Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.) contradicted himself on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday over whether or not Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination for the Supreme Court would get an up-or-down vote.
When host Joe Scarborough asked Coons if Gorsuch should get an up-or-down vote, Coons said that he would, but Senate Democrats would filibuster.
"He'll get an up or down vote," Coons said. "Senator Schumer, our minority leader, has said it's going to be a 60 vote margin, and I doubt he's going to get 60 votes and the question then, Joe, becomes what do we do?"
"There's a lot of finger pointing," Coons continued. "There's a lot of Democrats justifiably still very mad about the treatment of Merrick Garland."
Scarborough sought clarification from Coons.
"But do you not think we're going to get to 60 votes?" Scarborough asked.
"I don't think he's going to get 60 votes," Coons said.
"For cloture?" Scarborough asked.
"No," Coons answered.
Coons said that he believed Republicans would have to use the "nuclear option" in order to confirm Gorsuch. Coons called the use of it "tragic," but acknowledged that Democrats changed the filibuster rule first when they held Senate majority in 2013.
Some Senate Democrats have said that Gorsuch deserves an up-or-down vote, such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.), who is up for reelection in 2018 and is from a state won by President Donald Trump.