Political Quotes

“Madam President, a Senator has an enormous duty when it comes to evaluating a Supreme Court nominee. The duty demands that Senators examine whether the person nominated to the highest Court in the land will uphold and defend the principles contained in the Constitution, refrain from judicial activism, and respect the rule of law. Some have characterized this duty as one of the most important and far-reaching decisions that a Senator will make, and it is one of the most important decisions in their entire time in the Senate. As the nomination process for Ms. Kagan began, I went into it with an open mind and a steadfast resolve to evaluate the nominee's qualifications without looking through a partisan lens. In fact, having gone through the confirmation process myself before being sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture, I know what an important process this is. Senators have a strong duty to take it seriously. Considering Supreme Court judgeships are lifetime appointments, these nominations require even closer scrutiny. Thus, Senators must carefully review any Supreme Court nominee's record and their judicial philosophy. After this careful review and closely monitoring the hearings before the Judiciary Committee, I came to the conclusion that I could not support this nomination. The Court is not a place to create laws, and I was not convinced that Ms. Kagan understands this fundamental premise.…”