“I have fulfilled my constitutional duty,” President Barack Obama said on Wednesday. “Now it’s time for the Senate to do theirs.” No, the President wasn’t specifically referencing the creation of a new Twitter account to promote his Supreme Court nominee. But those words and plenty of others are already on the page dedicated to the President’s choice.
The SCOTUS Nomination page, @SCOTUSnom, is aimed at garnering public support for federal Judge Merrick Garland, Obama’s pick to fill the seat vacated by Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February.
While highlighting Garland’s credentials, the Twitter feed is also driving home the point that the Senate should actually hold hearings on the nomination, despite opposition from Republican senators who want to block an election-year confirmation.
A video pinned to the top of the page introduces the 63-year-old Garland, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Meet Chief Judge Merrick Garland, the President's nominee to the Supreme Court. #SCOTUSnominee https://t.co/ACujysyyDJ
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
The first several tweets from the new account reiterated facts concerning the President’s constitutional obligation to nominate candidates for empty Supreme Court seats, and the Senate’s duty to conduct a hearing or a vote on nominees.
Filling a #SCOTUS vacancy is not a political prerogative—it is a basic function and fundamental obligation. pic.twitter.com/wHRNpQ2ZlE
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
The last time a president's Supreme Court nominee was denied a vote?
1875.https://t.co/OI0bmv6H5M #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/SkrbGwks7z
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
A friendly reminder.https://t.co/OI0bmv6H5M #SCOTUSnominee pic.twitter.com/yo4kQumFop
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
Without a 9th Justice, 4-4 #SCOTUS decisions can't legally establish uniform, nationwide rules. #SCOTUSnominee pic.twitter.com/G5hErzoQOt
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
Once the President came out of The White House to introduce Garland, the page became a running feed of Obama’s comments, mostly retweeting the main @WhiteHouse account.
“This is not a responsibility I take lightly—it’s a decision that requires me to set aside short-term expediency or narrow politics” —@POTUS
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
"Today, I am nominating Chief Judge Merrick Brian Garland to join the Supreme Court." —@POTUS #SCOTUSnominee pic.twitter.com/ak7vqV9sCM
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
The President spent some time running through Garland’s impressive judicial resume.
"Merrick graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law, and the early years of his legal career bear all the…marks of excellence" —@POTUS
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
Chief Judge Merrick Garland oversaw "every aspect of the federal response to the Oklahoma City bombing." —@POTUS pic.twitter.com/kTeiAyAtPc
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
"To find someone…who just about everyone not only respects, but genuinely likes—that is rare." —@POTUS on Merrick Garland #SCOTUSnominee
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
Obama closed by letting the Senate and Republicans in particular know that the ball was in their court.
"Our Supreme Court is unique.
It is supposed to be above politics.
And it should stay that way."
—@POTUS #SCOTUSnominee— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
"To suggest that someone as qualified and respected as Merrick Garland doesn’t even deserve a hearing…would be unprecedented." —@POTUS
— SCOTUS Nom (NARA) (@SCOTUSnom) March 16, 2016
"I have fulfilled my constitutional duty.
Now it’s time for the Senate to do theirs."
—@POTUS #SCOTUSnominee https://t.co/JNB1vTPy2x
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
"Presidents don’t stop working in the final year of their term.
Neither should a Senator."
—@POTUS: https://t.co/O5iYU1cW6b #SCOTUSnominee
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) March 16, 2016
SCOTUSNom also shared some tweets from those who would like to see the confirmation process move forward.
When the President seeks the advice and consent of the Senate, it is their constitutional duty to do their jobs. Let's get this done.
— VP Biden (Archived) (@VP44) March 16, 2016
I look forwarding to meeting with Chief Judge Garland soon and expect other senators will do the same #DoYourJob #SCOTUS
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) March 16, 2016
I look forward to @SCOTUSnom Chief Judge Garland’s confirmation hearings so that I, and the American public, can learn even more about him.
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) March 16, 2016
.@POTUS has done his job selecting a nominee & sending that nominee to the Senate. It’s time for the Senate to do its job. #SCOTUSnominee
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 16, 2016
The President’s main Twitter feed got in on the action as well.
Proud to nominate Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. I ask Senators to meet their constitutional duty and give him a fair hearing.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) March 16, 2016
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered up these tweets and more from his account, reaffirming his position that the American people, by deciding on the next president, should be given a say in who the Supreme Court justice should be.
.@SenateMajLdr: Give the people a voice on the next #SCOTUS nominee. https://t.co/KdDaZcSnXR
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) March 16, 2016
.@POTUS made this #SCOTUSnominee not w/ the intent of ever seeing them confirmed but in order to politicize it for purposes of the election.
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) March 16, 2016
