Maddow: Republicans now so obstructionist they block their own nominees

On Tuesday night's edition of "The Rachel Maddow Show," host Rachel Maddow informed viewers that Republicans in Congress are being so obstructionist that they are now blocking and filibustering the nominations of their own candidates for federal position as well as members of their own party.

She began by discussing the nomination of Oklahoma Judge Robert Bacharach, who was in limbo for more than 260 days while the GOP declined to vote on his nomination as a circuit court judge.

Oklahoma, Maddow said, is about as red as red states come. Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) beat President Barack Obama in every county in Oklahoma in 2012. The state has five Congressional districts, all of which are represented by Republicans. Both of the state's U.S. senators are also Republicans.

"When it came time to nominate a new federal appeals court judge to the 10th Circuit," Maddow said, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) suggested a judge to the White House, and was seconded by Oklahoma's other senator, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R).

"And, then...no," said Maddow. "Apparently that was not okay with Senate Republicans. Giving them what they want and what they ask for is not okay. And it won't be stood for."

Judge Robert Bacharach was nominated in January of 2012 and Senate Republicans filibustered him, refusing to allow a vote on his nomination for the better part of a year.

The best part of the story, though, said Maddow, is that when the Senate finally voted on Bacharach, they shooed him through unanimously, 93-0.

"There was no objection to him. Remember, they picked him!" she said. "So why would they object to him?"

But if there were no actual objections, why did the Senate GOP refuse to vote on him for 263 days?

"No reason," said Maddow. "HULK SMASH!"

Similarly, Republicans were blocking a member of their own party when they filibustered Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)'s nomination as Secretary of Defense. He was finally confirmed on Tuesday and will be sworn in on Wednesday, but not before a thorough hazing from the right side of the aisle, including charges of anti-Semitism and a ginned-up smear that he once made $25,000 for speaking to the mythical group, "Friends of Hamas."

No one has ever filibustered the nomination of a Cabinet secretary in the history of the U.S. Congress.

"Why do it now?" asked Maddow. "HULK SMASH!"

To the Republicans who obstructed the nominations, Maddow said, "So, Mazel Tov. Congratulations. You have won nothing, but you did further break the institution where you work."

Watch the video, embedded below via MSNBC:

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