Senate leaders are slated to hit the Sunday show circuit this week ahead of a likely showdown over President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Mitch McConnellSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Key Dem McCaskill to oppose Gorsuch, back filibuster The Hill's 12:30 Report MORE (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles SchumerSchumer pranks followers by suggesting he replaced iconic flip phone Let's just scrap the filibuster and keep it simple Pence breaks tie, allowing Senate to revoke Obama order on abortion provider funding MORE (D-N.Y.) are both scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this Sunday.
Their appearances come after two Democrats – Sens. Heidi Heitkamp
Heidi HeitkampSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Pence: Senate will confirm Gorsuch 'one way or the other' Key Dem McCaskill to oppose Gorsuch, back filibuster MORE (N.D.) and Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Pence: Senate will confirm Gorsuch 'one way or the other' Key Dem McCaskill to oppose Gorsuch, back filibuster MORE (W.Va.) – announced this week that they will back Gorsuch for the vacant seat on the nation’s highest court.
But Gorsuch's road to confirmation without changing the Senate rules grew increasingly difficult Friday when Sen. Claire McCaskill
Claire McCaskillSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Pence: Senate will confirm Gorsuch 'one way or the other' Key Dem McCaskill to oppose Gorsuch, back filibuster MORE (D-Mo.) announced she would vote to filibuster Trump's nominee.
That leaves the number of Democrats who have undecided or unclear positions on Gorsuch at nine, according to The Hill's Whip List. Republicans need eight to overcome a filibuster.
Schumer told The Washington Post on Thursday that it was "virtually impossible" for Democrats and Republicans to reach an agreement on Gorsuch to avoid a showdown.
Under current rules, Republicans need 60 votes to confirm Gorsuch. Republicans hold 52 seats in the upper chamber, and Heitkamp and Manchin are the only two to have broken with their party to support him.
Republicans, gearing up for a potential vote next week, are weighing the so-called nuclear option, which would change the Senate rules so that only a simple majority would be required to confirm Gorsuch.
Vice President Pence vowed Saturday that Gorsuch would be confirmed “one way or another.”
Here is the full lineup:
NBC’s “Meet the Press”: McConnell and Schumer will be on with Chuck Todd as the party leaders prepare for the Gorsuch vote.
ABC’s “This Week”: United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley will be on the show this week, as will Sen. John McCain
John McCainSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Trump signals deeper US involvement in Yemen Trump takes risk with Freedom Caucus attack MORE (R-Ariz.). Dmitry Peskov, who serves as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, will also appear on the show.
CBS’s “Face the Nation”: Haley will also appear on CBS, as will Sen. John Cornyn
John CornynSunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Live coverage: Senate intel holds first public Russia hearing Texas Dem targets Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 MORE (R-Texas).
“Fox News Sunday”: McConnell will be on with Chris Wallace this week. Scott Pruitt, who heads the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will also appear on the show.
CNN’s “State of the Union”: Rep. Adam Schiff
Adam SchiffMaxine Waters 'glad' Flynn hasn't gotten immunity Sunday shows preview: McConnell, Schumer face off ahead of Gorsuch fight Pelosi: Nunes situation 'brings dishonor' to House intel panel MORE (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, will be on CNN’s show this week. His appearance follows a week of political infighting between Republicans and Democrats on the committee over the conduct of its chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).
Democrats have called on Nunes to recuse himself from the Russia probe after the chairman admitted he visited White House grounds to review classified materials one day prior to briefing President Trump about incidental surveillance of Trump transition team members.
Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jason Miller (R-Minn.) will also be on the show.
