Political Quotes

“If the Chair would advise me when there are 10 minutes remaining, I will yield the remaining time to the Senator from New Jersey. Let me first thank my colleague from New York for his excellent statement. Senator Schumer and I serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is a committee where judges are initially considered. It is a tough assignment. When I came to the Senate from the House, I knew I would be voting on legislation, but more so in the Senate, you vote on people. That is a tougher call because it isn't in black and white. It isn't a matter of compromising, taking half of this and a quarter of the other. It is a question of making a judgment about a person. I find that a little more difficult--a lot more difficult, to be honest--and when it comes to judges, even more complicated because you aren't just putting a person in a temporary position. You are saying: Based on your life to this point, we are prepared to put you on the Federal bench for the rest of your natural life and trust your judgment that you will do the right thing by the Constitution and the American people. Overwhelmingly, we find whether the President is a Democrat or Republican, the Senate says: Fine, we approve. The nominee is a good person. We will go forward. What has happened here is interesting. We have, so far with President Bush in the White House, considered on the floor of the Senate 218 nominees by President Bush for the Federal judiciary. The President has that power.…”