President Barack Obama said Saturday that he will nominate a successor to replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia following his unexpected death that day, calling him "one of the most consequential judges" while also responding to Republicans who called for him to leave the decision for the next president.
Speaking from Rancho Mirage, Calif., Obama called Scalia "one of the towering legal figures of our time" and a "larger-than-life presence on the bench."
"A brilliant legal mind with an energetic style, an incisive wit and colorful opinions, he influenced a generation of judges, lawyers and students, and profoundly shaped the legal landscape," Obama said, according to Reuters. "He will no doubt be remembered as one of the most consequential judges and thinkers to serve on the Supreme Court."
Immediately upon the announcement of Scalia's death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, along with other Republican leaders, said that the Senate should not confirm a replacement until after the 2016 election. "The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice," McConnell said, Politico reported. "Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president."
Obama dismissed the suggestion, saying "these are responsibilities that I take seriously as should everyone" that are "bigger than any one party," NBC News reported. "They are about our democracy, and they are about the institution to which Justice Scalia dedicated his professional life in making sure it continues to function as the beacon of justice that our Founders envisioned," he added.
The president struck a somber note, expressing sympathy to Scalia's family. "Michelle and I join the nation in sending our deepest sympathies to Justice Scalia's wife Maureen and their loving family, a beautiful symbol of a life well lived," Obama said. "We thank them for sharing Justice Scalia with our country."
