NEW YORK, Sept 21 (BBC): Donald Trump's move to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the presidential election is an "abuse of power", his Democratic rival Joe Biden says.
Mr Trump has said he will nominate a woman to replace the longstanding liberal justice.
Mr Biden has urged Senate Republicans to delay a confirmation vote.
Ginsburg, a liberal icon and feminist standard-bearer, died on Friday at the age of 87.
Democrats fear Republicans will vote to lock in a decades-long conservative majority on the country's highest court.
The ideological balance of the nine-member court is crucial to its rulings on the most important issues in US law.
During a speech at the Constitutional Center in Philadelphia on Sunday, Mr Biden said the president had "made clear this is about power, pure and simple".
"The United States constitution allows Americans the chance to be heard - and their voice should be heard... they should make it clear, they will not stand for this abuse of power," he said.
"I appeal to those Senate Republicans - please follow your conscience, let the people speak, cool the flames that have been engulfing our country," he said.
"Don't vote to confirm anyone nominated under the circumstances President Trump and Senator McConnell created. Don't go there."
Mr Biden said that if he won the presidential election, Mr Trump's nominee should be withdrawn. He said he would then consult senators from both parties before putting forward his choice.
He added it would be wrong to release his list of potential Supreme Court nominees now, as this could expose some judges to political attacks.
But he said his first choice for the Supreme Court "will make history as the first African American woman on the court".
Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, have backed a delay in the vote until after November's presidential election.
Maine Senator Ms Collins said she had "no objection" to the process of reviewing a candidate beginning now, but that she did not believe the Senate should vote on the candidate prior to the election.
Alaska Senator Ms Murkowski later joined her in backing a delay: "I did not support taking up a nomination eight months before the 2016 election... We are now even closer to the 2020 election - less than two months out - and I believe the same standard must apply," she said.
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