developing right now, president obama taking a bold step nominating three people to the u.s. court of appeals. during that announcement, president obama lashed out at republicans for trying to obstruct his nominations and declared the courts cannot be short staffed. >> what's happening now is unprecedented. for the good of the american people, it has to stop. too much of the people's business is at stake. >> joining me right now, nbc's white house correspondent peter alexander. is the president expecting a tru knockdown, drag-out fight? >> based on what he's had over the past several years, i think he is. that's why he did this publicly. note, this was the first time the president has publicly announced his nominations for the federal bench, not including the supreme court. this was a rose garden ceremony. that in itself was unpress debited. as you played in that sound bite, you could see his irritation with the time that it has taken for senate confirmations of his judicial nominations. he said three times as long to