In all the talk about how the President is going to persuade (some might say "snooker" or "bully") Senate Republicans into accepting his nominee to replace Justice Scalia, one question seems never to get asked:  Do Americans actually want a more liberal Supreme Court?

That is what they are 100% certain to get with anyone Mr. Obama nominates. Justice Scalia was almost universally viewed as the leader of the conservative Justices.  He was probably the most conservative Justice of my lifetime.

As the Court was about to begin its Term last October, with Justice Scalia still sitting, Gallup asked whether respondents thought the Court was too liberal, too conservative, or about right.  The results:  40% about right, 20% too conservative, and 37% too liberal.  In other words, roughly twice as many Americans thought the Court is too liberal as thought it's too conservative.

Put another way, over three-quarters of the country thought the Court with Justice Scalia was either about right or too liberal.

When Mr. Obama comes persuading, or snookering, or bullying, that's all the Republicans need to say:  "The country does not want the Court moved to the Left, and we are going to do what the country wants, not what the Administration wants. The country will have the opportunity in November to take a different direction if it so chooses, and we are going to preserve that opportunity for democracy to work."  End of story.