Political Quotes

“article II, section 2 of the U.S. Constitution explicitly provides for the responsibilities of the executive branch and Government and the Senate with respect to judicial nominations. The Constitution reads in part that the President ``shall nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint judges of the Supreme Court and all of the officers of the United States.'' Thus, the Constitution provides the President of the United States with the responsibility of nominating individuals to serve on our Federal bench. The Constitution provides the Senate with the responsibility of providing advice to the President on those nominations and with the responsibility of providing and withholding consent on those nominations. In this respect, article II, section 2 of our Constitution places our Federal judiciary in a unique posture with respect to the other two coequal branches of our Federal Government. Unlike the executive branch and unlike the Congress, the Constitution places the composition and continuity of our Federal judiciary entirely within the coordinated exercise and responsibilities of the other two branches of the Government. Only if the President and the Senate fairly and objectively and, if I may say, in a timely manner exercise their respective constitutional powers can the judicial branch of Government be composed and maintained so that our courts can function and serve the American people.…”