'This Week' Transcript: Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump

— -- THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT FOR 'THIS WEEK' ON February 14, 2016 and it will be updated.

ANNOUNCER: Starting right now on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Battle for the bench: Justice Antonin Scalia, conservative legend, dies at 79. The fight to fill his seat already under way.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I plan to nominate a successor.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's up to Mitch McConnell and everybody else to stop it. It's called delay, delay, delay.

ANNOUNCER: As both sides dig in, will the presidential election become a referendum on the court?

Plus, Trump targeted in the nastiest debate yet. The billionaire businessman under fire.

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am sick and tired of him going after my family.

ANNOUNCER: And, firing back.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You are...

TRUMP: You're the single biggest liar.

ANNOUNCER: This morning, Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Kasich, all here live.

From ABC News, it's THIS WEEK. Here now, chief anchor George Stephanopoulos.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST: The news that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died swept across the country Saturday afternoon.

A towering figure, the court's longest serving justice, Scalia's powerful pen made him a pillar of the conservative movement, inspired a generation of legal thought.

His death leaves a divided court for a divided country, sets up an epic battle for a successor, and strikes right at the heart of this already chaotic presidential campaign.

We're going to hear from the candidates this morning, break down what Scalia's death means for the court and the country. And we begin with ABC's senior justice correspondent Pierre Thomas. Good morning, Pierre.

PIERRE THOMAS, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, George. Flags here at the Supreme Court and across the nation at half staff as the court mourns the loss of Justice Scalia.

A giant here in Washington, his death has enormous legal and political ramifications.

Justice Scalia apparently died in his sleep in a quail hunting trip at a West Texas resort. His body was discovered after he failed to appear for a breakfast gathering.

U.S. marshals came to the scene and the FBI is assisting, but Scalia was not known to have any health problems. And law enforcement officials say there appears to be no foul play.

The longest serving justice on the court, Scalia was appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986.

An astute legal mind, he became a champion of conservative causes, respected even by adversaries.

President Obama called Scalia's son to offer condolences and interrupted a trip to California to address the nation.

OBAMA: He influenced a generation of judges, lawyers, and students, and profoundly shaped the legal landscape.

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THOMAS: Scalia's body has arrived in El Paso. No word this morning on memorial services, but tributes will surely come as a colorful, larger-than-life figure is gone. All of official Washington stunned -- George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Pierre Thomas at the court. Thanks very much.

We have the battle now over who comes next. President Obama promised to nominate a successor. Senate Republicans say they're going to block his choice.

So much at stake. And Jon Karl joins us from the White House with more on that side of the story.

Good morning, Jon.