On the recordAugust 5, 2010
I rise today to talk about Solicitor General Kagan's experience. Over the past few months, there has been a lot of talk from our friends across the aisle about whether Ms. Kagan is qualified to be our country's 112th Supreme Court Justice. They say she has never been a judge. How conveniently they forget that some of the most well-respected Justices in the history of the Supreme Court also brought life experiences outside the 'judicial monastery,' which President Obama so ably encouraged us to look beyond. Former Chief Justice William Rehnquist is one example. Former Justice Lewis Powell, Jr., is another. They also conveniently forget that just a few decades ago, most Justices had little or no judicial experience. In fact, it is General Kagan's diversity of life experiences that, in my opinion, make her exceptionally qualified for the High Court. President Obama said one of the primary reasons he nominated General Kagan was because of her 'understanding of law--not as an intellectual exercise or words on a page--but as it affects the lives of ordinary people.' I couldn't agree more. The inscription that greets visitors to the Supreme Court building just across the street reads: 'Equal Justice Under Law.' That inscription is at the heart of the experience General Kagan would bring as the newest member of the High Court.
