Criticism of Biden's SCOTUS pledge is 'rooted in white identity politics,' CNN's Brian Stelter says

Republicans critical of President Biden's decision to consider only Black female candidates for the Supreme Court seat vacated by retiring Justice Stephen Breyer are motivated by "white identity politics," CNN host Brian Stelter said on his show Reliable Sources on Sunday.
Stelter began by bemoaning the "state of high conflict" in which American political discourse is currently embroiled.
He went on to argue that Republicans have no good reason, beyond stoking outrage, to vigorously oppose Biden's nominee "since whoever the nominee is will not change the balance of the court."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"But let's be honest," Stelter continued. "Fox wants a fight. Right-wing radio and TV wants a fight. They need a fight over the Supreme Court! They're already starting a fight that's rooted in white identity politics."
Stelter also cited a piece by The Week's Peter Weber, who argued that although "[c]onservative judicial groups recognize that Democrats control the Senate and consider it a wash to replace Breyer with another liberal," Fox News "seems to be gearing up for a big fight."
One conservative commentator insisted, contra Stelter, that white identity politics had nothing to do with the opposition.
"Joe Biden has not made this pick yet. Joe Biden has eliminated any consideration of any judge of Asian or Hispanic ethnicity (among others!). The only person who made this about identity politics is Joe Biden," tweeted Stephen L. Miller, a contributing editor at The Spectator World who worked as a speechwriter for former President Donald Trump.
Biden's decision to consider only Black female candidates is deeply unpopular. According to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll, 76 percent of Americans say Biden should consider "all possible nominees," not just Black women. The poll surveyed 510 adults and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program