Political Quotes

“Mr. President, time has been set aside for the Heather Higginbottom nomination. I hadn't intended to speak tonight, but it has been suggested that we might get started on that to provide more time tomorrow for other business in the Senate. So I will share my remarks tonight for the record, and hopefully we can have more of a good discussion tomorrow. The Constitution makes it very clear that it is the President who nominates. Confirmation does not occur, however, without the consent of the Senate. In Federalist No. 76, Alexander Hamilton wrote: To what purpose then require the cooperation of the Senate? I answer, that the necessity of their concurrence would have a powerful, though, in general, silent operation. It would be an excellent check upon a spirit of favoritism in the President, and would tend greatly to prevent the appointment of unfit characters from State prejudice, from family connection, from personal attachment, or from a view to popularity. In other words, the Senate does have a duty to evaluate the President's nominees. Unfortunately, the situation we face today with the nomination of Heather Higginbottom to be the Deputy Director for the Office of Management and Budget is one of those cases. I do not know her personally, but let me state from the outset that I have no questions about her character. She has many admirers. Senator Kerry, for whom she worked, is an admirer, and I respect that.…”