Casey: Clinton has "commanding position" for 2016

U.S. SEN. Bob Casey Jr., in a tight spot, tried to dodge.

Journalist Steve Highsmith asked the Scranton native which Democrat with family ties to that city - Vice President Joe Biden or former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - would do better there for president in 2016.

"It's only 2014," Casey said at the Committee of Seventy's annual fundraiser breakfast. "They've both done well there."

Highsmith persisted and Casey praised Clinton's chances if she runs, leaving Biden out of it.

"She's in as commanding a position as I've ever seen a nominee in my life," Casey said. "I have not seen a single Republican right now in the country who can beat her in a general election."

Casey, a Democrat re-elected in 2012 to a second six-year term, was interviewed with U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican now in the fourth year of his first term.

Toomey joked that he and Casey "disagree a little bit about the invincibility of Hillary Clinton."

He was harder to pin down on his own party's prospects.

Toomey said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the son and brother of past presidents, would do a good job as president but said he did not know if Bush is the best potential GOP candidate.

The Committee of Seventy, a good-government watchdog group with a focus on elections, asked questions yesterday about the gridlock that has stalled political progress in Washington, D.C.

Republicans retook the Senate majority in last week's election, giving them control of both chambers of Congress.

Toomey saw that win as a reflection of "anxiety" among voters about a sluggish economy at home and many troubles abroad.

Toomey cautioned Republicans about overestimating the message voters sent last week.

"As long as Congress has single-digit approval ratings, I would guess we shouldn't get too carried away thinking this is a great Republican mandate," he said.

Toomey also had a word of caution for President Obama on his pledge to take executive action on immigration reform. He said that would be a "huge setback" to bipartisan cooperation if Obama acts on policies he could not persuade Congress to approve.

"I actually think we need to do immigration reform, but that doesn't mean we toss aside the Constitution and empower the president to do whatever he pleases," Toomey said.

Casey laid blame for a lack of movement on the immigration issue at the feet of House Speaker John Boehner, complaining that House Republicans have done nothing with a bill approved by the Senate last year.

"I think the president has very appropriately been pushing Speaker Boehner to get something done," Casey said.

Toomey and Casey predicted that Loretta Lynch, Obama's pick to replace U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, will face little controversy for Senate approval.

Casey said he wants that approval to happen before the end of the year. Toomey saw that as possible but said the process should have no "arbitrary deadline in terms of days or weeks."