Sen. Richard J. Durbin opted not to attend President Trump’s Tuesday announcement of Judge Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee because Mr. Durbin said he didn’t want to be window dressing at what he called a “reality TV”-type event.
Mr. Durbin, the No. 2-ranking Senate Democrat, said it was “kind of a reality TV rollout” at the White House.
“I would have been a prop at the rolling out of a Supreme Court nominee, and it really did sound a lot like a reality TV show as the president made his announcement and Justice Gorsuch and his wife came out of the wings and there was standing applause,” Mr. Durbin said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“I think this is a much more serious thing, and we ought to take it seriously, and I didn’t want to stand there and be hypocritical about it,” said Mr. Durbin, Illinois Democrat. “I don’t know know enough about this man to tell you that I’m going to be applauding him all the way to the finish line. I want to study him carefully.”
Mr. Durbin did say Mr. Gorsuch should have a hearing and meet a 60-vote threshold.
He also said Mr. Trump’s recently accusing Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer of shedding crocodile tears over the president’s immigration executive order wouldn’t necessarily preclude bipartisan accord on other issues.
“In terms of Chuck shedding a tear, he jokes about himself that he took his daughter to see ’Free Willy’ and was crying openly at the end,” Mr. Durbin said. “So he does wear his heart on his sleeve.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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