now we know it's neil gorsuch. is that an appointment the republicans will be pleased with as opposed to going to someone pleased with as opposed to going to someone else equally conservative? the republicans were going to be happy with any of the finalists. they were all acceptable to the vast majority of republicans. the debate among republicans was which one was the most conservative. they really weren't sure. many of them picked gorsuch because his mother actually served in ronald reagan's cabinet and was very conservative and actually had to resign for various reasons, she was the head of the epa. they are familiar with the gorsuch family and they believe he will uphold the family tradition. larry sbata, we thank you for your time and we appreciate your reaction to the breaking news that donald trump has appointed neil gorsuch. —— sabato. trump has appointed neil gorsuch. —— sa bato. let's listen trump has appointed neil gorsuch. —— sabato. let's listen to the moment donald trump made the announcem

neil gorsuch will match that. but in addition to that, what makes neil gorsuch unusual is that he wants to dismantle the difference that courts have typically played the federal agencies. it is a very technical issue but it is also very important. it goes to whether or not when the people elected -- elect the democratic president, that democratic president is going to be able to protect the environment, to protect workers, to make wages go up, or whether they will be at the mercy of a republican-controlled court. so his primary agenda is to shift power toward the judiciary at the very moment that the republican party is consolidating its control over the judiciary. and i think that leads to very dangerous places. amy: he has been hailed as a man who is deeply. i'd, a great writer, a classmate of presidentnt obama a at harvad law school. this, across the spectrum, your thoughts? >> he is a very smart guy. to some extent, that is what makes him dangerous. this is someone who is going to a great precision, great inte

neil gorsuch will match that. but in addition to that, what makes neil gorsuch unusual is that he wants to dismantle the difference that courts have typically played the federal agencies. it is a very technical issue but it is also very important. it goes to whether or not when the people elected -- elect the democratic president, that democratic president is going to be able to protect the environment, to protect workers, to make wages go up, or whether they will be at the mercy of a republican-controlled court. so his primary agenda is to shift power toward the judiciary at the very moment that the republican party is consolidating its control over the judiciary. and i think that leads to very dangerous places. amy: he has been hailed as a man who is deeply. i'd, a great writer, a classmate of president obama at harvard law school. this, across the spectrum, your thoughts? >> he is a very smart guy. to some extent, that is what makes him dangerous. this is someone who is going to a great precision, great intelli

that is not neil gorsuch. this is not a bomb thrower, someone in any way who doesn't believe in the judicial branch and in that sense it's surprising because i think disrupters are kind of trump's things so this is an incredibly solid respectable conventional pick that anyone would have made. in once sense it's surprising for trump because trump promised us a blue-collar non-ivy non-fancy pants guy and gorsuch was on the short list. so in that sense it's a funny pick but in every other sense conventional. >> he's sort of in the same way that the president attacked goldman sachs for having captured hillary clinton and having been the great downfall of ted cruz's ties to goldman sachs and then he brings on six people from goldman sachs into the administration. he is famous for the hobby lobby case, for his role at the appeals court level while that case made its way to the supreme court. i described that in a short way. tell me 23 i got that right and why that might be important in terms of controversies or impo

but then he put up a second list with neil gorsuch and neil gorsuch's name continued to rise on that list. and so while i do not think there have been conversations between donald trump and judge gorsuch, what we can ascertain is that donald trump obviously has been speaking to republicans and two people in republicans and two people in republican circles who actually think very highly ofjudge gorsuch. —— to. that is why you are seeing this take place. also, more importantly, he has received enormous bipartisan support. i ensure donald trump and his team will be thinking this is an individual who could get through a very ugly nomination fight. individual who could get through a very ugly nomination fightm individual who could get through a very ugly nomination fight. it is a lwa ys very ugly nomination fight. it is always enlightening to have you on the programme. thank you very much indeed. thank you very much. the start of donald trump's presidency is proving to be fiercely controversial. his decision to build a wall on the mexican border and the order to temporarily ban muslim

neil gorsuch in 2013. tonight, selected by donald trump as his pick to fill the ninth seat of the u.s. supreme court. let's hear reaction from washington, new jersey. dean on the democrats line. caller: i just watched tonight, the selection, the process of the supreme court judge. happy to see the temperament of the president tonight and i really enjoyed the tonight.'s speech it was very heartfelt. i don't know anything about him, but i think he will make a difference in our country.' not so much make the country great again, but make the country greater. host: you mentioned the temperament of the president tonight. what were you expecting? what were you concerned about? caller: i actually thought it would be a train wreck. it turned out to be quite enjoyable to watch. trumpk -- i'm not at rum supporter but i think with the temperament he had tonight of trying to bring people together, i think if he continues with that spirit that it will be better for him in the long run. it will be better for the country

that is not neil gorsuch. this is not a bomb thrower, someone in any way who doesn't believe in the judicial branch and in that sense it's surprising because i think disrupters are kind of trump's things so this is an incredibly solid respectable conventional pick that anyone would have made. in once sense it's surprising for trump because trump promised us a blue-collar non-ivy non-fancy pants guy and gorsuch was on the short list. so in that sense it's a funny pick but in every other sense conventional. >> he's sort of in the same way that the president attacked goldman sachs for having captured hillary clinton and having been the great downfall of ted cruz's ties to goldman sachs and then he brings on six people from goldman sachs into the administration. he is famous for the hobby lobby case, for his role at the appeals court level while that case made its way to the supreme court. i described that in a short way. tell me 23 i got that right and why that might be important in terms of controversies or impo

isi think judge neil gorsuch an exceptional choice for president trump. the people that are in this country are -- were all but were foreigners -- were americans second, and we are americans because of the constitution, and we need a judge who abides by the constitution. calling. for to another democratic collar, larry in richmond, kentucky now. larry.d, >> ok, my name is larry, and i fora policeman in kentucky a time -- >> let me interrupt for just a second. could you turn your tv down? we're getting a little delayed audio in the background. or have someone do it for you. go ahead with your comment. >> ok then. as a democrat, you know, i am very, very -- well, i tell you what. let me let my wife talk to you about this, ok? >> this is martha. way, i sure any would love to let trump know that i pray for him. i believe in him. i'm crazy about him. i think he is what we need, and i'm very patriotic. i'm a conservative republican. i believe what it says in the bible, and i do not believe it is fair that we have to, as christians, go against what is in the bib

gorsuc neil gorsuch. judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support. >> if i am confirmed, i will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the constitution and laws of this great country. in our legal order, it is for congress and not the courts to write new laws. it is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. >> bret: well, that is the pick, judge neil gorsuch, made tonight by president trump. charles hurt, opinion editor for "the washington times." national political correspondent of national public radio. mollie hemingway, senior editor at "the federalist," and charles krauthammer. i'm getting all these tweets that i should have pointed out in the last segment that when it was said it was a muslim ban that is not a muslim ban because of indonesia and other countries, the 40-such countries that are not included in the muslim ban, that is fine. we were talking supreme court pick. ju

let's go over to pete williams and talk a little bit about neil gorsuch. a lot of controversy right now about whether or not neil gorsuch has the obligation to go out in front of the american people and say, listen, i am independent. i am going to prove to you that i'm independent by saying, yes, i was disheartened. i was demoralized by donald trump's comments instead of saying it privately to senators. is there any chance that we see him do that? >> none whatsoever. there's no obligation to do it. he will follow the iron rule of supreme court numbominees. once they're nominated and make that speech thanking the president, they don't say anything in public until their confirmation hearings. when there are those photo-ops in senator's offices, they stand there and smile at the cameras and they don't say anything. not even good morning or good afternoon. so that's just not going to happen that he's going to say anything publicly. let me put it this way. it would be surprising if he said anything publicly. the supreme court nominees are pretty careful about s

judge neil gorsuch was born and raised in colorado. and was taught the value of independence, hard work and public service. while in law school he demonstrated a commitment to helping the less fortunate. he worked in both harvard prison legal assistance projects and harvard defenders program. brilliance being assured i studied every aspect of his life. he could have had any job at any law firm for any amount of money. but what he wanted to do with his career was to be a judge to write decision and to make an impact by upholding our laws and constitution. the qualifications of judge neil gorsuch are beyond dispute. he is the man of our country and a man who our country needs and needs badly to ensure the rule of law and the rule of justice. i would like to thank senate leadership. i only hope that both democrats and republicans can come together for once for the good of the country. congratulations to you and your family. may god bless you. may god bless our glorious nation, judge neil gorsuch, the podium, sir, is yours. [ applause ] >>

what is your feeling about this selection of neil gorsuch? does it work for rank and file republicans in the house? what do you think happens in the senate? >> i think it goes beyond just republicans. when you look at his background and just listening to him, you know, this is a man from the education -- from the work he's done and even when he had to be confirmed with the senate it was unanimous 95-0. very few people get that position. i thought the way he carried himself listening to him, this is a judge's judge. you listen to the written word from the cases he's gotten. this is not one people should fight over. >> reporter: what do you think about the fact he's 49? this gives president trump a chance to shake this court for decades, putting neil gorsuch on the court and potentially have more picks in the future. >> gives an opportunity for america to have somebody on the court for a while. this is an individual that clerked for two supreme court justices. he understands he's prepared, look at his educational background. look where he's gon

gorsuc neil gorsuch. judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support. >> if i am confirmed, i will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the constitution and laws of this great country. in our legal order, it is for congress and not the courts to write new laws. it is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. >> bret: well, that is the pick, judge neil gorsuch, made tonight by president trump. charles hurt, opinion editor for "the washington times." national political correspondent of national public radio. mollie hemingway, senior editor at "the federalist," and charles krauthammer. i'm getting all these tweets that i should have pointed out in the last segment that when it was said it was a muslim ban that is not a muslim ban because of indonesia and other countries, the 40-such countries that are not included in the muslim ban, that is fine. we were talking supreme court pick. ju

neil gorsuch, from the denver federal appeals court, is 49. he's the youngest supreme court nominee in a quarter of a century, and could now sit for decades to come. he fills the seat left vacant for a year by the death of antonin scalia. president obama's nominee was blocked last year by the republican—controlled congress. sarah corker reports. there was a hint of reality tv drama. president trump's nominee for the supreme court revealed during a prime time televised address. today, i am keeping another promise to the american people by nominating judge neil gorsuch. supreme court justices are appointed for life. president trump's choice, a staunch conservative judge who will help shape law for years to come on things like gun control and religious rights. judge gorsich has a tremendous mind and tremendous discipline. he has earned bipartisan support. what do we know about judge neil gorsuch? he is 49 and lives in denver, colorado. a graduate of columbia university and harvard law school. he served on the 10th us circuit court of appeal sin

gorsuc neil gorsuch. judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support. >> if i am confirmed, i will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the constitution and laws of this great country. in our legal order, it is for congress and not the courts to write new laws. it is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. >> bret: well, that is the pick, judge neil gorsuch, made tonight by president trump. charles hurt, opinion editor for "the washington times." national political correspondent of national public radio. mollie hemingway, senior editor at "the federalist," and charles krauthammer. i'm getting all these tweets that i should have pointed out in the last segment that when it was said it was a muslim ban that is not a muslim ban because of indonesia and other countries, the 40-such countries that are not included in the muslim ban, that is fine. we were talking supreme court pick. ju

in just the past hour, judge neil gorsuch has been nominated to the us supreme court. at a9, gorsuch is the youngest supreme court nominee in a quarter of a century. a conservative, he fill the seat left vacant by the death last year of antonin scalia, who was then the right‘s most powerful voice on the high court. this is how president trump made the announcement. whenjustice antonin scalia passed away suddenly last february, i made a promise to the american people. if i were elected president, i would find the very bestjudge in the country for the supreme court. i promised to select someone who respects our laws and is representative of our constitution and who loves our constitution, and someone who will interpret them as written. this may be the most transparent judicial selection process in history. months ago as a candidate, i publicly presented a list of brilliant and accomplished people to the american electorate and pledged to make my choice from among that list. millions of voters said this was the single most important issue to them when they voted for me

trump's first choice is neil gorsuch. the president saying gorsuch who serves on the tenth circuit court in denver and attended harvard law school with president obama is someone driven to uphold our laws. gorsuch known to be a strict originalist, that is someone who is known to interpret the constitution's meaning as stable from the time of its writing. he's a little bit of what he had to say earlier tonight. >> it is the rule of judges to apply, not alter the work of the people's representatives. a judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge.

about 30-35 minutes from now, sean spicer getting questions for neil gorsuch. mr. trump minutes ago suggesting mitch mcconnell should go nuclear if the senate cannot get the 60 votes needed to confirm his supreme court pick. we are also following the hearings for several trump nominees today. we'll get into it happening now. >> sandra: it jon scott, thank you. >> eboni: in just four days before playing in his seventh super bowl, tom brady being hounded by the media over his support and friendship with donald trump. some are insisting brady should address his politics, but he is recusing to do so saying he will focus on football. check out a sampling of recent headlines. tom brady has some explaining to do on donald trump. the patriots have eight trump problem and tom brady's politics are more un-american then calling cap her neck has ever been. an excerpt from the piece reading what's most troubling is the way brady's trump endorsement has been treated compared to cap annex. these politics are formal deadly and corrosive than any policy he has supported. sandra, i'

tonight president trump nominated neil gorsuch to fill scalia's seat. the big story tonight is supreme court nominee 49-year-old neil gorsuch. with a sense of the dramatic, a big audience assembled the white house east room for the big reveal. with two finalists in the running, president trump brought out gorsuch and his wife louise to applause that included no democrats. trump remarked on the mow meant meantous occasion. >> gorsuch is known as a fine writer of opinions and originalist, believes in the constitution as originally intended by the founding fathers, in the mold of anthony scalia. >> standing here aware of my imperfections, i pledge if i am confirmed, i'll do all i can to serve the constitution and laws of this country. >> no question that democrats furious that garland never had a hearing will have a fight against gorsuch. gorsuch is the youngest nominee. he holds an undergraduate degree from columbia and a phd from oxford. he was in the same law school class as president obama. he worked in the justice department and clerked for justices b

it is true that neil gorsuch is a lawyer's lawyer in many ways. but he is also a little scrappy, too. he was there at the beginning of a very successful law firm. it is a kind of unconventional law firm. it may be getting more large and conventional today, but when he was there it was not. he was a kind of scrappy lawyer who did a lot of the negation. represented a lot of maverick entrepreneurs in his early career. i think what you see from that --erience is neil gorsuch is is a bit of a bull. he is willing to express his opinions, writes a lot of separate opinions, concurrent dissents which is another mark of someone who is not just establishment but willing to speak his mind. yes, he definitely has those degrees, but the fact of the matter is he took a bit of an unconventional path by going to oxford and doing a serious dissertation on a very heavy as -- -- heavy topic and spending time with some very special philosophers at oxford. even though that may seem highbrow, but it is not exactly establishment when it comes to the normal career that a

at age 49, neil gorsuch is the youngest supreme court nominee in a quarter-century. he is a federal judge from colorado. this gives the president and republicans the chance to confirm someone who could direct the conservative direction of the court for decades. if confirmed, gorsuch will continue the ideaological balance that existed before scalia's death... with four conservatives, four liberals and justice anthony kennedy as a swing vote. and this morning we are hearing reaction from members of congress on both sides of the aisle. anny hong is here with the details..... during a town hall last night ...house minority leader nancy pelosi sharply criticized neil gorsuch pointing out his rulings on issues like health care, gun safety and education. take a listen... bad decision." pelosi did not say whether she thinks democrats should try to block gorsuch's nomination with a filibuster. meanwhile some senate republicans are praising the president's nomination. states senate. and if judge gorsuch is confirmed by the senate this is what the supreme court will look like.

judge neil gorsuch could be the conservative judge they've been waiting for. but the democrats are mounting opposition. here's abc's terry moran in our series "inside 30." >> byron, let the battle begin. there's a small protest over here on the supreme court steps. a sign of things to come. democrats spoiling for a fight and so much at stake. for president trump it's a promise kept. he said he would appoint someone who was "a replica of justice scalia." neil gorsuch, he doesn't quite have that, but he's got someone who's very conservative, very well respected. for democrats likely hard to beat. >> was that a surprise? was it? >> reporter: in the east room tonight, president trump enjoying the primetime spotlight as he announced his supreme court pick, judge neil gorsuch. >> judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support. when he was nominated to the tenth circuit court of appeals, he was confirmed by the senate unanimously. also -- that's unanimous, can you believe that nowadays with what'

there will be more about the nomination of neil gorsuch on the u.s. supreme court on your local news, on this cbs station, and, of course, as always on our streaming news service cbsn. for those of you in the west, on the cbs evening news, we will have more. for those of you in the east on the central time zone will join cbs prime-time programming in progress. >>> we were looking at the east room of the white house. here a couple of things about judge gorsuch he's 49 years old. very young. so he would serve for a very long time. he has spent a big deal of his time as a lawyer in private practice. he sited with hobby lobby in an appeal in a contraceptive case this had to do with obama care requiring employers to pay for insurance that guaranteed contraceptive care to their employees. the appeals court ruled that the company hobby lobby in this case, did not have to violate its religious beliefs in order to pay for insurance for contraceptive care. and judge gorsuch was on the side of the majority in that particular case. jan crawford is our chief legal

neil gorsuch, is he the right pick? his former classmate joins us next. me to reach my goals.ide so i liked when my doctor told me i may reach my blood sugar and a1c goals by activating what's within me with once-weekly trulicity. trulicity is not insulin. it helps activate my body to do what it's supposed to do release its own insulin. trulicity responds when my blood sugar rises. i take it once a week, and it works 24/7. it comes in an easy-to-use pen and i may even lose a little weight. trulicity is a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. trulicity is not insulin. it should not be the first medicine to treat diabetes or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not take trulicity if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer, if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to trulicity. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms such as itching, rash, or trouble breath

. >> president trump nominating judge neil gorsuch to the supreme court. >> judge neil gorsuch has a brilliant mine and tremendous discipline. >> the anticipation for this full televised address has been building since trump took office 11 days ago. >> he and our team have met with senators from both sides of the aisle to make sure that we understand the qualities that they are looking for in the next associate justice. >> 49-year-old neil gorsuch that sits in denver is a former lawsuit to justice kennedy but his style is more like that of the man he could replace antonin scalia. an original list with a strict interpretation of the constitution. >> the judges and good justices interpret statutes. >> judge neil gorsuch was affirmed back in 2006 and will need confirmation as new supreme court justice. >> we will have a burden to show that they will be independent and serve the pope role that the ju dishary serve. >> i hope that democrats and republicans can come together for once for the good of the country. congratulations. >> he is a respected conservative because of his relationship

two names we've been hearing all day, judge neil gorsuch, judge thomas hardiman. there was some suggestion they might be in the room tonight. a sighting of either of them? >> not at this point. the room is packed for family members, of course, of whichever contender walks out and appears in front of the media. we know that both neil gorsuch and thomas hardiman are the top twoics and there was indication from our sources that both were given the opportunity to come here tonight and to attend. but a senior administration official tells nbc news, only one is in washington. >> we'll go to the newsroom. a statement will be made here shortly. pete williams, what have you learned? >> all signs point to neil gorsuch. 49 years old. a fourth generation coloradoan. he would bray western perspective to the u.s. supreme court. we won't know for sure until we their president say it but we've heard from several people that he has decided at the last minute on neil gorsuch. >> and let's go now to chuck todd who is with me. the battle lines are drawn. it starts in a few minutes. >

in neil gorsuch aamerica, the views that -- neil gorsuch's america, the opinions that matter are yours and mind. for these reasons i applaud the president for his stellar choice. judge gorsuch will do us proud as the next supreme court justice, and i will do everything in my power to ensure his confirmation. i thank the presiding officer. i yield the floor. i will have more to say on this in the future. but i will yield the floor at this time. the presiding officer: the senator from -- will the senator withhold request for a roll call? mr. hatch: i withhold. children childrems. --ms. hiros his own version of reality, which is why his administration resorts to alternative facts. when the media reported how small the crowd was at the inauguration, he presented us with alternative facts. when the media pointed out that he lost the popular vote by the largest margin of any president, he boldly proclaimed that three to five million people voted illegally. many consider this as a cynical way to encourage more ways for states to pass voter suppression laws justified by the bogus claim of vote

>> trump chose neil gorsuch over the thomas hardman the other finalist for the nomination. >> neil gorsuch has a strong records of favoring religious freedom over other values. in two major cases he sided with the employers who did the want to provide coverage for religious grounds. he is 49 and as several degrees. he was a classmate of president obama at harvard, and he's on the 10th circuit court of appeals in denver. >> judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, brilliant mind, tremendous discipline and has earned bipartisan support. >> we will see if the bipartisan support holds up. tradition dictates he will be back in dc soon to make the rounds and meet with senators who he will need to vote to confirm him. >> it's for congress and not the courts it's the law of judges to apply.

neil gorsuch, does he get through? >> neil gorsuch worked for me. i believe at the end of the day he will be confirmed. i don't believe the nuclear option will be exercised. >> bill: that means they get the votes. they get the 60. >> i believe they will get the votes. >> bill: thank you, sir, for your time. alberto gonzalez live from tennessee. we'll talk again. 20 past the hour. back to the steps of the court. shannon. >> shannon: president trump began with a list of 21 potential supreme court picks. how did he decide finally on judge neil gorsuch? we'll talk to an advisor who assisted the president every step of the way through this process. that's next. a fox news alert on the deadly terror raid in yemen that took the life of a navy seal. defense sources telling fox news the intelligence being collected could be a treasure trove. more on what we're learning about that coming up. >> shannon: president trump promised quick action on the supreme court during the campaign. and he vowed that he was going to nominate a judge in the mold of antonin scal

neil gorsuch of colorado. currently a sitting judge and 's choice tot replace antonin scalia on the supreme court. we are getting your thoughts on it, not just yours, but the senate's. (202) 748-8001 for republicans . for democrats. (202) 748-8002 for independents. glenda, you're on. caller: donald trump has been wonderful. democrats have been in for eight years. schools are bad. they are trying to say that this lady that donald trump is putting in his terrible on schools, but they had eight years to make them good. they didn't. they had eight years to make everything good. everything's bad. host: to the supreme court decision please. caller: i like what donald trump is doing. i think he is doing great. i like the guy he just picked for the judge. i think the next judge -- i hope he gets to pick him too. we need to take the world over again because democrats have ruined it. they destroyed it. lives inlyn florida and joins us on the independent line. good morning. caller: thank you for taking my call. i love yo

what neil gorsuch told him. neil gorsuch is meeting with democratic and republican senators ahead of his confirmation hearing which is yet to be scheduled. kellyanne conway says president trump continues to support his nominee to the high court and in a related matter i want to echo with the control room said, connell mcshane should cover all the blizzards and cold-weather going forward. neil: we readily agree with that. adam schapiro in washington. i believe the judge has come out and said he did indeed say what senator blumenthal said he did. the thinking is that helps him with democrats who might be leaning on the fence. do you agree with that? >> thanks for having me. i don't know what was said in the room and it doesn't matter because we know neil gorsuch's record that judges should be independent from other political branches, it is important they do their job but the political branch do their job. neil: it is a break of etiquette, protocol, whatever the term is, for a senator to share such a conversation.

and in judge neil gorsuch, he's done that. this is someone who is extraordinarily qualified. his act epidemic background is remarkable from columbia to harvard to oxford. he literallingly was ten years ago, chris, confirmed unanimously by the united states senate, and we're very encouraged that more than half a dozen democrats have committed themselves to an up or down vote on the floor of the senate. neil gorsuch belongs on the united states supreme court, but no associate justice to the supreme court in american history has ever faced a successful filibuster, and neil gorsuch should not be the first. that's why the president and i both made it clear, we're going to work with senate leadership, and one way or another, we're confident that he'll be confirmed as the newest associate justice to the supreme court. chris: i want to pick up on that because after president trump sent out one of his tweets dismissing the judge on the immigration ban case as a, quote, so-called judge, the democratic senate leader, chuck schumer, said that just shows why there should be even extra scr

these men are young. 51 for judge hardiman, 49 for neil gorsuch. they'll be around a long time. >> which makes them two interesting picks and could put the trump legacy on the board for a long time. >> especially considering that, again, he may have another pick to make, multiple picks that would completely change the face of the supreme court for a generation. thanks for joining us. our special coverage of president trump's supreme court nominee continues right now with wolf blitzer. >> good evening from washington. i'm wolf blitzer. anderson is off. welcome to especial edition of "360. "in about an hour, jake tapper will host a town hall with nancy pelosi. but in a little less than seven minutes, president trump will northern plains his no, ma'am fee for the u.s. supreme court seat left vacant by the passing of justice antonin scalia. there are two leading candidates, thomas hardiman a judge on the third circuit court of appeals, the same court as president trump's sister, mary anne trump, married. he's 51, a george w. bush appointee with a law d

what do we know about judge neil gorsuch? >> what's interesting is he was not on the initial list of names during the campaign of possible nominees. came on the second list. we're told through sources that as people within the trump camp scrubbed his record on the federal bench in colorado they liked what they saw, particularly when it came to rulings on religious liberty, separation of powers case. also wrote a book saying that the law doesn't support assisted suicide. no rulings on abortion while on the federal bench but enough to keep pro-life advocates happy. 49 years old. works in his favor. like to put someone young on the bench for lasting legacy. clerked with justice kennedy. interesting to think he may be on the bench with the justice he clerked for if he gets on the bench. and donald trump praised him in prime time announcement tonight. >> this may be the most transparent judicial selection process in history. months ago as candidate i publicly presented a list of brilliant and accomplished people to the american el

. >> tucker: fox news alert, president trump selected judge neil gorsuch of the tenth circuit court of appeals to be on the supreme court. ten ted cruz will give us his reaction. welcome to "tucker carlson tonight," also tonight, the temporary ban on refugees, one illegal immigrant was opposed to it is here to say his. but back to the nomination of judge gorsuch. president trump had this to say. >> i am keeping another promise to the american people. by nominating judge neil gorsuch of the united states supreme court to be of the united states supreme court. >> i respect that in our legal order, it is the congress and not the court to write new laws. it is for us to apply, not rework the people's laws. a judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge. stretching for those he prefers to those the law demands. >> tucker: ted cruz of texas valves that he would get this nominee chosen for anything. he joins us tonight from the white house, senator, thank you for coming on. >> congrats on the new show by the way. and all the success. >> tucker: i appreciate that. is thi

there is a page in that book where she talks about a young neil gorsuch. both with theset way his mother was treated -- he believed she was treated unjustly, and he was very upset that she stepped back from public life. that he felt she should not be quitting and walking off the stage. i have not spoke with him about it, but i get the distinct sense that something came out of that experience for him. i think he developed a sense of what trial by fire in washington means. i think he developed a sense of courage and determination that there will be times when barbs are cast on you, but you have to be determined and forbear. that is my sense of it based on what i read. also by the way he comports himself and thinks about the confirmation process. he will be honest and candid. campaign,the president trump put out a -- put out to list of potential nominees to the spring court. judge gorsuch was on it, but it also included in number of state judges. 81 or two trial judges. his -- maybe one or two trial judges. selectionte represents sort of the elite of the lega

last night, the president nominated judge neil gorsuch. we in the senate have a to examinenal duty his record robustly, exhaustively, and comprehensively. we need to revise its consent if consent if weand see fit. we democrats will insist on a rigorous but fair process. there will be 60 votes for confirmation. anyone member can require it, many democrats already have.

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and there is that sense that judge gorsuch, neil gorsuch has almost followed in the footsteps, developed his own pedigree to get to this place. he's going to fit right in. there's one big difference with justice scalia. there's nothing justice antonin scalia liked better than a good fight and you knew you were in a fight with him. i think judge -- justice gorsuch, if he is confirmed, brings a warmer and more collegial perhaps attitude to the debates around the law. there's also that relationship with justice kennedy, the key swing vote on this court. he could be a coalition builder on this court by nature of his personality and relationships. >> and promise kept for president trump. he said this was the single most important issue to so many of his voters. >> he said this was the singular issue of so many that he talked to on the campaign trail. he said i'm a man of my word, i'll do what i say. judge gorsuch turns 50 this year. a lot of comparisons with justice scalia as you've mentioned, george, but one thing that was written is his opinions have been described as exceptionally clear an

first reaction to neil gorsuch? >> thanks for letting this nonlawyer join the lawyer margarita party. [laughter] listen, i want to talk about this. i want to echo what jay sekulow said. the president who was supposed to be this carnival barker, this tv guy, this barbarian, what dignity and grace! it wasn't about him, it was alla about judge gorsuch, it was a great moment for donald trump. for those of us who went through this campaign and i know you did, we sweat blood a lot of the time, people said what are the arguments? >> sean: i would do that again in a heartbeat. >> i would say the supreme court. people would say cynically, the roman emperor caligula, he will appoint his sister or some joker. well, he appointed neil gorsuch. end of story, end of case. there is the argument for the president of united states right here. this guy will serve 25 or 30 amazing years. >> sean: we have been around politics a long time. i covered robert bork, clarence thomas, we have seen how ugly this process can be. we both know and

neil gorsuch, from the denver federal appeals court, is 49. he's the youngest supreme court nominee in a quarter of a century, and could now sit for decades to come. he fills the seat left vacant for a year by the death of antonin scalia. president obama's nominee was blocked last year by the republican—controlled congress. sarah corker reports. there was a hint of reality tv drama. president donald trump's nominee for the supreme court revealed during a prime time televised address. today, i am keeping another promise to the american people by nominating judge neil gorsuch. supreme court justices are appointed for life. president trump's choice, a staunch conservative judge who will help shape law for years to come on things like gun control and human rights. —— and religious rights. he has a tremendous mind and tremendous discipline. he has earned bipartisan support. what do we know about judge neil gorsuch? he's 49 and lives in denver, colorado. a graduate of columbia university and harvard law school. he served on the 10th us circuit

judge neil gorsuch could be the conservative judge they've been waiting for. but the democrats are mounting opposition. here's abc's terry moran in our series "inside 30." >> byron, let the battle begin. tiers a small protest on the supreme court steps. a sign of things to come. democrats spoiling for a fight and so much at stake. for president trump it's a promise kept. he said he would appoint someone who was "a replica of justice scalia." he doesn't quite have that but he's got someone who's very conservative, very well respected. for democrats likely hard to beat. >> was that a surprise? was it? >> reporter: in the east room tonight, president trump enjoying the primetime spotlight as he announced his supreme court pick, judge neil gorsuch. >> judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support. he was nominated to the tenth circuit court of appeals. he was confirmed by the senate unanimously. also -- unanimous, can you believe that nowadays with what's going on? >> reporter: judge gorsuch

neil gorsuch taking upa be worried about neil gorsuch taking up a seat on the court? sure. i think liberals and democrats have to be worried about anybody that president trump will put on the court because that person is going to very likely rule on important issues in the way that liberals and democrats will not like. that is interesting. mightn‘t he be a so—called swing and i mean that in the best possible sense, we know justices do not always act according to type, anthony kennedy, a reagan appointee and he is seen as the main swing it justice, he appointee and he is seen as the main swing itjustice, he comes rule in a liberal or conservative way. could neil gorsuch be such a man? the republican legal establishment has gone to great lengths over the last 30 years to make sure that does not happen any more and that is one of the reasons why the pics are coming from the courts of appeal is like neil gorsuch, or you can see over a long period of time how he has ruled ina lot long period of time how he has ruled in a lot of cases and have a great degree of confiden

we know that neil gorsuch is a conservative. if he is confirmed, what will it mean for the hot button issues like women's rights, gay rights, and gun rights? guest: thank you for inviting me. he is a conservative judge. he would cement the conservative majority on the supreme court. it has been conservative in the majority since 1971. it hasn't always ruled in the ways that social conservatives would like it. with neil gorsuch, any hope of liberals that the supreme court might have a leftist majority in the near future dies. during the first trump term, there is a possibility the conservative majority will really be very overwhelming. it would give social conservative groups that have been fighting against the right to abortion or gay rights, they may see a possibility in the coming years of bringing cases to the supreme court which would reverse the progress that was made in favor of gay rights and women's rights. brent: the democrats have indicated that they plan to fight this confirmation. but they don't have a majority. not

gorsuch to prove himself to be within the legal mainstream and in this new era willing to vigorously defend the constitution from the abuses of the executive branch and protect the constitutionally enshrined rights of all

last night the president nominated judge neil gorsuch. we in the senate have a constitutional duty to examine his record robustly, exhaus exhaustively and comprehensively and advise and consent if we see fit. we have a responsibility to reject if we do not. we democrats will insist on a rigorous but fair process. there will be 60 votes for confirmation. any one member can require it. many democrats already have, and it is the right thing to do. on a subject as important as a supreme court nomination, bipartisan support should be a prerequisite, it should be essential. that's what 60 votes does. this is nothing new. it was a bar met by each of president obama's nominations. in my mind 60 votes is the appropriate way to go whether there is a democratic president or republican president, democratic senate or republican senate. madam president, because a 60-vote threshold is essential, those who say at the end of this process there are only two possible results, that the senate will confirm this nominee or the republicans will use the nuclear

judge neil gorsuch. >> so was that a surprise? was it? judge gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline and has earned bipartisan support. when he was nominated to the tenth circuit court of appeals, he was confirmed by the senate unanimously. also -- unanimous. can you believe it? nowadays with what's going on? >> reporter: judge gorsuch stepping forward speaking of the honor of the moment. >> acutely aware of my own imperfection, i pledge if i'm confirmed, i will do all my powers commit to be a faithful servant of this country. a judge who likes every outcome he reaches is likely a very bad judge. i am so thankful tonight for my family, my friends and my faith. >> reporter: gorsuch, 49, a federal appeals court judge in denver with sterling credentials. harvard law, oxford university, and stark comparison in the stark mold of justice scalia. >> he is said to be among the fi finest and most brilliant, any of the writings of any judge in a long, long time. i scuddied every aspect of his life. he could hav