Its not spin. Here's a quote when the shoe was on the other foot: "Former Democratic Senate leader Robert Byrd explained it well in a 2005 speech endorsed by

Its not spin. Here's a quote when the shoe was on the other foot: "Former Democratic Senate leader Robert Byrd explained it well in a 2005 speech endorsed by then-Senator Joe Biden, among others: There is no stipulation in the Constitution as to how the Senate is to express its advice or give its consent… The Senate can refuse to confirm a nominee simply by saying nothing and doing nothing" https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/04/11/can-president-obama-appoint-merrick-garland-to-the-supreme-court-without-the-consent-of-the-senate/?utm_term=.9fc431b01f59 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/201... Quite simply, stonewalling Merrick is more destructive partisanship, but its not without "modern (or historical?) precedent".