Sen. Marsha Blackburn: Left desires 'domination' and 'total control'
The Tennessee Republican spoke after Democrats criticized Sen. Dianne Feinstein for praising the bipartisanship during the Barrett confirmation hearing.
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn says the political left does not wish to engage in bipartisanship but instead desires "domination" and "total control."
The Tennessee legislator points to Democrats' outrage over Sen. Dianne Feinstein's praise for the Senate Judiciary Committee's handling of Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination hearing — and the subsequent whisper campaign to oust her as the panel's top Democrat.
"If you ever wanted a group to make the point that they have given up on bipartisanship and civility, that did it," Blackburn said this week on the John Solomon Reports podcast. "You had Dianne Feinstein offering a handshake and a hug at the conclusion of four contentious days and congratulating Chairman [Lindsey] Graham on how he exercised bipartisanship. He never cut them off, he let them have their say, he didn't gavel them down, he gave them extra time for questions, and she thanked him for that. And it infuriated the left."
While Democrats privately complained to reporters, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York acknowledged having a "long and serious talk" with Feinstein, whom some in her party had predetermined wouldn't be tough enough on Barrett and chamber Republicans trying to get their appointee confirmed weeks before a presidential election in which Democrats could win the White House.
"It shows you that they do not want to work in a bipartisan way," Blackburn said. "They want domination. They want total control. And in large part that is what this election is about for them. They feel like they've got a clean sweep coming with the House, the Senate and the White House. And if they do, Katy bar the door. Their 100-day agenda is something that is frightening."
President Trump nominated Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
After the hearing earlier this month, Feinstein, the senior California Democratic senator , thanked Graham and said: "This has been one of the best set of hearings that I've participated in. ... It leaves one with a lot of hopes, a lot of questions and even some ideas, perhaps some good bipartisan legislation we can put together to make this great country even better. So thank you so much for your leadership."