A CNN guest and ally of Vice President Kamala Harris pitched the idea Friday of President Joe Biden nominating her to the Supreme Court before President-elect Donald Trump into office.
Bakari Sellers appeared on CNN with anchor John Berman to discuss the proposal that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 70, step down soon, allowing Biden to choose her replacement.
The idea is that Sotomayor may not survive the next four years of Trump’s presidency, which would allow him to select a fourth justice for the Supreme Court.
‘I think that’s actually a very good plan. I think it’s something that should happen,’ Sellers said, when asked by Berman to weigh in on the proposal.
He said that the chances of Sotomayor being forced to step aside were ‘extremely high.’
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor attends a panel discussion, Feb. 23, 2024 in Washington.
Sotomayor has not publicly responded to calls for her to resign.
Sellers enthusiastically endorsed the idea, almost reveling in the possible outrage to the idea from conservatives.
‘I don’t care about drawing outside the lines or what Republicans may think about it. This is within your purview. You can actually do it and you should do it,’ he said, referring to Biden and the Democratic party.
Sellers went further, suggesting that Biden should select Harris as the replacement.
‘You have a hell of a vice president right there who has a legal pedigree to sit on a Supreme Court,’ he said. ‘And let Republicans go crazy, ape, I’m even mentioning that option.’
Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as her husband Doug Emhoff holds the Bible
Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she delivers a concession speech for the 2024 presidential election
Harris served as the attorney general of California as well as the District Attorney in San Francisco before she won her senate seat.
Typically, presidents choose respected judicial minds for the Supreme Court, not politicians. Choosing a sitting vice president for the Supreme Court would be an historically unprecedented event.
Berman reacted to the idea with amazement, questioning whether it was even possible.
Bakari Sellers pitched the long-shot idea of Biden nominating Kamala Harris to the Supreme Court on Friday
‘Not only am I floating it, but I want to stir up everything. I want people’s heads to explode this morning,’ Sellers said.
Sellers, a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and CNN commentator, has long supported Harris’ political career, but there does not seem to be much support for the idea.
The idea of appointing Harris to the Supreme Court has been discussed before.
Some Democrats suggested in 2022 that Biden choose Harris to fill the vacant spot left by retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, which would have the additional benefit of removing her from the presidential ticket.
The idea was never taken seriously and Biden ultimately nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill the vacancy.
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