Pete Sessions: “I thank the Senator. Indeed, it has been most distressing to me to see this nominee, the epitome of a restrained…”

“I thank the Senator. Indeed, it has been most distressing to me to see this nominee, the epitome of a restrained, principled and highly respected judge, be portrayed as some sort of extremist. It is beyond my comprehension, frankly. Questions have been raised about different cases. Alito answered each and every one of those questions in front of the Judiciary committee. Senator Schumer and I serve on the committee. He was asked about them repeatedly. He was asked 677 questions, and he answered a higher percentage of them than perhaps any judge in history--97.3 percent. A Clinton appointee, Justice Ginsburg, for example, was only asked 384 questions, and she only answered 80 percent of them. Justice Breyer, another Clinton appointee, was asked 355 questions, and he answered 82 percent. So Judge Alito was most forthcoming. He was asked more questions and grilled and grilled, and he answered them with skill, fairness, and reasonableness. He was unflappable in his testimony and so judicious in his approach to every question. It was a tour de force, a real model of how a judge should perform. I could not be more proud of him and more proud of President Bush for nominating him. They say this nomination divides the country. Whom does it divide? It divides the hard left, who wants the Court to eliminate all expression of religion from public life. We see the words ``In God We Trust'' above the door in this Chamber. We had a chaplain open this Senate with prayer.…”