Because 2020, my guess is that they stage a fake nomination of a fire-breathing conservative and quietly tell some vulnerable swing state senators to vote them down and demonstrate how moderate they are, with the intention of ramming through the person they really want immediately after the election. Then Trump narrowly loses the election and says “fuck it, I’m nominating Tiffany” in his concession speech. McConnell is forced to go along with it because she’s better than whoever Biden would pick.