Rick Allen: “I wish to speak about some statements that have been made in the past and the inconsistency of these statements with the…”

“I wish to speak about some statements that have been made in the past and the inconsistency of these statements with the ones we are hearing today. Let me quote for my colleagues some sentiments with which I very much agree, and I then I will ask you all to guess who said it: ``I find it simply baffling that a Senator would vote against even voting on a judicial nomination. Let the Senate vote on every nomination.'' Here is another quote. See if you can figure out who said this: ``I don't know how Members tell the Hispanic community we are being equally as fair with them as we are with all non-Hispanic judges when that simply is not true. Hispanic or non-Hispanic, African-American or non-African-American, woman or man, it is wrong not to have a vote on the Senate floor. What are they afraid of? What are they afraid of? What is wrong with a vote?'' Another quote from one of our colleagues who quoted Chief Justice Rehnquist: ``As Chief Justice Rehnquist has recognized, the Senate is surely under no obligation to confirm any particular nominee but after the necessary time for inquiry it should vote them up or vote them down. An up-or-down vote that is all we ask.'' Have you guessed the speaker yet? No, that is not Orrin Hatch; it is not Senator Sessions; it is not Senator Enzi and it is not me. That is Senator Tom Daschle, the Democratic Minority Leader. These quotes are from October 5, 1999 and October 28, 1999. Senator Kennedy said nominees deserve a vote.…”