Obama: Garland ‘One of the Best Judges Not Just in the Country, But of His Generation’

TOTENBERG: "Mr. President, Judge Garland was runner-up twice before. So why now and not twice before?"
OBAMA: "Well, I think Merrick Garland is one of the best judges, not just in the country, but of his generation. And it is a testimony to how good he is that, you know, he has cropped up as a potential Supreme Court justice for a very long time. I have always been a huge admirer of his. I've always felt that the way he approaches cases — the intellect, the care to follow precedent, the consensus building — were qualities that would make him an outstanding Supreme Court justice. This moment in our history — a time when judicial nominations have become so contentious, a time when our politics is so full of vitriol — I think particularly benefits from a man who by all accounts is decent, full of integrity, is someone who tries to hear the other side's point of view, and can build bridges. And so although I've always believed that he would make an outstanding Supreme Court justice, it is my belief that now more than ever his voice would serve the court well, would help to burnish the sense that the Supreme Court is above politics and not just an extension of politics, and would set a good tone for restoring — or at least increasing — the American people's confidence in our justice system."