardy because of the death of a Supreme Court Justice and the deep divisions among the remaining 8 members. It was only through the prompt filling of a judicial vacancy that the Court could come together and render a ruling in America’s best interest. The Brown case was originally argued in 1952 and the Court that heard the argument was hopelessly divided, so divided in fact that they asked that the case be reargued in 1953. And then, to make matters worse, Chief Justice Fred Vinson died before the reargument. By many accounts, his death left the Court evenly divided over an issue of the deepest importance. Had the vacancy persisted, there is no way of predicting whether the Supreme Court could have even resolved the case. Imagine how different our history would have been if the Supreme Court was unable to decide on a matter of such fundamental importance. But, President Eisenhower nominated former California Governor Earl Warren to fill the vacancy. The Senate did its job, held a prompt hearing and confirmed his appointment. And Chief Justice Warren then used his skill to cut through the division and convince his colleagues that the Court should speak unanimously and say that a child’s skin color should not determine which school he or she should attend. Because the Senate did its job, the Court was able to do its job. And all America was lifted."[25]
- On the majority leader's announcement shortly after Scalia's death that no nomination by President Obama would ever receive a hearing or a vote, Kaine said, "I conclude that the majority’s rationale—we should not take up the Garland nomination because the vacancy has occurred in the final year of a Presidential term—is at odds with the text of the Constitution, with the clear meaning of the text as explained during the drafting of the provision and with the clear line of Senate action in previous cases. So, what explains the majority’s blockade of Judge Garland? I obviously do not know their motivations and cannot comment on them. But I can discuss how it appears, based on my discussions with Virginians. The current Senate blockade is variously interpreted as an attack on the nominee, on the particular President making this nomination or on the very notion of judicial independence."[25]
- Addressing the nominee's qualifications and record, Kaine said, "And, now that Judge Garland has been nominated, we also know that the majority blockade is not about the character of the nominee. Judge Garland has an esteemed record as a prosecutor, private practitioner and federal appellate judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. His judicial service alone is approaching the twenty-year mark on a court that most believe is second in importance only to the Supreme Court. No member of the majority has yet found any credible weakness in his background, integrity, experience, character, judicial temper or fitness for the position. Indeed, the majority’s senior member, a respected former chair of the Judiciary Committee, has praised Judge Garland as exactly the kind of jurist who should be on the Supreme Court. In my recent interview with Judge Garland, I came away deeply impressed with his thoughtful manner and his significant experience as a trial attorney and judge. This is no ivory tower jurist but instead a man who understands the real life struggles of plaintiffs and defendants, lawyers and juries, legislators and citizens, who depend upon the Supreme Court to give clarity and guidance to the rules that impact the most important issues of their lives. We should give President Obama his due in proposing a nominee with impeccable credentials. So, I reject the notion that the majority’s opposition is about the nominee. In fact, a determination that Merrick Garland was not of “fit character” to even receive consideration as a Supreme Court Justice would set such a high bar for appointees that it’s hard to imagine anyone ever clearing it."[25]
- On March 16, 2016, Kaine released a statement on President Obama’s nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland—a federal appellate judge for the District of Columbia—to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kaine wrote, “Merrick Garland is a well-respected jurist with impeccable qualifications and unrivaled experience. His legacy as an attorney includes overseeing high-profile domestic terrorism cases. He has also garnered enthusiastic support from Democrats and Republicans in the past, which should leave Republicans in the Senate no excuse for obstructing his confirmation process. Justice demands that the Senate provide advice and consent for any Supreme Court nominee. I commend President Obama for fulfilling his constitutional duty. It’s time for the Senate to do the same.”[26]
- Read more of Tim Kaine's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.
Republican ticket
Donald Trump
- At a town hall on December 12, 2015, Donald Trump criticized Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts for upholding the Affordable Care Act. Trump said, “What he did to Obamacare was disgraceful and I think he did it because he wanted to be popular in the beltway or something, because he did it the first time, and should have never done it and that would have killed it.” Trump added that Justice Clarence Thomas was “highly underrated.”[27]
- In July 2012, Trump called the Supreme Court's decision maintaining the constitutionality of Obamacare "a disaster." Trump added Chief Justice John Roberts, who authored the opinion, was "extremely disloyal" and "wanted to be loved by the Washington establishment."[28]
- In April 2012, Trump criticized President Barack Obama for suggesting it would be unprecedented if the Supreme Court overturned Obamacare, saying, "I think he paid great disrespect to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the Supreme Court for a reason. And it almost is as though he didn't care what they said and they shouldn't be making the decision, and this decision is above them, and they don't exist. And I would think it would be very insulting to go to the Supreme Court with what he said."[29]
Statements in response to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- In an interview with Maggie Haberman of The New York Times published July 12, 2016, Trump made the following remarks regarding Justice Ginsburg's comments about his possibly becoming president: "I think it's highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly ... I think it's a disgrace to the court and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn't believe it when I saw it .. That she should be saying that? It's so beneath the court for her to be making statements like that. It only energizes my base even more. And I would hope that she would get off the court as soon as possible."[30]
- In a posted tweet on July 13, Trump called for Justice Ginsburg's resignation, saying that she "has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot - resign!"[31]
- Read Justice Ginsburg's comments on Donald Trump, 2016.
Statements on U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland
- During an interview on CNN on March 16, 2016, Donald Trump discussed the process for choosing the next United States Supreme Court justice. He said, "I think the next president should make the pick, and I think they shouldn’t go forward, and I believe I’m pretty much in line with what the Republicans are saying."[32]
Statements on the death of Antonin Scalia and the Supreme Court vacancy
- In response to a question from moderator Chris Wallace during the third presidential debate on October 19, 2016, Donald Trump gave the following remarks on the U.S. Supreme Court, "The Supreme Court, it is what it is all about. Our country is so, so, it is just so imperative that we have the right justices. Something happened recently where Justice Ginsburg made some very inappropriate statements toward me and toward a tremendous number of people. Many, many millions of people that I represent and she was forced to apologize. And apologize she did. But these were statements that should never, ever have been made. We need a Supreme Court that in my opinion is going to uphold the second amendment and all amendments, but the second amendment which is under absolute siege. I believe, if my opponent should win this race, which I truly don't think will happen, we will have a second amendment which will be a very, very small replica of what it is right now. But I feel that it is absolutely important that we uphold because of the fact that it is under such trauma. I feel that the justices that I am going to appoint, and I've named 20 of them. The justices that I am going to appoint will be pro-life. They will have a conservative bent. They will be protecting the second amendment. They are great scholars in all cases and they're people of tremendous respect. They will interpret the constitution the way the founders wanted it interpreted and I believe that’s very important. I don't think we should have justices appointed that decide what they want to hear. It is all about the constitution of, and it is so important. The constitution the way it was meant to be. And those are the people that I will appoint."[33]
- Trump released a list of names from which he would choose nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court as president on September 23, 2016. The list includes four state supreme court judges, four federal appellate judges, and two federal district court judges. This list adds to a list of 11 potential nominees Trump released on May 18, 2016. In a press release, Trump thanked the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation, among others, for help in constructing the list.[34] For a complete list of Trump's potential nominees to the Supreme Court, click here.
- On February 14, 2016, Donald Trump said that he was joking when he stated in 2015 that he would appoint his sister, federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, to the Supreme Court if given the opportunity. He said, “My sister’s a brilliant person, known as a brilliant person, but it’s obviously a conflict. … My sister, also she — she also happens to have a little bit different views than me, but I said in that in a very joking matter, and it was all lots of fun and everything else.”[35]
- At the Republican presidential debate on February 13, 2016, Trump identified federal judges Diane Sykes and William Pryor as potential replacements for Antonin Scalia. He added that he expected President Barack Obama would nominate a justice and that it was "up to Mitch McConnell, and everybody else to stop it. It's called delay, delay, delay."[36]
- Earlier on February 13, 2016, Trump tweeted, "The totally unexpected loss of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a massive setback for the Conservative movement and our COUNTRY!"[37]
| The 2016 Republican Party Platform on the judiciary | ||||||
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Mike Pence
- On August 10, 2016, Pence criticized former Ohio governor and 2016 Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Ted Strickland for his earlier comment about the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Pence said, “You know your former governor, Ted Strickland. I just learned on the way over here, actually said on Monday that the death of Antonin Scalia, quote: 'happened at a good time.'” Pence continued, “Well those remarks are appalling, and they are one more reminder why Ohio must reelect Sen. Rob Portman to Washington, D.C. My friends, the passing of a constitutional scholar like the late justice Antonin Scalia was an American tragedy. And Donald Trump and I know that there is never a good time for a good man and a principled conservative to leave our Supreme Court or leave this Earth. But the truth is, Ted Strickland’s callous remarks remind us of the stakes in this election. I would say particularly to our constitutional liberties, including the right to keep and bear arms.” Strickland apologized for the remark on August 10, 2016.[39]
- During a town hall meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Pence explained why he was discussing the Supreme Court vacancy. He said, "While we’re choosing a president for the next four years, this next president will make decisions that will impact our Supreme Court for the next 40.”[40]
- On July 21, 2016, Pence told Judy Woodruff of PBS Newshour that he thought Donald Trump is "pro-life." He continued, "And I believe in the sanctity of life, and we have had some heart-to-heart conversations about the Supreme Court of the United States and about the importance of making sure that our next president appoints justices to the Supreme Court who will not only uphold the rule of law, but will — that will advance the principles enshrined in the Constitution of the United States."[41]
- Mike Pence criticized the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan because of her opposition to gun rights and how it had influenced her judicial decisions.[42]
- Read more of Mike Pence's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.
Green candidate
Jill Stein
- After the U.S. Supreme Court announced its 4-4 decision in United States v. Texas, Stein tweeted, "#SCOTUS decision today is terrible. We need to provide safe homes for undocumented workers with children and protect them from deportation."[43]
- According to a 2012 Huffington Post profile of Jill Stein, "she would appoint Supreme Court justices who believe corporations are corporations, not people, and fight to get corporate money and influence out of the political process."[44]
| The 2016 Green Party Platform on the Supreme Court |
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| The 2016 Green Party Platform does not specifically mention the Supreme Court.[45] |
Libertarian candidate
Gary Johnson
- In an April 2012 op-ed in The Huffington Post criticizing the Supreme Court decision in Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders, Johnson advocated for stronger protection of the right to privacy. He wrote, "There are a lot of us in America who still would like to believe that woven through the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is a fundamental right to individual privacy. And I don't recall that we agreed to forfeit that right just because technology has outgrown the law or because the police need 'substantial discretion' to make us take our clothes off. Expecting the government to willingly constrain itself when it comes to violating our privacy is not just foolhardy; it defies everything we know about the very nature of government. Until privacy is restored as a fundamental American value and right that government is required to protect, rather than destroy, this erosion of our freedom -- and dignity -- will continue."[46]
| The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform on the Supreme Court |
|---|
| The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform does not specifically mention the Supreme Court.[47] |
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The final Trump-Clinton debate transcript, annotated," October 19, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton, Sanders praise Obama's Supreme Court pick," March 16, 2016
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Clinton Defends Vote Against Alito: What GOP Is Doing Now Is 'Very Different'," February 18, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, "Hillary Clinton Would Consider Appointing President Obama to Supreme Court," January 26, 2016
- ↑ The Boston Globe, "A make-or-break moment for Supreme Court appointments," January 8, 2016
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Hillary Clinton Calls For SCOTUS To Uphold 'One Person, One Vote'," December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Hillary Clinton Backs Use of Death Penalty," October 28, 2015
- ↑ New York Times, “Stark Contrasts Between McCain and Obama in Judicial Wars," May 28, 2008
- ↑ YouTube.com, "Hillary Clinton: Supreme Court justice appointments," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Clinton Says She May Not Choose Garland for Supreme Court," September 15, 2016
- ↑ CBS News, "Hillary Clinton to Chuck Grassley: Give Merrick Garland a hearing," March 28, 2016
- ↑ Reuters, "Clinton warns of possible Trump Supreme Court nominations," March 29, 2016
- ↑ Twitter, "Hillary Clinton Statement on Merrick Garland," accessed March 16, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Full transcript: Third 2016 presidential debate," October 20, 2016
- ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Clinton Refuses to Commit to Merrick Garland as Her Supreme Court Pick," September 15, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Clinton takes aim at Trump in Supreme Court speech," March 28, 2016
- ↑ New York Daily News, "Hillary Clinton, during speech in NYC, compares GOP to ‘Jim Crow’ for refusing to back Obama’s Supreme Court pick," February 17, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Clinton tips her hand on Supreme Court nominations," February 15, 2016
- ↑ Hillary Clinton for President, "Hillary Clinton Statement on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia," February 13, 2016
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Democratic Party, "The 2016 Democratic Party Platform," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Roll Call, "Tim Kaine predicts possible 'nuclear option' over Supreme Court nomination," October 31, 2016
- ↑ Tim Kaine United States Senator for Virginia, "Press Release: SENATE DEMOCRATS: NO VOTE ON GARLAND NOMINATION, NO RECESS," September 27, 2016
- ↑ Tim Kaine United States Senator for Virginia, "Meeting with Merrick," April 25, 2016
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Tim Kaine United States Senator for Virginia, "KAINE ON OBSTRUCTION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA’S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: WE CANNOT BLIND OURSELVES TO HOW OUR ACTIONS ARE PERCEIVED," May 17, 2016
- ↑ Tim Kaine United States Senator for Virginia, "Press Release: Kaine Statement on the Nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court," March 16, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, December 12, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Donald Trump: ‘Roberts wanted to be loved’," July 2, 2012
- ↑ FOX News, "Trump: President Obama's comments on Supreme Court's pending decision on health care law 'first grade stuff'," April 4, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Donald Trump Rebukes Ruth Bader Ginsburg for Deriding His Candidacy," July 12, 2016
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," July 13, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Candidates Stick to Party Lines in Debate Over Supreme Court Nomination," accessed March 19, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Full transcript: Third 2016 presidential debate," October 20, 2016
- ↑ NPR, "Donald Trump Unveils New, More Diverse Supreme Court Short List," September 23, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Trump Says He Was Kidding in Suggesting His Sister for the Court," February 14, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CBS News Republican debate transcript, annotated," February 13, 2016
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald Trump," February 13, 2016
- ↑ Republican Party, "The 2016 Republican Party Platform," accessed August 23, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Pence rips Strickland over comments on Scalia’s death," August 10, 2016
- ↑ Conservative Daily Post, "MIKE PENCE: “WE’RE OVER-RULING THAT SUPREME COURT CASE,” July 29, 2016
- ↑ PBS Newshour, "Pence talks Turkey, abortion, Trumponomics, trade and the Supreme Court," July 21, 2016
- ↑ National Review, "Recalling When Mike Pence Looked Like a Promising Presidential Contender," January 27, 2011
- ↑ Twitter, "Jill Stein," June 23, 2016
- ↑ Huffington Post, "President Jill Stein," September 13, 2012
- ↑ Green Party, "The 2016 Green Party Platform," accessed August 23, 2016
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Privacy: Ditch the Cell Phone or Prepare to Disrobe," April 5, 2012
- ↑ Libertarian Party, "The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform," accessed August 23, 2016
