Political Quotes

“Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I speak today on behalf of J. Paul Oetken's nomination to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Oetken and I knew each other while we were law students at Yale, and I have followed his career with great interest since then. Mr. Oetken is, in my view, a strikingly intelligent man. His varied career--in private practice, with Jenner & Block and Debevoise & Plimpton; in the public sector with a number of admirable clerkships, culminating with a Supreme Court clerkship for Justice Blackmun; with the Office of Legal Counsel and the White House Counsel's Office; and, now, in the business world, where he is vice president and associate general counsel for Cablevision--demonstrates a searching intellect and great capability. Mr. Oetken possesses a unique combination of perspectives and an exceptional series of qualifications. Given Mr. Oetken's obvious talent and broad experience, I am confident he will make a great Federal judge. In my view, it is an added and important bonus that, as the first openly gay man confirmed to the Federal bench, his service will also move us closer to full equality in our Nation. His confirmation will inspire future judges, lawyers and litigants with the knowledge that, for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Americans, it does get better in our Nation's long journey to inclusion and justice.”