Political Quotes

“I ask the Senator minority leader, is it not our constitutional responsibility to establish a standard and process to apply to all judicial nominees so that there is full disclosure from them as to who they are, what they believe, their values, so if they are given a lifetime appointment on the court, we at least know, going in, who these people might be. Is it not also the fact, as the Senator from South Dakota has told us, that Miguel Estrada has consistently refused to do just that, consistently refused to answer the questions, consistently refused to disclose the documents, consistently refused to tell us who he is as he seeks one of the highest Federal judicial appointments in the land? I ask the Senator from South Dakota, is this an issue which goes beyond Miguel Estrada and calls into question the constitutional responsibility of the Senate when it comes to judicial nominees? We have approved 103 Federal judges for this Republican President, and I have voted for the overwhelming majority of them. Are we not in this discussion trying to raise the fundamental issue of equity and process as to the responsibility of the Senate under the Constitution?”