Quotes on Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland

Some quotes about President Barack Obama’s nomination of appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court:

__

“Over my seven years as president, in all my conversations with senators from both parties in which I asked their views on qualified Supreme Court nominees … the one name that has come up repeatedly from Republicans and Democrats alike is Merrick Garland.” — President Barack Obama.

___

“This is the greatest honor of my life, other than Lynn agreeing to marry me 28 years ago. It’s also the greatest gift I have ever received except, and there’s another caveat, the birth of our daughters.” — Judge Merrick Garland.

___

“Judge Garland has earned a reputation for fairness and the respect of colleagues across the ideological spectrum.” — Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

___

“He may very well be a very good nominee. I voted for him earlier. But it’s not about the nominee, it’s about the process.” — Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.

___

“The Senate’s constitutionally defined role to provide advice and consent is as important as the president’s role in proposing a nominee, and I will assess Judge Merrick Garland based on his record and qualifications.” — Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

___

“What I know about Judge Garland, he’s a good man. But he shouldn’t be brought up in this toxic environment.” — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

___

“Republicans now face a choice between blindly taking their marching orders from Donald Trump, or doing their jobs and providing fair consideration to this highly qualified nominee.” — Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

___

“A lifetime appointment that could dramatically impact individual freedoms and change the direction of the court for at least a generation is too important to get bogged down in politics.” — Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman.

___

“In the name of fairness and our Constitution, the Senate Republican majority must do its job and give Judge Garland a public hearing and a timely vote.” — Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democratic leader.

___

“For more than 80 years, there has not been a nomination and confirmation of a Supreme Court justice in a presidential election year and now is not the time to break with bipartisan practice.” — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

___

“The American people expect Judge Merrick Garland to be given a fair hearing and a timely vote.” — House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.

___

“Merrick Garland has very high intellect, a very decent fellow … The only criticism I’d offer of him is that he’s a liberal.” — Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

___

“Americans are counting on the Senate to do its job by considering the president’s nominee, hold a hearing and a vote.” — National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García.