Arlen Specter: “I am delighted that we have been joined by a number of Senators from the other side of the aisle. It is my hope that we…”

“I am delighted that we have been joined by a number of Senators from the other side of the aisle. It is my hope that we will yet get five additional Senators who will break the deadlock and we will move to cloture and we will end this debate. This controversy is poisoning the Senate beyond any question. It is distracting the Senate from other very important business. I hope we will find a way out promptly and ultimately establish a protocol so many days after a nomination is submitted, a hearing by the Judiciary Committee; so many days later, a committee vote; so many days later, floor action; so that regardless of what party controls the White House and what party controls the Senate, the public business will be attended to and the partisanship will be taken out of the selection and confirmation of Federal judges.”