MITCH McCONNELL: I'M NOT NANCY PELOSI

Mitch McConnell is up for reelection next year and half the people in his state disapprove of him. If he were a Democrat, he'd be desperately tacking toward the center, seeking some elusive common ground. But he's a Republican, so he wants to be seen as a cackling sadist, rubbing Democrats' faces in their inability to thwart him.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday if a Supreme Court vacancy occurs during next year's presidential election, he would work to confirm a nominee appointed by President Donald Trump.

That's a move that is in sharp contrast to his decision to block President Barack Obama's nominee to the high court following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016....

Speaking at a Paducah Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Kentucky, McConnell was asked by an attendee, "Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot?"

The leader took a long sip of what appeared to be iced tea before announcing with a smile, "Oh, we'd fill it," triggering loud laughter from the audience.

Of course, McConnell's position now isn't "in sharp contrast" to his position in 2016. His position then was that Republicans should win all the time, and that norms and precedents are for losers, as is a system of democratic governance in which people from different parties acknowledge one another's legitimacy. That's still his position.

Was this a spontaneous response to an unexpected question or a planned response to a plant? I don't know, but either way, McConnell is sending a message: He's not Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi has been fighting members of her own party who want to impeach President Trump. Even when Congressman Justin Amash, a Republican gadfly, is being praised in his GOP district for declaring that Trump deserves impeachment, Pelosi shies away.

Pelosi is worried that impeachment will scare the swing voters who elected a Democratic House in 2018. McConnell is not worried that being a smirking partisan bully will scare the voters who've given him a majority.

They're playing to different bases, of course. McConnell's is full of partisan rage addicts. Nationwide, Pelosi's really is more moderate.

But you might get more respect if you stand up for yourself. McConnell sure as hell does that. Well, Nancy?