Gwen ifil, chris, ron fournier and kathleen parker, columnist for the Washington Post. Welcome to sunday. Its meet the press. From nbc news in washington, this is meet the press with chuck todd. Good sunday morning. It hasnt happened since 1968. A vacancy battle on the Supreme Court at this stage of an Election Year. We learned late yesterday of the sudden and tragic death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. An intellectual and conservative thought leader, aman president obama last night called one of the most consequential judges and thinkers to serve on the Supreme Court. Scalias death of course is a personal tragedy for his family and colleagues, but it is also bursting with Major Political implications. What will his loss due to the balance of power on the court . Will the Republican Senate even consider someone nominated by president obama . How long will this vacancy paralyze the court, and perhaps and at last nights republican president ial debate in South Carolina the cand
A lot to get to, but we start with the impact and the implications of scalias death on the Supreme Court. Nobody better to join me on this than our justice correspondent pete williams. Pete, welcome back, sir. Let me ask very quickly, were in the middle of some contentious cases on the Supreme Court now. What happens right now . The most one with political implications is the immigration decision. Right. When you have eight justices it creates the possibility of a 44 tie. When theres a tie its as though the Supreme Court decision doesnt count, the Lower Court Ruling stands and the Supreme Court decision has no president ial value. So for the immigration policy it would be a defeat for the administration because it would leave standing the Lower Court Rulings that blocked it. For such abortion question which is coming, it would leave the tough texas restriction on access to abortion clinics standing. Might encourage other states to try the same thing. For Public Sector unions though it
Gwen ifil, chris, ron fournier and kathleen parker, columnist for the Washington Post. Welcome to sunday. Its meet the press. From nbc news in washington, this is meet the press with chuck todd. Good sunday morning. It hasnt happened since 1968. A vacancy battle on the Supreme Court at this stage of an Election Year. We learned late yesterday of the sudden and tragic death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. An intellectual and conservative thought leader, a man president obama last night called one of the most consequential judges and thinkers to serve on the Supreme Court. Scalias death of course is a personal tragedy for his family and colleagues, but it is also bursting with Major Political implications. What will his loss due to the balance of power on the court . Will the Republican Senate even consider someone nominated by president obama . How long wills paralyze the court, and perhaps the u. S. Senate . And at last nights republican president ial debate in South Carolina