Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise in support of Jesse Furman, who is a nominee for the District Court in the Southern District. I have had the good fortune to present to the President more than 13 nominees for the Federal bench, every one of them is incredibly accomplished. Each represents the best of the bar that the State of New York has to offer. I believe in excellence, moderation, and diversity, which are the three standards I use. But on the standard of excellence, Jesse is no exception to my standard of excellence. In fact, he doesn't just meet it, he shatters it. He is one of the most brilliant lawyers in the country. He is amazing. The fact that he wants to serve our Federal Government on the bench is a tribute to us all. It is a tribute to our country and to him. How about moderation? This is the issue I wish to speak most to my colleagues about. Who was his protege in many ways? Judge Mukasey. He worked for Judge Mukasey as a clerk and then as attorney general. A lot of people on this side of the aisle, including myself, have real differences with Judge Mukasey, but if we cannot support Jesse Furman for the nomination, then we cannot support anybody because this nomination could have come from a Democrat, it could have come from a Republican, it could have come from a conservative, it could have come from a liberal. He is truly a mainstream thinker, and so this vote will be indicative.…”