but to be frank is the only trump senator cruz senator cruz is senator rubio are basically saying the same thing. oh with those activist it is hard to believe. even with that establishment republican leadership is still supporting him. the senate republican leaders and is the nominee publicly. with the

senator, senator of nebraska, saying he won't back trump if he win it is nomination. it is just a brawl that's unlike anything i have seen. >> and the rubio superpac out with a new ad late today using the words of donald trump, the interview yesterday on cnn's "state of the union" with jake tapper and donald trump would not refute the endorsement of david duke and talk about him as a former grand wizard of the kkk. trump said he disavow his association. is donald trump the teflon candidate and nothing seems to stick? >> he's been the teflon candidate for nearly a year. i mean, ever since he started flirting with the presidential bid last spring he said so many things to usually doom a national candidate and not only survived but thrived and trump insisted he disavowed duke last week at a news conference and since then but because he waivered on sunday some establishment foes of trump sense an opportunity, an opportunity to attack trump as someone far too close to racist elements and former kkk leaders like david duke but it just doesn't seem to be sticking to the unco

senate on c-span2. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from north carolina. mr. tillis: thank you. you know there has been a dramatic increase in the incidents of opioid addiction which is now at the point of being a full-blown crisis. in my home state of north carolina, we've seen this devastation firsthand, with 1,358 overdose deaths in 2014 alone, fueled by the combination of abuse of opioid-based prescription painkillers and heroin. to put that figure into context, that's more than the number of north carolinians who lost their lives in automobile accidents in 2014. for far too long the conventional thinking was that drug addiction deserved the stigma it receives. a choice made by criminals who were intent on destroying the lives of themselves and others. it was a dark and painful embarrassment for their families, and it's long overdue for us to come to grips with reality, because we know the truth. drug addiction doesn't discriminate based on one's gender, race, or socioeconomic status. successful c

senate. my opponent was the sitting governor in florida, leading in the polls had 10 times as much money, super popular and no one thought we could win. but you believed in me and you gave me a chance. i told you if you did, i would go to washington and stand up for the obama agenda -- standup to the obama agenda. that is what i have done. in five years i have concluded that while a member of congress can help shape the agenda, only a president can set the agenda, and the only way to set a right agenda after a bad president is to have a good one. the only way to make our country stronger after seven years of a weak president is to have a strong one. that is why i chose not to run for reelection to the senate and aspired to the presidency of the united states and that is why i hope you can vote for me so that together, we can leave your children and grandchildren, what they deserve to inherit, the single greatest nation. thank you so much and god bless you. [applause] ♪ senator rubio: thank

senate. this issue of judicial appointments was debated vigorously and continued over multiple sessions as delegates traded proposals. charles pickney of south carolina and roger sherman of connecticut opposed wilson and pushed for the legislative appointment of justices. madison, however, moved us closer to our present system by suggesting that only the senate should have the power to appoint justices to the supreme court and not the house of representatives. nathaniel gorham, a gel gatt from massachusetts -- delegate from massachusetts first introduced the concept of appointment by the president with the advice and consent of the senate. this approach resolved the concerns of delegates who believed unilateral presidential appointments bordered on monarchy while also addressing the concern that legislative appointments were simply too vulnerable to the fleeting parochial interests that may dominate the discussion on any given day. months later on september 7, 1787, the delegates unanimously

i appreciate the support of my colleagues, senator shaheen, senator king, senator whitehouse. senator whitehouse and i have been at this for a few years together. it's the right thing to do for our country at a time when we do face a crisis. and again, i will support the additional spending because i think this is so critical. but let's not go forward with this sense that somehow this doesn't matter. this does matter in a very big way. this is the necessary first step, and in terms of this year because we increase funding dramatically, at the end of the year for this fiscal year, not one penny of that has been actually outlaid, by the way. it's been appropriated but there is no outlay yet. i believe that anything we could get done this year, getting through the house, getting through the senate, the president signing it, would be funding that we could use for these important care programs, just in the next seven months of this fiscal year. but certainly we should right now, as i have done and as senator whitehouse is doing and others are doing, go to the appropriations committ

in 1992 then senator joe biden unwittingly created the so-called biden rule. >> the senate judiciary committee should seriously consider not scheduling hearings on the confirmation hearing until after the political campaign season is over. >> the biden rule reminds us that the decision that the senate announced weeks ago remains about a principle and not a person. >> reporter: but today the vice-president pushed back, tweeting, as chairman of the committee, i made sure every scotus nominee got a hearing, committee vote and floor vote. even those i opposed. something that may not be said for this president's latest nominee. >> it certainly is possible that republicans would choose and follow through on this unprecedented approach, but it's also possible that republicans will change course. they have in the past. >> reporter: and as customary, bret, the white house did reach out to members of the senate judiciary committee and so far they've had a fair amount of success i should say. mr. reed, grassley, leahy and mcconnell all contact and say they will meet with garland except mcconnel

senator. he's going to be re-elected in november. i think what we need to focu is the principle, the principle. who ought to make this appointment? you have to go back 80 years the last time a vacancy on the supreme court created in a presidential election year was filled. you have to go back to 1888 when grover cleveland was in the white house to find the last time when a vacancy was created in a presidential year, a senate controlled about it party opposite the president confirmed. the senate has a role to play here. the president nominates, we decide to confirm. we think the important principle in the middle of this presidential election is that american people need to weigh in and decide who's going to make this decision. not this lame duck president on the way out the door, but the next president. >> you talk about principle, anything that happens in washington involves principle and politics and what we see republican senator up in a tough re-election battle and thinking this is a hard l

so the stakes should even be higher for senator grassley and the other republican senators, why? because as chairman he has one of the most important proceeding committees in the united states senate. this has is been the case for 200 years. 200 years. the senate judiciary committee was established 200 years ago. in 1816 it was one of the original 11 standing committees, decades past, throughout history president martin van buren when he was president, senator ted kennedy, joe biden, they regarded at all costs. so independent in fact past chairman stood firm to face opposition from presidents and senate leadership. their crucial times in history they looked at the judicial committee to do the right thing. during the civil war chairman of illinois authored the 13th amendment to abolish slavery. during the civil war. we know during the period of time there is great turmoil about what should be done. during the early days of this illegal board. in a 289 -- 1889 -- in 1937 of nevada led the committee to stand against franklin roosevelt the chairman was a democrat just like roosevelt

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. a senator: thank you very much. mr. president, i rise today because -- the presiding officer: the senate is in a quorum call. a senator: i appreciate that there. i appreciate you effectively doing your duties. therefore, i will ask to have this quorum call, sir, if you would be so kind to vitiate the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. under the previous order, the senate will be in a period of morning business till 12:45 p.m. with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the senator from new jersey. a senator: to my good friend, thank you, senator. appreciate that. and the presiding officer, i appreciate the way you conduct your duties. i'm rising today because of what i believe is the urgency of the moment or really the test of the times. we know that we are a constitution that was designed with three coequal branches of government. mr. booker: and we know the importance of each of t

we will next turn to senator cassidy and then senator lee. >> hey, chief. last september the epa published interim recommendations for environmental standards as well as ecolabs for use in federal procurement. recommendation for lumber defines, i think, fsc, you will know that term but just to define it, forest stewardship council certified by including that, not including therefore excludes, if you will the standard forestry initiative and sfi and atfs, the american tree farm system. now, first in louisiana, about 85% of all of our lumber is sfi or stfs. but i'm also told from the national forest service land there is 42,000 jobs attributed to the forest products from nfs lands. and that the forest service does not allow their harvested wood to be subjected to a third party standard. so not only are 85% of my for -- for evidenters are excluded but the entire national forest service is excluded by the epa standards. i'm also told the sfi and the atfs have the same sort of standards as the fsc, all these initials i'm sorry but that they're just not included.

senator senator mcconnell had a strategy for his party, use his extensive knowledge of senate procedure to slow things down, take advantage of difficulties democrats would have in governing and deny democrats any republican support on big legislation. that's "the new york times." no president in history face the number of filibusters president obama has faced. today, some economists -- more than 500 filibusters despite the fact many of these filibusters were against things that were a good idea. during the first six years that lbj served as minority leader, they had one or two. my six years, in the hundreds. got worse after my first six years. the only possible message some blind opposition could say is his president and his ideas are illegitimate. indeed senator mcconnell's blinds relex of any policy by president obama regardless of merits is the kinder, gentlerrism of birtherrism. donald trump's style was forged in the senate republican caucus. now before our very eyes in the debate over the supreme court. moments have justice scalia death, the republican leader decided to appease his

in addition to people agreeing to meet, we have republican senators, senators who are veteran senators, saying maybe what we should do is do it in the lame duck. orren hatch, lindsey graham. if you're going to do it in a lame duck, do it now. >> four years from now, if you're in the fourth year of a republican presidency, you don't think the democrats should do whatever it takes to prevent that republican president from appointing a supreme court justice in a presidential year before the election? >> not only do i think they shouldn't do it, they wouldn't do it. whoever is elected president is elected for four years. obama was elected for four years. he filled that duty he had to the american people. he was reelected. he has an obligation to do his job for four years, not three years. senators have an obligation to the time that the person is in. >> do you blame republicans for wanting to do whatever it takes? this is going to change the makeup of the court. they believe this is worth fighting for. do you blame them for doing this? >> absolutely. when you have oren hatch, chairman of t

in addition to people agreeing to meet, we have republican senators, senators who are veteran senators, saying maybe what we should do is do it in orren hatch, lindsey graham. if you're going to do it in a lame duck, do it now. >> four years from now, if you're in the fourth year of a republican presidency, you don't think the democrats should do whatever it takes to prevent that republican president from appointing a supreme court justice in a presidential year before the election? >> not only do i think they shouldn't do it, they wouldn't do it. whoever is elected president is elected for four years. obama was elected for four years. he filled that duty he had to the american people. he was reelected. he has an obligation to do his job for four years, not three years. senators have an obligation to do their constitutional duty for the time that the person is in. >> do you blame republicans for wanting to do whatever it takes? this is going to change the makeup of the court. they believe this is worth fighting for. do you blame them for doing this? >> absolutely. when you have oren ha

senator edwards: nice to see you. >> thank you. senator edwards: you're welcome. good to say you. >> we are with you. senator edwards: appreciate that. thank you very much. yes, sir? >> hi. senator edwards: nice to see you. >> [indiscernible] senator edwards: oh, absolutely. that is something i have worked very hard on. >> [indiscernible] were you aware of our program? senator edwards: tell me about it? >> to revitalize our downtown in the city -- senator edwards: yeah, yeah. >> [indiscernible] senator edwards: good for you, good for you. that's important work. senator edwards: i want their support. can you help me with that? >> yeah. [indiscernible] senator edwards: when is it? do you know? >> no, i don't know. senator edwards: let me get one of my people over -- let me get hunter to speak to you for a few minutes, ok? find out how we reach her? >> thank you for the time to come here. we are so flattered. senator edwards: sure, sure. come on. >> mr. chief of police. >> today, we just stopped in oklahoma to take off our real solutions bus tour with senator edwards

senator edwards: glad to see you here. >> [indiscernible] senator edwards: thank you. thank you very much. tell me at your name. nice to meet you. >> i'm concerned about this energy. senator edwards: i'm worried about it, too. >> one thing i am concerned about the -- i know a lot of teachers and the things they are concerned about is the discipline in the students -- senator edwards: lack of discipline in these students. i hear the same thing. do you teach? >> how about making it easier to become a teacher? i have a degree from florida state university and i can't get a job because i do not have $200 for the certification exams. senator edwards: [indiscernible] it is not like we don't need more teachers either, right? >> a history teacher becomes the speaker of the house though. i will be praying for you. good luck. senator edwards: please play for me -- please pray for me, inc. you. >> i had the legislative committee. senator edwards: thank you. >> i hope your endorsement process goes through. senator edwards: the south carolina teachers just endorsed me. i feel good

in 2001, as senator leahy has said, senator hatch and senator leahy recognized her lungs and in practice to give nominees fair consideration. a vote in the committee and a vote on the floor and this was done in a joint letter that senator leahy referred to and it was entered into the congressional record for all-time. that was an agreement made in a democratic senate when the republican george w. bush was in the white house. it is this body's job, this committee's job to look carefully at the nominee and give that person a fair hearing and a vote. the effect of this obstruction is likely to leave the court with only eight members over two terms of that court if you think about the timing. what does that mean? added 8000 petitions for review, the court gets a year, this is according to the supreme court's website. the court takes about 80. it chooses those primarily where there's a disagreement among lower courts about important federal issues. over two years, we are talking about 160 cases and 16,000 requests for review that are potentially impact did, not to mention emergency request th

, senator ted kennedy, senator arlen specter, senator joe biden, judiciary chairmen have prized their independence and guarded it from being man handled. the past chairmen stood firm and faced opposition from presidents and senate leadership. at crucial times in american history, the senate and the nation have looked to the judiciary committee to do the right thing. during the civil war, chairman liman trumble and his committee authored the 13th amendment. the 13th amendment abolished slavery during the civil war. we know during that period of time there was great consternation as to what should be done. even the great president lincoln had trouble deciding what should be done during the early days of the civil war. in 1889, chairman george hoar from massachusetts and his committee drafted the sherman antitrust act refusing to give in to carnegie, vanderbilt and rockefeller monopolies. that was big-time n independence. in 1937, chairman henry ashers from arizona, who was born in winnemaka, nevada, stood in the way of president roosevelt's attempt to pack the supreme court. chairman as

and back then, senators are still senator who voted for merrick garland and it's not clear if any of them will vote for merrick garland now. i just caught up with one of them, pat roberts, a kansas republican senator. i said, well, why did you support him in 1997? he said, i just supported him. i said, will you support him now? >> he said, no, it's not about the person, it's about the process. it's the same argument that they have been making going forward. you are not going to hear republican conservatives dispute his qualifications but the argument will be that it should be left up to the voters. they believe this gives them an issue to run on. they can say there's a firewall against a potential progressive justice. but democrats really believe that this is going to be an issue that turns these key senate races, expecting this upcoming two-week recess that starts on monday, an aggressive push in the blue state republican senator districts back home in their states when they are having town hall meetings to be vocal protests outside of those meetings, looking at chuck grassley, who

senator kerry: and i cannot wait to join with senator kennedy and with others of good conscience in the house on in the senate and all across this country -- we will complete the mission begun by harry truman to make certain that health care is regarded as a right and not a privilege in the united states of america. [cheers and applause] we will fight for an america where health care and social security are protected, where health care costs are held down and your family's health care is just as important as any politician in washington, d.c. we will achieve that. and on behalf of all americans and on behalf of the other 96% in of humankind waiting for leadership from the united states, we well rejoin the community of nations -- we will rejoin the community of nations. and we will renew our alliances and we will build new alliances because they are essential to the final victory and success of a war on terror. this, the bush administration, has run the most inept, ideological foreign policy in modern history. [cheers and applause] audience, chanting: kerry! in kerry! kerry! senator kerr

consent of the senate. the senate has to approve all treaties. the house does not. the senate does. so there's one power. also any time the president makes an appointment to his cabinet, ambassador, supreme court, of course, those folks would have to come in front of the senate and be approved by the senate or rejected. so here in philadelphia, we have our very first treaty approved by the senate, which is the jay treaty. that led to the big fight in the house of representatives over whether or not to pay for it. but over that same issue, we have the first rejection of a presidential nominee by the senate. john rutledge, who is actually a signer of the u.s. constitution, actually one of the players in creating that constitution, is one of washington's first choices for the original six justices on the supreme court. he accepts but then resigns the post without ever really having served on the supreme court. he will later become the chief justice of the south carolina supreme court when john jay, who was the

senator leahy referred that was an agreement made and a senate when george w. bush was in the white house. it is this committee's job to nominee,fully at the and give a fair hearing and a vote. the effect of this destruction is likely to leave the court with only eight members. what does that mean? of course the court is not going to deadlock in every case. the potential for deadlock is greatly increased. eighthe court has only members, and the court 5-4iously was divided by conveniently. tie votes do not settle the dispute incurred by the court, and they don't create precedents is for other cases. this means that uncertainty for the law continues. the law varies around the c country, when it could have been settled. saidis why justice kennedy -- president reagan said before accepted,nnedy was with every day that passes, it impairs the justices body. not to scalia decided recuse himself in 2004, saying that if he did, the court proceeds with four justices, raising the possibility that vote, -- scalia voted the recusal policy saying that even one unnecessary fun

senate. ... the justices are upset. so i am fully aware ofmy colleague is going to make a political.this is not an unreasonable position. they have to go back to 1888 for somebody under the same circumstances was confirmed late in the session. mr. chairman, you know these rules, the history of this. senator hatch knows the rules. he has chaired this committee many years. i am totally convinced that this is what the democrats would do if they were in the situation. this is what you would expect the senate to do. that the american people have a voice and who will replace justice scalia next year. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i would like to thank you for having his remarks, allowing these remarks. i want to thank the ranking member from vermont and associate myself with his and senator feinstein's outstanding presentation. i appreciate also the chairman moving forward with nominees as well as two bills before us. was that i care deeply about and it's a pleasure to work with you on these important pi

least productive senate ever. by now, most americans are aware of the republican leader's decision to block consideration of the supreme court nomination that senator -- i'm sorry, that president obama will soon make, but the historic obstruction of the supreme court nominee is just the most recent and prolific example of the republican leader's abdication of his constitutional duties and that of the whole republican caucus. what is that to provide advice and consent to presidential nominations. since his party assumed the majority in the senate last january, the republican leader and his colleagues have ground the nomination to a halt. according to the nonpartisan congressional research service, the pace of judicial nomination being affirmed, this congress is the worst. to date, this republican-controlled senate has controlled a total -- i'm sorry, mr. president. as of now, the republican-controlled senate has confirmed a total of 16 judicial nominations. that's about one a month. since the beginning of the year,

now it's time for the senate to do theirs. >> it's the senate's constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent. action on a supreme court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. >> well, joining me now is nbc news justice correspondent, pete williams. pete, thank you. let me just ask you this, can you answer the political question, maybe it's procedural, why are they not going ahead, at least with meeting all the majority members, and especially judiciary members, meeting with the nominee, perhaps holding some hearings and perhaps even holding a vote. the chances of them getting 60 votes for this confirmation is unlikely. >> even 50 votes could be tough. i think the answer to the question is that they decided, what the republican leadership has decided today, said that this decision has already been made. because they believe that it should be the next president's choice and that they want the people to vote and to decide who the next president is, and the next president to make this decision of who should fill antonin scali

a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from utah. a senator: i ask unanimous consent to suspend the quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. a senator: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 15 minutes. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. a senator: mr. president, last week the senate health education, labor and pensions committee voted to advance president obama's nominee for secretary of education, dr. john king. mr. lee: tonight the nomination is set to come before the senate not for a robust debate but for a hasty vote and by all accounts confirmation is expected. i rise today to oppose the nomination of dr. king and to urge my colleagues to join me in voting against his confirmation as secretary of education. i studied dr. king's professional record, most notably his time in new york's department of education. and i've reviewed the transcript of his confirmation hearing. based on the policies that he ha

senator reid in 2005 made that point. 2007, senator schumer, the heir apparent to the senate democratic leadership, made that point again. they feel like the rules should apply differently under a democratic majority than they do to a republican majority. we are not in rubber stamp for the president of the united states. the constitution says as much. we can grant consent or we can withhold consent, and i, for one, am for withholding consent to the confirmation of another liberal on the united states supreme court. we've seen the type of justices that president obama has nominated. just kagan, just sotomayor, clearly on the -- justice kagan, justice sotomayor, clearly on the left. and to simply give president president obama the ability to appoint somebody that's going to change the balance of the supreme court, to tilt leaflet for the next 25, 30 years is simply unacceptable. it doesn't make any difference who the president nominates. i'm sure they will be very much in the same mold as the two justices he's already nominated, justice kagan and justice sotomayor. i say that with respect

the senator from new hampshire. a senator: mr. president, if we could have order in the chamber, please. we are voting on very good legislation with the comprehensive addiction and recovery act. this is a way to expand programs that work to address what is a real pandemic in this country of heroin and opioid abuse. mrs. shaheen: but the reality is unless we provide the resources to make these programs work, it's like giving a drowning person a life preserver that has no air in it. it doesn't make a difference. we are losing 47,000 people a year, 120 people a day from overdoses. our law enforcement needs additional funding. the substance abuse treatment folks need additional support. what my emergency supplemental amendment would do is to support the programs that are in the cara legislation. it's about equally divided between support for law enforcement and support for treatment. it helps with prescription drug monitoring, weed indication, with recovery. it is the kind of support we need to provide if we're really going to make a

senator. i say that only two point out this -- have they all than those i redo the same way today -- maybe, maybe not. some been very difficult -- politically very difficult? yes. some, i was told, if i voted a particular way i would lose reelection. i still voted that way because i thought it was my duty to vote and follow the constitution, but to vote maybe -- i am not going to vote yes, i am not going to vote no -- i am going to vote maybe, and then to allow senators to go home and say it is a pretty good nominee, a pretty bad nominee, but i would like to know more -- come on. i do not think the american people will stand for that -- republicans or democrats. host: another 10 minutes remaining. john bresnahan. mr. bresnahan: can we cover some other issues? sen. leahy: no. [laughter] mr. bresnahan: we could stay on this issue if you want. i'm happy to do so. criminal justice reform -- it is something you have worked on. where does it stand out? what is going to happen next? sen. leahy: we ac

senator. he's running for re-election this year. he's going to be re-elected in november. i think what we need to focus on is the principle, the principle. who ought to make this appointment? you have to go back 80 years the last time a vacancy on the supreme court created in a presidential election year was filled. you have to go back to 1888 when grover cleveland was in the white house to find the last time when a vacancy was created in a presidential year, a senate controlled by a party opposite the president confirmed. the senate has a role to play here. the president nominates, we decide to confirm. we think the important principle in the middle of this presidential election is that american people need to weigh in and decide who's going to make this decision. not this lame duck president on the way out the door, but the next president. next year. >> you talk about principle, anything that happens in washington involves principle and politics and what we see with mark kirk is a senator or

not talking about -- >> senator sanders, thank you very much. >> senator bernie sanders. >> when we come back, secretary of state hillary clinton joins us here as our special edition of special report continues live of special report continues live from detroit. i think it landed last tuesday. one second it's there. then, woosh, it's gone. i swear i saw it swallow seven people. seven. i just wish one of those people could have been mrs. johnson. [dog bark] trust me, we're dealing with a higher intelligence here. ♪ the all-new audi q7 is here. ♪ then your eyes may see it, differently.ave allergies. only flonase is approved to relieve both your itchy, watery eyes and congestion. no other nasal allergy spray can say that. complete allergy relief or incomplete. let your eyes decide. flonase changes everything. when you think what does it look like? is it becoming a better professor by being a more adventurous student? is it one day giving your daughter the opportunity she deserves? is it finally witnessing all the artistic wonders of the natural world? whatever your definition of success

senator marco rubio at 17%. gompor john kasich gets 13%. donald trump was on cbs face the nation yesterday talking about some republican's effort to stop him? >> i'm very surprised by it and i'm surprised about a third party because i'm going to appoint conservative judges and a third party would mean that hillary would win or whoever is run and you're going to have liberal judges as many as four and five. >> nicole: cruz has claimed wins in six states, make sure stay tune with fox business of special coverage of caucuses and coverage in michigan, mississippi, idaho, hawaii, our coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. eastern time right here on the fox business network. >> lauren: hillary clinton and bernie sanders facing off in flint, michigan, the state holds democratic primary tomorrow, 147 delegates up for grab grabs in michigan, here are some highlights for you from last night's debate. >> i vote today save the auto industry. he voted against the money that ended up saving the auto industry. [cheers and applause] >> i

a half ofs do senators is said they will meet with merrick garland and late this week, illinois senator kirk said "just man up and cast a vote." it has been only four days and it seems line your ranks are breaking, sir. >> well, senator kirk is a trick senator running for re-election this year and he is going to be re-elected in november. what we need to focus on is the principle, the principle, who ought to make the appointment? you have to go back 80 years to find the last time a vacancy created in an election year was filled, become to 1888 when cleveland was in the white house to find the last time when a vacancy was created in a presidential area a senate controlled by the party honest the party confirmed. the senate has a relative to play here. the president nominates, we decide to confirm. we thing the important principle in the middle of the presidential election that the american people need to weigh in and decide who is going to make this decision. not this lame duck president on the way out the door but the next president, next year. >> you are talking about principle and fig

the senate. >> right, but what happens if 18 months before the end of a presidential term a supreme court justice dies. and if you start making that argument, it's a slippery slope. >> the word obstructionism has come up. i believe it was bernie sanders said it. can democrats play this to their favor in that sense? painting this as republican obstructionism against an entire branch of government? >> yes, and the reason for that is the republicans in the senate have said in many different mediums we are going to be obstructionists, so, yes. >> all right. lincoln stand by. we're going to continue with this. much more reaction ahead to the president's choice to replace the late antonin scalia on the supreme court. stay with us. >> i also know because of justice scalia's out sized role on the court and in american law, it is tempting to make this confirmation process simply an extension of our divided politics. squobbling that goes on in the news every day. >> president obama has made his pick to ful

obama -- he was a senator at that time -- biden, he was a senator at that time, clinton, she was a senator at that time, schumer and reid. they all made the same statement. they said the senate does not have to confirm presidential nominations and urged that the senate refuse to do so, especially in an election year. now, that's where there is a difference of opinion, because in an election year the last time it was done was in 1888. you have to go back to 1888 until you find a similar situation to the one we're in today. that's the last time a vacancy arose during an election year and was filled by the senate from a party on the opposite side of the president. this is the last time that happened, 1888. and we're not about to change that now. furthermore, even if this were not true, this president has -- hasn't worked with congress on much of anything, so why should we work with him on this? but that's not the point. the point is that we don't have to do that and that when the senate -- when the democrats were in control of the senate, the republicans had the white house. they made it very

senator reid voted to filibuster, as did current senators durbin, senator leahy, and senator schumer -- all part of the filibuster of the supreme court nomination of justice alito by george w. bush. that's the history of how our confirmation process became so political. that's three decades of democrats politicizing the process. that's the precedent for where we are today, and those are the rules that we will follow today. now, on top of all of that, president obama has spent seven years ignoring congress. he has made the confirmation process more confrontational and more contentious every step along the way. the president illegally made what he called recess appointments to the national labor relations board. he even did it, though congress was not in recess. and i use the word "illegal" because the supreme court struck down the -- this action by president obama and the vote was 9-0 that the president acted illegally. even democrats in congress have said that they think the president has gone too far with some of his executive actions. so it's clear that senate democrats and presi

so the stakes should be higher for senator grassley than the other republican senators. why? because as judiciary chairman sen. grassley presides over on of theone of the most important and prestigious committees and the entire senate. this is been the case for 200 years. one of the original 11 standing committees, that is how long the committee has been in operation.

with senator edwards? >> i moved it to washington for the observer and the first part of 2000. i started covering edwards right around the time that he was considered for the vice presidential slot on al gore's ticket. i have been covering him for the whole -- >> how have things changed now that he is a presidential candidate? >> certainly more reporters have been more interested in him that in the past. he has developed a whole range of policy proposals as part of a lead up to his presidential run. the last built over many months and we are hearing a lot more about that now and he has proposals and a lot more areas than he did as a senator. >> while in seminole, senator edwards sat down with look for residents to hear their concerns. >> senator john edwards. >> thank you very much. [applause] thank you all for being here today, i really came to listen more than to talk. i have some ideas about things we should do, about plants anding and going overseas effects that those closings are having on communities

senator, your candidate has dropped out of the race, senator marco rubio. will you endorse someone else? >> well, i'm considering that right now. but i'll probably wait a couple of weeks and see. i'm still hopeful that we can get a nominee that we can be >> can you support donald trump? >> it's a tough one there. i don't want to say anything now but i find it difficult given the statements he has made. i believe we need to win the white house and we have got to have somebody that can do it and i'm not certain he can. >> do you want donald trump picking the next supreme court nominee? >> that's another question we will have to consider! so you mentioned all these things. a lot of factors that go into this and, you know, these are high stakes. there's no other way to say it. >> all right. >> senator flake, good to see you this morning. thank you so much. >> thanks for having me on. >>> a question -- how safe is your water? millions of people nationwide could be at risk from lead in their drinking water! ahead, the results of a new "usa >>> a perk that comes w

neither should a senator. i know that tomorrow the senate will take a break and leave town on recess for two weeks. my earnest hope is that senators take that time to reflect on the importance of this process to our democracy. not what's expedient, not what's happening at the moment, what does this mean for our institutions? for our common life? the stakes, the consequences, the seriousness of the job we all swore an oath to do. and when they return, i hope that they'll act in a bipartisan fashion. i hope they are fair. that's all. i hope they are fair. as they did when they confirmed merrick garland to the d.c. circuit. i ask that they confirm merrick garland now to the supreme court. so that he can take his seat in time to fully participate in its work for the american people this fall. he is the right man for the job. he deserves to be confirmed. i could not be prouder of the work that he has already done on behalf of the american people. he deserves our thanks, and he deserves a fair hearing. with that i'd

senator reid, senator schumer, when he was here, senator barack obama, and senator biden have all filibustered supreme court nominees when they were senators. all four of them have. suddenly now this is a dangerous idea that will shut down justice and is completely unconstitutional and shouts of do your job come from the same senate leaders who block untold nominations from republican presidents and didn't allow amendments on basic bills. there's a lot of emotion in this body; i get that. there's a lot of politics in this process. i would hope to bring some facts to light and to turn down the hyperbole and all the rhetoric. so let me bring some basic facts to this. the last time a supreme court vacancy arose in an election year and the senate approved a new appointee to the court in that same year was 1932. since there's no nominee right now, it would not be possible to fill the vacancy in time for that individual to hear cases in the spring session of the supreme court, which means any nomination selected now would only be able to serve and hear gawments in the fall -- gawments in the fall wh

senator tester of montana and senator feinstein of california, senator murphy of connecticut, senator gillibrand of new york, senator blumenthal of connecticut and senator boxer and senator markey and senator heinrich, all parts of the country, different parts of the country all saying you know what? our citizens 9-1 want a simple, fair statement or symbol on the ingredients list that that is just the right way to go. if you're going to step on the authority of states to provide information that citizens want, you've got to provide a simple, clear indication on the package. that's the deal. that's the fair compromise. that's standing up for citizens' right to know. that's honoring the public interest. that's a compromise in the classic sense that works for the big issues that the companies are talking about. they don't want the expense of individual states and they don't want the complexity and confusion from individual states. and what consumers want, a simple indication on the package. so let's do the right thing. let's not be worse than china and block our consumers from having acc

senate. my opponent was the sitting governor in florida, leading in the polls had 10 times as much money, super popular and no one thought we could win. but you believed in me and you gave me a chance. i told you if you did, i would go to washington and stand up for the obama agenda -- standup to the obama agenda. that is what i have done. in five years i have concluded that while a member of congress can help shape the agenda, only a president can set the agenda, and the only way to set a right agenda after a bad president is to have a good one. the only way to make our country stronger after seven years of a weak president is to have a strong one. that is why i chose not to run for reelection to the senate and aspired to the presidency of the united states and that is why i so that can vote for me together, we can leave your children and grandchildren, what they deserve to inherit, the single greatest nation. thank you so much and god bless you. [applause] ♪ senator rubio: thank you. i am

up to extremists in the senate. they can start by doing what they were elected to do right here in the senate. they can start by doing their jobs. since the first day of the obama presidency, republicans senators have bowed to extremists who reject his legitimacy and abuse the rules in the senate in an all out effort to cripple his administration and to paralyze the federal courts. no matter how much it damages the nation. no matter how much it undermines the courts. no matter whether it grip ls the government or lays waste to our constitution. senate republicans do pretty much everything they can to avoid acknowledging the legitimacy of our democratically elected president. for too long, the republicans in the senate have wanted to have it both ways. they want to feed the ugly lies and nullify the obama presidency while claiming that they can govern responsibly. that game is over. candidates motivated by bigotry and resentiment, candidates unable to govern, candidates reflecting the same extremism that's been nurse

senator cruz, senator rubio and ben carson are saying basically the same thing. maybe a little more subtle, but they're saying the same thing. after all, this is the same party, the republican party, that yesterday saw nine of its members vote against naming a post office against the world-famous poet and civil rights activist maya angelou. hard to believe. and even as the establishment condemns the things donald trump says and does, the republican leadership is still supporting it. the speaker of the house yesterday affirmed that he will vote for donald trump if he is the republican nominee for president. the senate republican leader has not said he won't support donald trump if he is the nominee, publicly at least. republicans are supporting a man who refused to denounce the k.k.k., a man who continues to denigrate immigrants, muslims and the disabled. donald trump is the standard-bearer for the republican party. republicans create him by spending seven years appealing to some of the darkest forces in america. now it's up to the republicans to try and undo what

and a number of other republican senators. senator inhoff. this is someone who is a person of merit. someone who decided to leave a fancy job at a law firm and work in a room with no windows, to be a public servant, prosecute cases for america. they don't have to vote for them. we are just asking for hearing then they can register whether they are for or against. but i do know a number of my colleagues from the past when sotomayor and kagen were nominated that they like had judge garland. they hoped it would be judge garland. now they have judge garland. i hope this fine man has the opportunity to meet with people and have a hearing and up and down vote. >> i know that judge garland, also working with the white house in making calls it make the meetings happen on capitol hill. the other thing i would like to rebook you, i know you're going on the president's trip to cuba as part of that delegation, so i would like to ask you on-air it come back before you good. do you leave this weekend? >> we leave sunday. i'm very much looking forward to go

senator cruz: god bless aipac. i'm thrilled to be here with you today and let me say at the outset perhaps to the surprise of the previous speaker, palestine has not existed since 1948. cheers and applause] senator cruz: on wednesday night of this week, in synagogues across the world, jewish people story ad which tells the of the miraculous rescue the jewish people from from the hands of a wicked persian king. when the evil-doer plots to kill the jews, he describes them as a nation that is scattered and spread out. it is taught that they were divided a the lesson is when its forces of good are divided, evil can prevail. but when we come together in unity, we can defeat tyrants. [applause] senator cruz: today, we are reliving history, facing a similar time of challenge for america and for israel. but today, i give you a word of hope. in the next few months, we will bring this country together first by unifying the republican party and then by building a coalition of young people in hispanics and african-americans re

this senate at this time as we reflect on the senate of 1937? well, you only have to turn to the united states constitution, a constitution which each of us, each and every one of us as senators, democrat and republican, stood in the well, swore to uphold. the second article in this constitution relates to the powers of the presidency. in this book, it's only three pages, but the people who wrote the constitution, our founding fathers, tried to put in those three pages the critically important elements to make sure that our democracy would continue. they tried to envision the possibilities and to authorize branches of government to do certain things. in article 2, section 2, when it comes to the powers of the president, it says he shall have the power by and with the advice and consent of the senate, and he shall nominate and by and with the advice and consent of the senate shall appoint judges of the supreme court. did it say he may appoint? no. the language is explicit. he shall appoint. and with the advice and consent of the senate shall fill

when i ran for the senate. i said if you elect me i will fight with every breath in my body to stop the disaster that is obamacare, to stop amnesty and to stop the debt, to defend eligious lobity in the bill of rights. the american people. we welcome everyone with open arms. part of the process of a primary is uniting everyone. but i would note that they are uniting behind a strong conservative, optimistic message for this country. we're going change the direction this country is going. we're going to turn away from the manifest failures of the obama clinton economy. we're going to bring back millions of high paying jobs. we're going to repeal every word of obamacare. we're going to abolish the i.r.s. and we're going to pull back the federal regulators that are killing small businesses. and that's going to end up raising wages all across the country. that's going to end up giving young people coming out of school, two, three, four, job opportunities. and i welcome -- i am glad to see republicans uniting behind

senator sanders? >> anderson, thank you very much. over the last several weeks i had the opportunity to meet with a number of residents of flint, had a town meeting in flint, and i have to tell you, what i heard and what i saw literally shattered me and it was beyond belief that children in flint, michigan, in the united states of america in the year 2016 are being poisoned. that is clearly not what this country should be about. as anderson indicated, there is a lot of blame to go around. and one of the points that i have made is i believe the governor of this state should understand that his dereliction of duty was irresponsible. he should resign. [ applause ] but more importantly, what is happening in flint to a lesser degree is happening throughout this country. in recent years, we have seen a proliferation of millionaires and billionaires and increase in income in wealth inequality and all over this country middle class families are struggling, cities and towns are struggling in order to provide b