John Sarbanes: “I will address the various issues concerning the long-term unemployed in this country. Before that, I will make a couple…”

“I will address the various issues concerning the long-term unemployed in this country. Before that, I will make a couple of comments about the judges. Sixty-three of President Clinton's nominees were blocked from consideration. Four of President Bush's nominees have been blocked. Twenty percent of the Clinton nominees in the period of 1995 to 2000, the period when the other side controlled the Senate, the committees and the floor, were blocked and not given any opportunity to move forward. Many of those blocked were extraordinarily able people. Only four of President Bush's nominees have been blocked. Many of us feel very strongly that they represent extreme points of view outside of the legal mainstream in this country. In a sense, the period over the last 6 years of the last century when an incredible number of the President's nominees were blocked is the genesis of the situation that people are talking about.”