President Donald Trump is finding himself in a position he's never been in before with Senate Republicans, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins said on Thursday evening.
Specifically, she noted, he is now facing negotiations and demands from an intransigent bloc of Republican senators, as his nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general spirals into chaos.
"They're using Blanche as a vessel to get their demands, which is a pretty unusual position for the president to be in, being squeezed by his own party, by a couple of senators who have nothing to lose," said Collins.
However, she noted, the two main objectors, Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), are now joined by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), another senator forced out of re-nomination by Trump. She played a clip of him speaking to reporters.
"Todd Blanche cannot give commitments that Cornyn and Tillis want," said Cassidy in the clip. "And by the way, I'm very concerned about the weaponization of the Justice Department." When asked by a reporter if he'd vote yes, he said, "I'm not going to answer thatbecause I'm still in theinformation-gathering stage."
"You can tell in these senators' answers that they ... have nothing to lose. Truly," said Collins, turning to Bloomberg White House correspondent Jeff Mason.
"They have nothing to lose," Mason agreed.