The top White House spokesman said Wednesday that President Obama “regrets” his 2006 decision to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court – after being accused of hypocrisy for blasting “obstructionist” Republicans now vowing to block his next high court nominee.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was pressed on Obama’s 2006 vote, as a U.S. senator, at the daily briefing.
“Looking back on it, the president believes that he should have just followed his own advice and made a strong public case on the merits about his opposition to the nomination that President Bush had put forward,” he told reporters.
Here we go again. I seem to recall a similar sentiment from Obama when it came to his refusal as a senator to vote for raising the debt ceiling. And then there was his condescending dismissal of Elizabeth Warren for opposing him on TPP: “She’s just a politician like everyone else.” Normally, realizing that you were wrong in the past is a sign of growth and maturity. But I can’t help thinking that this is just more of the same from Obama: Whatever his political interests at this moment are, that’s the correct — and the only correct — position. If that makes 2006 or 2007 Obama wrong, so be it. Obama is always right — right now.