Reason number two is the Republican leadership's reaction, not to the tragic death of Justice Antonin Scalia, but rather their reaction to what they presumed would be an immediate presidential nomination of an extremely liberal replacement to fill the vacancy. This reaction took the form of a preemptive announcement by Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, to the effect that the Senate would not even entertain the idea of holding confirmation hearings on an Obama nominee for SCOTUS. Thereby giving the President the opportunity,once again, to play the "poor me" role that he adores so much, and providing a reason for him to say that he just wants to execute HIS CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY of nominating a Supreme Court Justice, but those "obstructionist Republicans" are REFUSING TO EXECUTE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY to confirm said nominee. He will go on to say that they (The Republicans) are just going to stonewall yet another "reasonable" Obama choice to fill a critical position on the Court. After all, that's essentially what Senator McConnell said in his unnecessary comments about filling the Scalia vacancy.
Talk about playing into their hands!!! However, if he had wanted to rob the President of the chance to, once again, bash the "Obstructionists" all Brother Mitch would have had to do was heed the advice of that other old Republican, Abe Lincoln, who said, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt!" Or, if he felt he had to speak at all, McConnell could just have pointed out (to both the public and to the President, who prefers not to recognize the fact) that the Senate's role of giving "Advice and Consent" does not mean that it is required to confirm every presidential appointee sent to the Hill. Just ask Judge Robert Bork who, in his confirmation hearings for nomination to The Court, was so vilified by the Senate Democrats that, to this day, being savaged in a Congressional hearing is referred to as having been "Borked"! By the way, it is, in my view OK, for the Senate leadership to want to "slow roll" any Supreme Court nomination until after the election, but to make a point of saying so in public is just plain stupid. And to do so AGAIN, as the Majority Leader did, immediately after Mr. Obama announced his nominee this week is beyond belief!
Now to reason number three. And this is probably going to get me into trouble with some close friends who may, after reading this, reconsider their relationship with me. It has to do with my less than complimentary view of the Republican base as it has evolved and what, to me, is the unfathomable appeal of Donald Trump to so many rank and file Republicans that he will, likely, become the the Party's nominee for President. I know they are angry at the status quo, I know they are frustrated by government over-reach and political correctness run amok, I know they are upset by what they see as the erosion of America's status in the world, its timid approach in world affairs and the seeming unwillingness to directly confront Islamic Terrorist Organizations. And they want to hear somebody "pound the table", as Mr. Trump does, about these issues.
I feel these things too, but Donald Trump as President? He's a crass, boisterous, ego maniac who bullies and shouts down his opposition in lieu of speaking in complete sentences and having substantive positions on the issues of the day. It's not just that he's unqualified to be President, I don't think he's qualified to be a scout master! As an old boy scout, I believe with Lord Baden-Powell that, "...a scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent." In my opinion, "The Donald" fails to qualify on at least seven of the twelve points of the venerable Scout Law and, as I've said before, I don't want a guy with a hair trigger temper like Trump's having access to the "Go Codes".