US President Barack Obama shakes hands with US Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, during the nomination announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, March 16, 2016.
Garland, 63, is currently Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The nomination sets the stage for an election-year showdown with Republicans who have made it clear they have no intention of holding hearings to vet any Supreme Court nominee put forward by the president. / AFP / SAUL LOEB        (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)