# SCOTUS Nominee leaked prior to 11am announcement: Merrick Garland **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 16, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159 "2016-03-16T14:10:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/1 "2016-03-16T14:10:12Z")
On CNN’s front page. ETA: not strictly election related, but such an important event it will have repercussions in the campaign. Seems like Obama went with such a strongly centrist pick that he is really putting the ball in Congress’ court. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/2 "2016-03-16T14:23:10Z")
I think Obama has put the senate Republicans between a rock and a hard place. If they don’t confirm Judge Garland they run the likely risk that Clinton will win the election and nominate someone who is younger and more liberal next year. On the other hand if they do confirm him or even hold hearings they will be seen as weak and having lost another battle to Obama. The only other option they seem to have is to wait on a potential Trump or Cruz nominee. I don’t know if that’s a realistic option for the senate Republicans, and even if they do hold out hope for this route I think it will backfire on them. To use a gambling analogy, I think the Republicans have finally reached the table limit on their ability to keep doubling down. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/3 "2016-03-16T15:10:59Z")
They have a larger problem than one Supreme Court nomination. They’ve been holding up dozens of court nominations. When Clinton wins they’ll have a hard time explaining how waiting for the will of the people still holds up dozens of liberal judges. They’re betting a trillion dollars on 000. And there ain’t no 000 on the wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/4 "2016-03-16T15:52:24Z")
And Mitch McConnell is telling the Senate right now that Obama’s playing politics and he’ll continue to oppose any nominee on principle. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/5 "2016-03-16T16:11:26Z")
The linked thread below has become the main discussion - please join us! > **[Obama nominates Judge Merrick Garland to the SCOTUS.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=787257)** > > By most accounts Judge Garland is a moderate. He is also a little older at 63 years old. I think that under other circumstances this is someone that Republicans would be happy to confirm to the SCOTUS. How do you all think this will go? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/6 "2016-03-16T16:15:11Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > And Mitch McConnell is telling the Senate right now that Obama’s playing politics and he’ll continue to oppose any nominee on principle. I hope he reminds us what the “principle” is here. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/7 "2016-03-16T23:00:03Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I hope he reminds us what the “principle” is here. That the Republican Party must oppose everything that Obama proposes, on principle. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-nominee-leaked-prior-to-11am-announcement-merrick-garland/749159/8 "2016-03-16T23:01:02Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The linked thread below has become the main discussion - please join us! > > [Obama nominates Judge Merrick Garland to the SCOTUS. - Politics & Elections - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=787257) We really do not need two threads on the topic. I am closing this one. [/Moderating]