Trump to name Supreme Court pick by weekend despite Democrats’ opposition

US President Donald Trump says he will name a replacement to liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Saturday, in an effort to cement a 6-3 conservative majority, despite calls from Democrats to let the winner of the Nov. election choose the nominee for the crucial seat.

Trump, seeking re-election in November, said Monday that he was "constitutionally obligated" to nominate someone to replace Ginsburg, who died Friday of cancer at the age of 87.

“We're looking at five incredible jurists... women that are extraordinary in every way. I mean, honestly, it could be anyone of them, and we're going to be announcing it on Friday or Saturday," he said at a rally in Ohio.

On top of his list for the nomination are Amy Coney Barrett of the Chicago-based 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals and Barbara Lagoa of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Trump earlier had a private meeting at the White House with Barrett.

Once he picks a nominee, it is the Senate's job to vote to confirm the Trump pick.

Trump called on the Senate, controlled by his fellow Republicans, to vote on confirmation before the election in which he is seeking a second term.

“I’d much rather have a vote before the election,” he said. “We have plenty of time to do it.”

 Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to hold a confirmation vote before the election in a move which prompted Democrats to accuse him of hypocrisy.

McConnell said Monday that there was sufficient time to complete the nomination before the election.

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This, as McConnell refused in 2016 to hold a vote to confirm a nominee put forward by then-President Barack Obama, after the death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has criticized McConnell, reminding him that he was not ready to accept Obama's nominee although 10 months had been left to the election back then.

"The election's only 46 days off," said Biden. "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."

Ginsburg’s ‘dying wish’ written by Democrats: Trump

While Trump is moving quickly to fill Ginsburg’s seat, reports said that she had made a request on her deathbed to not to be replaced until a new president be elected.

“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” Ginsburg said, according to NPR.

The report said she dictated the note to her granddaughter, Clara Spera, in the final days of her life.

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Trump, however, cast doubt on Ginsburg’s “dying wish,” saying that “I don’t know that she said that, or if that was written out by” a top Democrat.

“That came out of the wind. It sounds so beautiful, but that sounds like a Schumer deal, or maybe Pelosi or Shifty Schiff.” Trump said.

Schiff responded in a Twitter message, saying that he “didn’t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish to a nation she served so well, and spent her whole life making a more perfect union.”

“But I am going to fight like hell to make it come true,” he said.

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