Vermont Democrat Sen. Bernie Sanders offered gracious and sincere condolences after Justice Antonin Scalia passed away Saturday of apparent natural causes.
“While I differed with Justice Scalia’s views and jurisprudence, he was a brilliant, colorful and outspoken member of the Supreme Court. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his colleagues on the court who mourn his passing,” the socialist candidate said in a brief statement.
Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton took a more forceful tact:
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Justice Scalia as they mourn his sudden passing. I did not hold Justice Scalia’s views, but he was a dedicated public servant who brought energy and passion to the bench.
The Republicans in the Senate and on the campaign trail who are calling for Justice Scalia’s seat to remain vacant dishonor our Constitution. The Senate has a constitutional responsibility here that it cannot abdicate for partisan political reasons.
Clinton’s point isn’t correct on its face — while President Obama has the right to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice, the GOP-controlled Senate has no duty to confirm whomever he selects and, unless they want to see a Trump presidency, ought to “Bork” whichever leftist Obama selects. But her statement is indicative of a cutthroat mindset Sanders lacks.
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