Court Nomination Quotes

Had [Clarence] Thomas been white, he never would have been nominated. The only reason he’s on the court is because he’s black.

Indeed, only one Supreme Court justice in history, one Horace Lurton, nominated by President [John] Taft, had more federal appeals court experience [than Samuel Alito].

Seats on the [Court] bench are not reserved for causes or interests. They're given to those who will uphold the rule of law so long as the nominee is well-qualified to interpret and apply the law.

If I resign any time this year, he [President Obama] could not successfully appoint anyone I would like to see in the court. ... [A]nybody who thinks that if I step down, Obama could appoint someone like me, they're misguided.

Deciding whether to confirm a president's nominee for the highest court in the land is a responsibility I take very seriously.

It's always an uphill battle to defeat a Supreme Court nominee, but this is a fight worth having.

I just have that sense this is the reason we got Sandra Day O'Connor on the Court in the first place is because Ronald Reagan was running for President.