Mitch Landrieu: “confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is one of the most important duties the Senate performs under the Constitution.…”

“confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is one of the most important duties the Senate performs under the Constitution. We should consider the nomination of Judge Alito carefully and conduct our debate on this nominee with dignity and respect. The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of whether the laws of our land conform to the Constitution. Once confirmed to the Court, Justices serve for life, beholden only to the Constitution and the rule of law. It is an awesome responsibility; and for such an important event, we must have a confirmation process fitting of that responsibility. Too often in recent years, we have not. Though the judicial branch of our government is supposed to be independent of politics, the nomination and confirmation process has become far too political to the point that it no longer serves the Nation's interests, regardless of partisan or philosophical differences. Judge Alito, whom I have met and found to be an honorable, intelligent man, was placed in the unfortunate position of having been selected as a result of this process. As my colleagues know, he was not the President's first choice to fill Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's seat. John Roberts was. After his nomination was switched to become Chief Justice, Harriet Miers became the President's second choice. After she was attacked by members of the President's own party, her nomination was withdrawn. Again, politics prevailed.…”