US 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden calls for nomination of the next US Supreme Court justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg after the November election.
Biden also slammed President Donald Trump's push to nominate someone with fewer than 50 days before the election.
"The election's only 46 days off," said the Democratic nominee. "I think the fastest justice ever confirmed was 47 days. And the average is closer to 70 days. And so we should do this with full consideration, and that is my hope and expectation what will happen."
He further reminded GOP Senate leaders that they were not ready to accept former President Barack Obama's nominee although 10 months had been left to the election in 2016.
"There is no doubt – let me clear– that the voters should pick the president and the president should pick the justice for the Senate to consider," stated the former vice president. "This was the position the Republican Senate took in 2016 when there were almost 10 months to go before the election. That's the position the United States Senate must take today."
US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has shown a green light for a Trump nomination to the powerful court.
"President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate," he said. "Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary... Once again, we will keep our promise."
Selected by former President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg died Friday after suffering a recurrence of cancer. Biden described her as "consistent and reliable and a voice for freedom and opportunity for everyone."