chicago president barack obama thursday defend pick white man fill u.s. supreme court vacancy criticism could choose someone diverse background say merrick garland indisputably qualify post obama speak town hall-style event university chicago law school teach part white house campaign pressure republican-led senate approve garland centrist appellate court judge respond question student kind diversity garland bring job obama joke come skokie illinois suburb chicago point say oh need black lesbian skokie slot ... find one approach obama say note transform federal court diverse pick yeah white guy really outstanding jurist sorry obama say garland 63 call indisputably qualify serve high court land obama first two supreme court pick women include sonia sotomayor court first hispanic justice group hop obama would time nominate appeal court judge sri srinivasan court first indian-american member garland face uphill fight confirm face republican opposition senate majority leader mitch mcconnell insist next president take office jan. 20 nov. election fill vacancy create feb. 13 death conservative justice antonin scalia event mcconnell dismiss obama chicago event political theater sure gloss fact decision fill pivotal seat could impact country decades could dramatically affect cherish constitutional right like contain first second amendments mcconnell say senate floor speech refer gun right freedom speech religion high court split 4-4 conservatives liberals garland confirm could tilt court leave first time decades obama tell law school audience partisan fight nomination threaten erode institutional integrity court go see kinds sharp partisan polarization come characterize electoral politics seep entirely judicial system court extension legislatures elections politics obama say point people lose confidence ability court fairly adjudicate case controversies say republican senators back mcconnell stance two 54 republicans 100-seat senate say garland deserve hear vote others say meet garland privately courtesy visit include judiciary committee chairman chuck grassley set breakfast garland next tuesday explain consider nomination thursday senator lindsey graham south carolina republican announce would courtesy meet garland graham spokesman say senator change opposition hold hear vote nomination obama defend choice white male jurist supreme court