 WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday nominated Merrick B. Garland to be the nation’s 113th Supreme Court justice, choosing a centrist appellate judge who could reshape the court for a generation and become the face of a bitter election-year confirmation struggle. Garland is a graduate of Harvard Law School and clerked for Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan before gigs at the Justice Department as deputy assistant attorney general for the criminal division and principal associate deputy attorney general. The appointment’s legacy principally turns on the extent to which the nominee would have a lasting impact on the Court’s jurisprudence (including the degree of confidence in the nominee’s ideology), the extent to which the nomination would be a “first” and (relatedly) make the Court more representative of the country, and the length of time the nominee would likely serve. Garland's relatively advanced age may help explain why Hatch floated the DC Circuit chief judge as his ideal Obama nominee. Circuit in 1997 with backing from a majority in both parties, including seven current Republicans senators. Garland is the chief judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, a court whose influence over federal policy and national security matters has made it a proving ground for potential Supreme Court justices. Generally speaking, I rank the advocacy among Washington elites as: (1) Srinivasan (regarded in Democratic legal circles as the best candidate, and superior to Garland only because of his age), (2) Garland (very deeply respected, even if he would not be among the Court’s most liberal Justices), (3) Brown Jackson (known to D.C. lawyers), (4) Watford (known to some D.C. lawyers, but not many), and (5) Kelly (best known for her support from Grassley, which ironically is not very relevant now). Interesting Facts 
 
 At age 63, Garland would be one of the oldest associate justices ever appointed to the Supreme Court, which may make his nomination somewhat surprising since presidents tend to pick younger justices who can serve longer terms.
– President Obama announced his choice to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court: Merrick Garland, chief judge of the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC. He's "one of America's sharpest legal minds" and is "uniquely qualified," said Obama at the White House Wednesday morning. Some coverage: At 63, Garland is relatively old for a nominee, which may have factored into why he was selected, reports ThinkProgress. At SCOTUSblog, Tom Goldstein writes that Garland "would not be among the Court's most liberal Justices." In his detailed handicapping of the leading choices, he adds that Garland is "very deeply respected." NBC News has a bio, noting that Garland is seen as a "moderate." Garland worked in the Justice Department before becoming a judge, and his leading role in the Oklahoma City bombing case "helped shape" his career, reports the New York Times. He also oversaw the Unabomber case. Garland and his wife have two daughters, notes ABC News in its "everything you need to know" file. The Washington Post digs into some of the political pros and cons of picking Garland, noting that foes have 20 years of decisions to pore over. Garland stood out even as a student back in 1970, notes this tweet of an old newspaper blurb. Garland was confirmed to the DC court in 1997 with the support of seven current GOP senators, notes the AP. But Senate Republicans have vowed to not even allow hearings on any nominee in this election year. Democrats were tying the GOP's opposition to a bill on late-term abortion, reports Politico.