aisle following president obama's nomination of judge merrick garland to the supreme court. the president announced garland as his pick to replace the late conservative justice antonin scalia yesterday. even as the president warned against politicizing the process, senate majority leader mitch mcconnell wasted no time in responding. >> the decision the senate announced weeks ago remains about a principle and not a person. it's about a principle, and not a person. it seems clear that president obama made this nomination not with the intent of seeing the nominee confirmed, but in order to politicize it for purposes of the election. >> like many republicans, senator blunt is refusing to meet with garland saying quote, i can barely schedule a time with my son's math teacher so probably no. he was confirmed 76-23 with 32 republican votes. and his current supreme court nomination is a whole different story with many republicans -- they said they're open to considering or meeting with garland. >> i would not feel comfortable refusing to meet with the president's nominee to the highest

on the republican counterparts when it comes to merrick garland. the president's nominee for supreme court. garland made his first visit to capitol hill yesterday, meeting with harry reid and senator leahy. democrats are highlighting the meetings as way to push the republicans into holding hearings. >> all we're asking is for the republicans to do their job. >> the american people overwhelmingly believe republicans have the responsibility to do their job. because people get up and go to work every day and do theirs. >> according to politico, democrats are planning to take aim at republican senators up for re-election. top among them, judiciary chair chuck grassley. nbc news has confirmed at least eight republican senators have said they're open to at least meeting with garland, though some say that may not be productive. senator grassley was quoted yesterday as saying if i can meet with a dictator in uganda, i can meet with a decent person in america. but still, several republicans are holding steadfast. utah's orrin hatch who has praised garland in past yesterday said he sti

leader mitch mcconnell, this is on supreme court now, tried to shut down the idea that merrick garland, president obama's nominee for the supreme court, would be confirmed during a lame duck session. the same time minority leader harry reid expressed doubt that the republican blockade of the nomination would hold up. >> the senate's not doing nothing during this election season. but we're not giving a lifetime appointment to this president on the way out the door to change the supreme court for the next 25 or 30 years. it's not the person. it's the principle. who ought to make this lifetime appointment? it's the next president, not this one. >> i don't know why mcconnell's done this to the senators. he's marching these men and women over a cliff. and i don't think they're going to go. >> well -- >> he said we're not going to meet with him. we're not going to hold hearings. we're not going to have a vote. but that facade is breaking as we speak. we now have about eight or nine senators who said oh, yeah, i guess we will meet with him. >> seems like they're close to an agreement there. turning abro

supreme court nominee merrick garland. in a speech yesterday, the vice president warned of the potential impact of the partisan standoff. he also dismissed the so-called biden rule saying republican leadership has been quoting selectively from a 1992 speech he made. >> what republican senators say they will do in my view can lead to a genuine constitutional crisis. born out of the dysfunction of washington. when i hear all of us talk about the biden rule, it's frankly ridiculous. there is no biden rule. it doesn't exist. that's only one rule i ever followed. in the judiciary committee. that was the constitution's clear rule of advice and consent up. >> meanwhile, jerry moran of kansas is breaking with gop leadership saying the senate should hold confirmation hearings for garland. he's quoted as saying, i would rather have constituents complaining to me that i voted wrong on nominating somebody than saying i'm not doing my job. >>> up next, the hunt for the ncaa title, see which teams have reached the elite eight. plus, a scene right out of grand theft auto. find out how this cr

illinois met with judge merrick garland yesterday. >> i understand that 15, 16 republicans are thinking about meeting with judge garland and i'm leading by example, i'm showing what a rationale, responsible guy would do. that wants the constitutional process to go forward. >> polling shows most americans believe the senate should go forward with at least holding hearings for obama's nominee. >>> other news, a democratic candidate running for a u.s. house seat in nevada is alleging to "the washington post" that in a private meeting last year, senate minority leader harry reid, one of the top democrats in nevada as well, that reid encouraged him to end his run for the house, saying quote, a muslim cannot win this way. jesse spay who is now a trial lawyer he's the candidate running in the third district in nevada. he tells the newspaper, i did not feel this was an issue. they made it an issue. he went on to call rooesd comments -- reid's comments shocking. a spokes woman said that it took place, but denied that reid said the words. >>> let's turn to business, this after yellin's cautious r