washington president barack obama say wednesday hop cool head prevail republican-led senate act u.s. supreme court nominee top republicans dig heel defend refusal consider anyone obama pick obama narrow five list candidates replace conservative justice antonin scalia die feb. 13. obama nominee could tip nine-member court leave first time decades republicans control senate vow hold confirmation hear up-or-down vote anyone obama pick say choice belong next president take office january nov. presidential election hope cool head prevail people reflect stake nomination make obama say news conference canadian prime minister justin trudeau white house interview five candidates federal judge sri srinivasan jane kelly ketanji brown jackson paul watford merrick garland accord source familiar process senate judiciary committee chairman chuck grassley whose panel handle supreme court nominations offer lengthy defense senate republicans stance grassley accuse democrats charade feign outrage republican refusal consider obama nominee simply score many political point possible regardless will admit publicly everybody know nominee submit middle presidential campaign get confirm everybody white house know senate democrats know republicans know even press know grassley tell committee hear u.s. constitution president select supreme court nominee senate confirm reject nominee go job obama say promise eminently qualify nominee senate republicans decide whether want follow constitution abide rule fair play ultimately undergird democracy ensure supreme court become one extension polarize politics obama say denis mcdonough obama chief staff presidential aid meet judiciary committee democrats white house nomination afterward democratic senators predict republicans would buckle public pressure drop obstruction obama name nominee optimistic soon enough president nominate republican colleagues see light say u.s. senator chuck schumer forecast obama nominee confirm bipartisan support separately one republican senator indicate senate republicans would act nominee republican president conservative president replace conservative justice little accommodation wisconsin ron johnson tell radio interviewer president obama nominee would flip court 5-4 conservative 5-4 liberal-controlled court concern johnson add grassley-kelly connection grassley 2013 speak favor kelly nomination st. louis-based u.s. court appeal 8th circuit confirm 96-0 senate vote kelly obama classmate harvard law school base iowa previously serve federal public defender iowa senator reject notion could persuade drop opposition obama nominate candidate previously confirm republicans denounce idea white house selection process guide raw political calculation think exert political pressure me choose someone like kelly iowa would obvious political ploy would fail grassley add senator orrin hatch another judiciary committee republican say interview garland whose previous nomination appellate court back fine man would moderate choice high court hatch say oppose act even garland question person opinion question time ... atmosphere around poisonous hatch say senate democratic leader harry reid deliver late attack grassley say senate floor little strange little odd grassley would hold hear even kelly consider past support iowa tom miller democrat among group attorneys general 19 state district columbia puerto rico send letter grassley senate leaders urge act promptly obama nominee obama hop 'cooler head prevail supreme court nominee