gar sland considered a moderate not change their minds about refusing to confirm him. >> reporter: they are saying, the republicans, that the picked garland because they want to pressure them for a nominee. >> i am nominating merrick garland to the supreme court. >> reporter: it was an emotional moment for 63-year- old federal appellate judge merrick garland. his family stood nearby as he accepted the honor. >> the greatest gift i ever received, except, the caveat, the birth of our daughters. >> reporter: president obama pointed out that garland has a long history of bipartisan vote. >> to go down the path would be wrong. it would be a de betrayal of leaders are standing firm in opposition and they insist voters should decide the ideological balance of the court when they elect the next president. >> it's a president's constitutional right to nominate the supreme court justice and it's the senate's constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent. >> reporter: democrats are pushing back, hoping the choice of a moderate judge will convince them to rethink th