Chris Dodd: “I rise more in sadness. We are gathered to engage in this--I do not know what it is properly called--I guess a…”

“I rise more in sadness. We are gathered to engage in this--I do not know what it is properly called--I guess a filibuster. It is unique in that the majority is conducting a filibuster. Normally, a filibuster...is conducted by a minority within a minority, but we find ourselves this evening a few short days away from the end of this particular session with a tremendous amount of unfinished business, and we are spending the next 30 hours--or 26 hours, whatever is left--on this particular debate and discussion, which I suppose has some value in the mind of some. As far as this Member is concerned, I regret in some ways even addressing the matters before us this evening. The better approach might have been to protect the rights of the minority but not to engage in this debate. There may be four votes that will occur on Friday. Three of them involve individuals who are seeking appointment to the Federal judiciary. With all due respect to these particular nominees, putting aside one's views or whether they are for or against them, history will probably little note nor record for any great length of time who they were.”