Of Course: MSNBC Leftist Legal Analyst on Biden’s SCOTUS Short List

On Friday, MSNBC eagerly touted how one of its own, left-wing legal analyst and NYU Law Professor Melissa Murray, was reportedly on President Biden’s short list for the Supreme Court. Murray was interviewed by Craig Melvin on the 11:00 a.m. ET hour show. Craig Melvin, ET hour anchor tried to get Murray information regarding being contacted.

“Melissa, our colleague Sahil Kapur is reporting that according to a source familiar with the White House process here, you are someone who’s also being considered for this Supreme Court seat. Have you heard from anyone in the administration or connected to it?,” Melvin asked one of the cable channel’s favorite leftist pundits.

Murray responded with this beautiful response

If true, these rumors would make it very nice to be considered for such a high-ranking position in the public service. But even more importantly, incredibly flattering to be considered in the company of those women, many of whom I’ve known for a long time and I admire a great deal.It just shows that there is a lot of talent in this legal community, and that it has been tapped by the President.

Melvin noted that she dodged his question: “That was a great answer. Melvin noted that she dodged his question: “That was a great answer. Your colleague is a good friend, I would point out you didn’t actually answer the question. Have you been contacted by the administration or anyone attached to it?”Murray clarified the following: “I haven’t been contacted by anyone.”

“And while we of course enjoy having you here at MSNBC, we love your analysis and your perspective, if someone were to call, would you take the call? Would you be interested in the job?,” Melvin wondered. Murray acknowledged: “I mean, obviously any lawyer would be interested in this job. This is the most important opportunity for a lawyer to serve her country in a really profound way.”

Melvin noted that Murray “clerked for Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is right now the only woman of color on the high court.”

Ending the friendly exchange Melvin asked Murray for his opinion on Biden’s choice: “Professor, if you had the ear of the President, if you were advising him on this pick, of the aforementioned, who would Melissa Murray endorse?”Murray admitted that choosing was difficult because Murray was close friends with everyone on her shortlist of liberals.

They are all wonderful women. I know many of them personally and I can’t choose. It’s an abundance of wealth, an embarrassment to riches., and it’s absolutely wonderful that the President has this kind of array of talent from which to choose.

Melvin ended: “Alright, Melissa Murray, if you get a call from the White House, let us know, please. Thank you.” Murray quipped: “You’re not getting rid of me that quickly, Craig.” Melvin replied that MSNBC would happy to have one of its employees become a judicial pick for a Democratic administration: “Well, we hope not. But if we did, We would definitely lose you before the High Court. We would take that.”

Of course none of Murray’s radical views, particularly on abortion, were ever brought up during the softball segment:

> In May of 2021, she decried the “anti-choice movement” and conservatives on the Supreme Court “skeptical of abortion rights.”

> In July, she warned of Republican voting reform laws being a “more subtle” version of “Jim Crow.”  

> In November, she compared abortion restrictions to laws that “banned interracial marriage.”

> In December, she feared that “Justice Clarence Thomas seemed to be signaling some concerns that we ought to be treating the fetus as a person for purposes of constitutional law” because such a determination would “criminalize abortion outright.”

As soon as the Biden Administration starts to monitor MSNBC’s search for the next Supreme Court justice it is obvious that all lines between the media and the Democratic Party have disappeared.  

Melvin’s easy job interview with Murray for the high court was brought to viewers by Progressive and Applebee’s. These advertisers can be criticized for sponsoring content like this.

You can find the complete transcript from January 28, segment here

11.06 am ET

CRAIG MELVIN: Melissa, our colleague, Sahil Kapur is reporting that according to a source familiar with the White House process here, you are someone who’s also being considered for this Supreme Court seat. Do you have any information from the administration, or anyone connected?

MELISSA MURRY: I believe those rumors. It would certainly be a flattering experience to be offered a position so important in public service. But even more importantly, incredibly flattering to be considered in the company of those women, many of whom I’ve known for a long time and I admire a great deal. This just proves that this community has a wealth of legal talent, which is incredible and amazing that the President chose to tap into.

MELVIN, That’s a wonderful answer. And while you are a colleague, I would point out you didn’t actually answer the question. Do you know if the administration has contacted you or someone connected to it?

MURRAY: I haven’t been contacted by anyone. However, I have to say that the black woman lawyers community has a huge talent pool. This is a group that has been overlooked and under-represented in all facets of the legal profession for many years and so I’m absolutely delighted that everyone is getting a close look.

MELVIN: While we enjoy you being here at MSNBC we also love your analysis. Would you be open to taking a call from someone? Do you have any interest in the position?

MURRAY: This is – I mean, obviously any lawyer would be interested in this job. It is the best opportunity for a lawyer, to really serve her country. And it’s amazing that President Biden has taken this pledge to nominate a black woman seriously. This level of federal judiciary has not had us represented. We haven’t been represented in the ways that perhaps we should at all levels of the federal judiciary, and the Biden administration has worked assiduously to change that. This is part of an overall process that is long overdue, I believe.

MELVIN. As a clerk for Justice Sonia Sotomayor (right now, the highest ranking woman of color at the court), you were of course familiar with the justice. Racial differences aside, there are some people who suggest that geographic diversity is nice, or that it would help to be more diverse in thought. How would you respond to this?

MURRAY: I think diversity in the legal profession is vast and it should be represented in the federal judiciary and I think we’ve seen that in President Biden’s picks for the lower federal courts. And I do think that it’s important that the Supreme Court not be mired in a kind of homogeneity. The Supreme Court should reflect the diversity and experiences of Americans. And of course, many Americans don’t go to Ivy League schools.

So I am delighted that some of the people being floated here include Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court Leondra Kruger, who would bring state court experience, which we haven’t have since David Souter and Sandra Day O’Connor, as well as her geographic ties to California.

J. Michelle Childs received her education at the University of South Florida Law School. That would have brought a completely different educational background. Amy Coney Barrett currently serves as the Court’s sole justice who was not educated in the Ivy League.

There’s also Sherrilyn Ifill, who brings a huge career in civil rights. We haven’t had a civil rights lawyer on the Court since Justice Ginsburg and Justice Thurgood Marshall. Sherrilyn heads the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. It is also the same organization that Thurgood Marsh headed before he brought up landmark cases such as Brown vs. Board of Education.   

MELVIN – Professor, would you advise the President on Melissa Murray’s pick?

MURRY: These women are all amazing. I know many of them personally and I can’t choose. This is an abundance of riches, an embarrassment of riches, and it’s absolutely wonderful that the President has this kind of array of talent from which to choose.

MELVIN : Melissa Murray. Please let us know if you receive a call from White House. I appreciate your understanding.

MURRAY: You’re not getting rid of me that quickly, Craig.

MELVIN: I – well, we hope not. However, if that were to happen we’d certainly lose you before the High Court. That would be our choice. We appreciate your kind words. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend.

MURRAY – Thank you.