NEIL CAVUTO (HOST): I do wonder, professor, about why Republicans would just punt on even holding hearings. They hold a significant majority in the Senate, so they can argue that if they don't like the president's choice, they could reject it, the president's choice. You need 60 votes. So why add the drama of not even holding hearings?
LARRY SABATO: Well, I think the message that Senator McConnell, the majority leader, was trying to send immediately was that there is very little chance that anyone nominated by President Obama would be approved by a majority of the U.S. Senate. They don't -- it doesn't have to be a filibuster, it could potentially be a straight up or down vote. But there are 54 Republicans, even if you had a couple of defections, you might not in this case, there's virtually no chance that that would actually happen. This is going to be a campaign issue on both sides. It probably will increase voter turnout on both sides. And it's elevated to the court to one of the two or three major issues along with terrorism and the economy.
CAVUTO: You know it's interesting. I guess the process normally takes on average about 67 days I read, from a nominee being submitted to the final vote in the Senate, yea or nay. And it's happened before, Ronald Reagan. The third time was the charm for him. But I guess I have a hard time -- I know the frustration on the part of Republicans, but I have a hard time understanding not even allowing a vote or waiting until, you know, a new president. Because that's still almost a year off.
