Big picture, what do you think the chances are that Judge Merrick Garland will eventually be confirmed to the Supreme Court? [Details]?

By big picture, I ask that you take into account not only the current situation of President Obama vs the naysayers during a Presidential election, but the events that will unfold before there is a new sitting President.

The Republican candidate will be known after 7–21-16.
The Democratic candidate will be known after 7–28-16.
The election results will be known in November.
The new President will be inaugurated 1–20-17.

Any of those events could be a game changer.

Then there’s what the new President chooses to do.
Trump’s not a Republican, nor particularly conservative. Given the things that would be on President Trump’s plate, I could see him saying “You already got a guy [Merrick]! So vote!” That would suck up to Congressional Democrats and flip the bird at the Republican establishment.

Same for Hillary? Why not just say, _“I was elected to continue the Democratic legacy of the past 8 years and I see no better candidate at this time than Merrick.” Again, maximum political leverage.

Sorry so long. I’ve given this a lot of thought.