Political Quotes

“there is a very common question I been asked over the last several days: During your 4-year tenure as majority leader, what has been the most constitutionally challenging issue confronting the Senate? I didn't have to think very long. I very quickly came to this whole topic of judicial filibusters, which unfortunately reflected one of the most difficult and challenging aspects of this institution over the last 4 years; that is, the partisanship that would come to the surface and the obstruction that resulted from that partisanship. It was this unprecedented use of these filibusters, judicial filibusters, in the last two Congresses that came very close to fundamentally disrupting the Senate's relationship with the executive branch and the Senate's relationship with the judicial branch. It impaired the Senate's ability to discharge a very basic constitutional obligation--to advise and consent. In the process, Senate traditions were damaged. I believe they have been resolved. I am very hopeful that this partisanship will not resurface in future Congresses.”