Senate Proceeding on Jan 30th, 2006 :: 0:03:05 to 0:23:05
Total video length: 9 hours 41 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Download OptionsEmbed Video

Views:27 Duration: 0:20:00 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

0:01:51 to 0:03:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Robert Bennett

0:02:50 to 0:03:05( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Bennett: . subb.mitted a?-statement. expressing my concerns.b-with the?@ nomination. of. judge samuel alito to the unitedb-states s?aupreme ourt?@?b`?&b-i. am. hereb today to. reib.teratez2?-b-these c?oncerns. as. we move toward`b-a final vote q on. this 2 nomination >b p

0:03:05 to 0:03:20( Edit History Discussion )

b 2b@bb ,?,b @b z"ab.b~eb 6b ^b @rb

0:03:20 to 0:03:35( Edit History Discussion )

. v?b @? ,brbb.[?h?b.6b.a ?@b.

0:03:35 to 0:03:50( Edit History Discussion )

?qb.b7? ,b,?babq?yb 7b b a ~b b

0:03:50 to 0:04:05( Edit History Discussion )

b >b :?b ,bib 2?@b.br

0:04:05 to 0:04:20( Edit History Discussion )

b.ba?@ bi?@b ,bb. ^7b.b

0:04:20 to 0:04:35( Edit History Discussion )

.~?bb.b2b.^6z,?, b yb ^>~ b.

0:04:35 to 0:04:50( Edit History Discussion )

?bb : b2?b. b >?| ,b ^7?r@b

0:04:50 to 0:05:05( Edit History Discussion )

6b.@b[bb ,b @

0:05:05 to 0:05:20( Edit History Discussion )

b =b2 bib yb @b ,bb b

0:05:20 to 0:05:35( Edit History Discussion )

b @b 7> 7b 6b.~? b 7 b rb , ?

0:05:35 to 0:05:51( Edit History Discussion )

b2ba?>b bab.bab z6? ,?b

0:05:51 to 0:06:06( Edit History Discussion )

rb 6brb.7bb ,?,b

0:06:06 to 0:06:21( Edit History Discussion )

?b.v r@b ib.>bi@ 2

0:06:21 to 0:06:35( Edit History Discussion )

,^,? ,b [@?b ,?b

0:06:35 to 0:06:51( Edit History Discussion )

b ,bi. ,b ?b>?:b ,b rib.b[b. ?;b

0:06:51 to 0:07:06( Edit History Discussion )

. ,b b7

0:07:06 to 0:07:23( Edit History Discussion )

b.v @?,b,?b*b 7bqb [^7?

0:07:23 to 0:07:38( Edit History Discussion )

b ,? ,b & acts. of.a theb2 v-congress?-how. the courtv. addresses theseb-questions. goes to the heart of-what we. stand for as

0:07:38 to 0:07:53( Edit History Discussion )

a country,-which is whyb{ this nomination > is b&?-b.so importantb2b @b &?-well many. of. my. colleagues. will disagree with. my. assessment. of-b-judge @ alitob&b s this will. be. a lifetime apb.pointment, and a.

0:07:53 to 0:08:09( Edit History Discussion )

. lifetime. is-too long to. be br wrong ?@ mr. president,b i yield the?-floor ~ &b-the presiding officer: under the previous order the senate. will?b -oceed. to executive 2 session and ?-resume consideration of. calenda.er.b-number 490 which the clerk will.b-reportb

0:08:09 to 0:08:24( Edit History Discussion )

@.the clerk: nominatio"?n: supreme court of the united. states,?-samuel a^~ alito of new jerseybp to.b`b-b-be an z3 associate justice>` the presiding officer: under the previous order the time. from. ?`?@ b-10:00. until 11:00 shall be. under b&b-the control of the democratic-side i i recognize the senator from

0:08:24 to 0:08:40( Edit History Discussion )

-massachusetts @?3?v&?mr. kenned?2y: i thank the chairv;b.p?b b&b-mr. president,?a this. afternoon at `?-4:30, the senate will. ?e

0:08:40 to 0:08:55( Edit History Discussion )

?2b&b-casting -- members of this body-will be.2 casting an. extremely?-important. vote that theb-b-implications of. which aire going to be. felt. not only. in nb:eeds?-nextev: several months ;?~ but f2or a b-great number of years, not. o?nly&b

0:08:55 to 0:09:10( Edit History Discussion )

-for. this. gener?eation, but for the?e?-next generatb.ion and. the.7b-following. generb.ation`?`-that's?s the nomination. for?2 the?`-su?preme court. of the united-states and w?ahether we're going to move. ahead?@ and have. a? finalb&b-vob.teb.

0:09:10 to 0:09:25( Edit History Discussion )

on this tomorrow 7?2?@?b-i @ believe,? mr. president, as?; b-i've said a earlier there? is -nothing that's more. important? -than t:he ote. we. cast. on.2 the ?-supreme court.z except. sending?&?-young.br.

0:09:25 to 0:09:40( Edit History Discussion )

. americans to a war sendi?ng?-young americans to. war?k?@b:b-the. implications. of. this. vote-are @.l b.,b far-reaching-it's one that. is followed -- as-one that hasr f?ollowed. the courts-of this (?@? country as. they. moved us`

0:09:40 to 0:09:55( Edit History Discussion )

?&bq ~?to a fairer and. a more. just b`b`bq nation over. the per?iod. ob.f the b-past ?e this. nb.omination. to me. hasb-v-enb.ormous cb.onsequences and `?: enormousv{?@b importance-as i mention, i. doubtz:

0:09:55 to 0:10:10( Edit History Discussion )

if. we'll ?-cast another vote, unles?2s. it-will be. for a supreme court`?`? -nominee, any time in the near.b&b-futureb`b`b-i remember tb.he? beginning of. the?&b-great ?@march. tow ards progress.b-that this rz nation.:b.

0:10:10 to 0:10:25( Edit History Discussion )

made.bp with. the?`b&?-fifth. circuit?> in. the 1950 b`b-the x greatb.~. heroes, judge wisdom, judge @ tut?xtl?e, judge?2"? johnston, many?@ others that. really awakened`?&z-this nat?ion. to. its? greatness in

0:10:25 to 0:10:39( Edit History Discussion )

-terms. of. having. america~?b."? be `b-am?ierica by. knocking down. wallsof discrimination and@~? prejudice2b&b-our founding fathers failed.bqz7 on -that as we know.b&?r they wrote?"e?^7 effectibpvely slaveryb&?-into the. constitution`?-we fought.@ a civil war that.b`bi

0:10:39 to 0:10:54( Edit History Discussion )

didn't resolve it,?6 didn't. solveb`?-b.it though.bz we. hb.ad?r obviouslyb with.b-president lincoln and. other extraordinary @v? leaders we began?`b&?-to move. this. process"? forb.wardb -where we're. goi?2ng to. knock down.b&?&b-the. walls?2&, of @z> discrimination-it was? really as a result.b

0:10:54 to 0:11:10( Edit History Discussion )

. of the bq extraordinary. leadership, i?&?-think,?6 of. dr. king, his?pv: allies,bqb -associb.ates in. the late [ 1950-thb.at america began to.z7@ tv?hi~nk?`"-about ?@what this a coubrntry was all about, recognizing the s

0:11:10 to 0:11:26( Edit History Discussion )

tains. of ~ discrimination and tb.hen we. had?b.>?b @?-a. real. beginning ob.f."e movement and-knocking down the bs wal ls of -discrimination and the public-accommodation. act of 1964, thea voting rights. act of

0:11:26 to 0:11:41( Edit History Discussion )

1965, civil ?-rights act of. 1967,7ousing in.~?b e?-1968 the title 9 in 1973`&b-we knocked db.owb.n. az> 1?965, we >-knocked down wallsbi of&?-discrimination in our`b-immigration. laws, the n?ational.~?

0:11:41 to 0:11:56( Edit History Discussion )

b-b-origin quota system, the asian b-pacific track. - triangle. that -discriminated a gainst asians-the national?"ebx origin.b3? quota b.bb `b-discriminated against. groups. of -counv?tries.r> we made. enormous 2 progress, not that laws. themselves are goingb ?-to solve these?

0:11:56 to 0:12:11( Edit History Discussion )

issues. or.b-problemsb&b-we had~ laws. that. were.~?[r? passed, b-with support of the?y democrab.ts and. republicans alike during-this period of.bs time, and we&b-became a?~ fairer and. ab.ore. just 7b-nation?r?-still,2 very.

0:12:11 to 0:12:26( Edit History Discussion )

important areas thab.t`? we have @ to. move towards to."? -complete tz7hab.t. marb.chb&b-the. stains. of discrimination. are still out. there not nearly. as `?-obb.vious asb tb.hey were in the?`b`b-earlier. part of^b

0:12:26 to 0:12:41( Edit History Discussion )

. tb.heb last &?r century, but theb.y're still out?`?-there &z-they're very evident-and i think all of. us. at. one-ti?*me o?xr. ano?ther still see them.b-it's not?> limited obviously to p a ? : reach. of theb

0:12:41 to 0:12:56( Edit History Discussion )

ba country it exists. in. my. part ofbi the -country, as w?ell.br?`b-the real test. is. are we moving-forwd to knocking. down. theb`?-walls. of. jim discrimination-that's always. been. a pretty-b-basic test for me in terms?b of &b-reaching a judgment. and decision-onz

0:12:56 to 0:13:12( Edit History Discussion )

he supreme court@b -i can. remember theb."? case. of lane b.b`b&-vs tennessee that. was decide not lon g. ago ?-it@ involved. a woman in a?h?&-wheelchair, a. single mom two?h bq children train

0:13:12 to 0:13:27( Edit History Discussion )

ed as a courtb&v> reporter b.the state. was tennessee?`?&b-about. 60% of. all the courtrooms-in tennessee for?% some. reason are on the second. floorb.b-and the question. was whether theb-americans. with. disabilities. act,-and. iz welco?smed. the opportunityb

0:13:27 to 0:13:42( Edit History Discussion )

&?-to work. closely with. my -colleague. from. iowa, senator harkin on. that "? program again, we had by the time. we &b-came to > the?b floor we 7 had bipartisan support for that -legislation -president bush one indicated it-was the.

0:13:42 to 0:13:58( Edit History Discussion )

piece of. legislationba he.b&? -was. proud?est of-it wasn't. always. eas?~y in?b: terms ofbr deabrling wb.ith the. disabled.b-i can. remember. when. we. hadba four&?-million children that. were kept.b`b-in closets in thaition. this&b-na?ation rather. than being. able tob.^`z-go to. sch ool.b-we had bip?2artisanship in the?

0:13:58 to 0:14:12( Edit History Discussion )

.b-idea theb [iv? individuals with disabilities education act?`?-we made. enormous progress during`?-thiseriod-now we have a? few years ago tb.he lane vs tennessee the que"stion.b-whether. this single mom bi

0:14:12 to 0:14:28( Edit History Discussion )

whetherb b-that cbrourthouse was. going to.bhb-make reasonable.s accommodation to ?-le?t that single. mom? who was?-trained as a court?r reporter.z7 to -avoid being. carried up. theb3`b-flig of. stairs, avo?id beingb-casrried. into."?v? theb i ladies'b

0:14:28 to 0:14:43( Edit History Discussion )

i rb.oom,?-avoid other humiliating b :circumstances. because?ba ob.f. her7b `b`?-disability ?-was. the courthouse. going to have.b-to make. those reasonable ;?-accommodations?-fob.ur justicev7s on the supreme court said. no.

0:14:43 to 0:14:59( Edit History Discussion )

?-no no, we. donb.'t have. to i make b.b-accommodations ?r ut. five said ?r yes sandra day o?'connor. said. yesb-and. they. made. thoseb-accommodations that mother. was ablbse. to gain -entrance into. that courthouse-b-and ha?s. had

0:14:59 to 0:15:14( Edit History Discussion )

a successful @b career -she appeared before. our?a committee with tears on her. eyes-about the po?rtion. of x a single.b:b -vote in. t?he supreme court of. the?&-united states&?-if that. had gone. 5-4 all 50`?-states would; have. had to. have i passed

0:15:14 to 0:15:30( Edit History Discussion )

? disability. rights acts,b-not americans. with 2> disabilities, massachusetts. disability,?-connecticut. disability, rhode b-b-island disabilities, but~? we had. b--americans. with. disa?ilitb.ies `?-42 million of. our fellow-citizens with. physical. and mental?@ d?@isabilities are. a part -of the^7 american. family.b

0:15:30 to 0:15:46( Edit History Discussion )

." tb.oday b-just like. we've knocked down the -walls of discriminatb.ion i on rac?@e,b:b`?&?-reb.ligion ethnicity we have-knocked. down the.b2 walls on -gender on db.isability.b-and. we've made some progress, as--well ibrn. terms of i?b.

0:15:46 to 0:16:01( Edit History Discussion )

those gay and-lesbian. issues, as well-so we've made. this. march towardsbi ?-progress mr. president, and the-question is. whether we are. going to have a judge? tv.hat believes ib.n. ?@ > that marchb 2?r of. pro?@gress. or.bp whether ?we're ?hgoing. to. hav?e-someone. that. is. going to be a roadblb.ock in that. march.

0:16:01 to 0:16:16( Edit History Discussion )

towards?-progressb.| @?-and. i reserve ? my. - i've.b-expressed my opposition r to. judge?&? -al ito, m?r. president because ib`b {think is he. the wrong judge obin-b-the wroong time. on. the wrong?&?-court&?-i do not believe he. is. going to`

0:16:16 to 0:16:32( Edit History Discussion )

be part of the whole movement of the. continued? march t?owards progress in. this. country?&?&b-and. set a very, very.bi delicatv[e i?-balance `?`z we have seen at. other times inb&?&?-american history wherev?b b-executives led the way in. making`? -this a fairer. country we have?n: s.7een. where congress. has led. the.

0:16:32 to 0:16:48( Edit History Discussion )

. way being a fairer.v-country`?-certainly : we - we. sawb bq that in ?-the. - with executive power certainly in terms of. the b-adoption of. the medicare i program.9.9 ?!?!b&&b-programs ~. medicaid-we had presidential. leaders?>hip&b i fo?r. awhile in? the early; 1960's-and then finally we. p?assed.

0:16:48 to 0:17:03( Edit History Discussion )

-those-and as a result, we. are a fairer -- ask our elderly people-we didn't have the medicare,?-didn't have the socb.ial security programs where we. would be. as a"-b.country ab.nd as. a nation.br so that. is. the issuea:. does. t?3his`b-b-nominee

0:17:03 to 0:17:19( Edit History Discussion )

@ - and i accepted. the challenge of judge alito? that-said well, let's read. my. cases b-read my cases ? -and i'm. reminded of the fact.b&?-that to. really. understand. the?i nominee, one? has to : read the -dissenting cases

0:17:19 to 0:17:35( Edit History Discussion )

?2? :ruth bader ginsburg. and robert ork agreed. 91% of. the time.b-isn'?lt that extraordinary?-two. individualsb of q dramatically-different. j?qudicial. philosophies-agreed 91% of. the time&b&b-where. you?> found their differences. were @ in. the dissentb-and tha

0:17:35 to 0:17:51( Edit History Discussion )

t is. where i. looked. with -regards. to. this.ominee?v-and that is. why> i came to the conclusion that. this. nomineeas?-not .going. to. be.

0:17:51 to 0:18:07( Edit History Discussion )

b.v: friendly. to. the ? average worker, friendly. on women's ; rights, friendly on. theb -issues of. race.; friendly 7v? ob.n. tb.heb`?-issues of. the environmenta an

0:18:07 to 0:18:22( Edit History Discussion )

d b-would. no. doubt be willing to-accede to. a more i expansive?2 executive power. for the?-executive. office @but, mr. president i -- i-rememberba the time. when. the b-president. announced the ?

0:18:22 to 0:18:37( Edit History Discussion )

b.b; judb2geb-alitb.o-i. happenev?d to be. -- it was.7 in &b-the early. morning b-i. happeneb.d to be. up. in.bq?`b-massac?husetts-we knew that was announcement.b&b-was b.going to. be. there?v>?-and we? - i didn't. know. really.zb-b-alito, but certain ly?;?@ the?

0:18:37 to 0:18:52( Edit History Discussion )

-representations wa;s. thab.t. there's ? -a. wide.v2-open. kind. ob.f. net that has &b-been spread. out across theb-country.> to. try and finv?d the very 2 best the very. best. in.~? ourb-nation that was. going to a be. able.b-tob.v2 be ab part, be. ab nomin

0:18:52 to 0:19:06( Edit History Discussion )

ee?-bywe have. seen, mr. president >`b-where we?2@ have. had republicans ---i.z voted@ fb.or seven republican.b&b-b-nomi.4nees for the?> sb.upreme courtb b-we h ave hadb2 a great man y b.of ?y ?-those.z nominees. were. virtually?6?`?`?-unanimous. in. this. bodb.y,i.

0:19:06 to 0:19:21( Edit History Discussion )

2 democrats. and republicans v?otinb.g &?-to?2getherb. b2 for nominees qand that is.b6 what i. thinkb: all of &?-v2us were hopin?@g for ?3 we?% had seen 2 sort. of. the fiasco 2 that had taken place with.b&b-ha rr?iet. miersb-we?@ saw groups. in this.

0:19:21 to 0:19:38( Edit History Discussion )

country?-that were. prepared v?^2 tb.o. exercb.ise [?a ab;?@ veto of the. we. saw groups in the nation that. were. prepareb.d. to -exercise a litmus. test, groups`?-in the nation.br said. absolutely `?`?@ b.no, we're. not going to? have @ harriet 2 miers we're n?2ot going ?-b.to have. harriet > miers these. are the same

0:19:38 to 0:19:53( Edit History Discussion )

groups. that b`-in dicated. for so. long. that. w?e. `?&b-nominees are entitled. to. a vote -up? and down b`?-we ought to be able tb.o. loob.k. at.b-nominees' judicial. philosophy-b-and. all the rest oy, all of. those issues.2 went-right. out the window&b-right. out

0:19:53 to 0:20:09( Edit History Discussion )

the window. when -harriet. miers was.e nominated?b and the reason. was because harriet. miers didn't. pass. av7?`?-litmus test-now we have the 3 appoiv?nt?@ment of 7 judge. alitob `b xand before the announcement. was?&b-really ended we

0:20:09 to 0:20:25( Edit History Discussion )

. see this-extraordinary wave. of-faiferbili?ty that. has come over in terms of. supportb e -fab.iferbility that. has come. over&?-in terms of. support for h--favorability that. has come.bx over.b-in terms of. support for theb-nomib.nee`b-i am sort. of. wonderingb whyz7

0:20:25 to 0:20:40( Edit History Discussion )

b 2 o?ane could. be. so. against harriet?3v3 b&b-miers, and the~?n. o".verwhelming.b&? -support for. jud ge a?3lib.to b2 b-what did they. know-who. knew`?-mr. president, o of. the things-".that i thinkbq of. at this time. is-what our founding. fathers-want?2ed, what ourbqz7b

0:20:40 to 0:20:55( Edit History Discussion )

found?~ing -fathers-what did the constitutio?n. have&?&?-on this. issue?-the. founding 3v? fathers'. debates at`?@ ?-the. constb.itutional @? issue they.b-considered the whole issue of-appointment of judges. on. four.z-di?efferent. times.ethree o?ccasions they. gave. allb`?-the authority a to. this. body. here,b-th

0:20:55 to 0:21:11( Edit History Discussion )

e supreme court of the united&b-states recommendv? andy appointza ?&v2 recommend. and appoint b-interesting`z-the. last i important decisiov?n at b-the constitutional. conventio?an `b-ten days?r before. the end.6 was t?o r share. the power?p have. the?-pr esident appoint and. also. the b -congress.

0:21:11 to 0:21:26( Edit History Discussion )

to give. the advice. andz "@ consent to the president you. can't read. the debates ?-which i. have. rea and notb 6 understand that it was a s&ehared`b-&?responsibility this. idea. that`?&b -the congress is. supposed. to. be. a rubber stamp for the

0:21:26 to 0:21:42( Edit History Discussion )

president?`?-su its. some. people, suits~; their?2v?b&?@ politics suits their interests but that. isn't whab.t. ourz founding -fathers i wanted-they wanted. shared-responsibili?ties remember checks. and. balances y"?,> ?-the. essential a?spect. of. the?b-b-constitution of the unitedb&?&z-states checks. andq.

0:21:42 to 0:21:58( Edit History Discussion )

. balance~?s-when they. give. authority andb-powe r one. place?2 they. give 2?-authority and power to. the otherb9.9 ?! ?-other-the. commander in. chief the?-executive. making. of. the war with`?-the. conb.gress-the. powers of the purse?b c the -rest of. the issues. that. we. all`b&b 2 are famili

0:21:58 to 0:22:13( Edit History Discussion )

ar with ^ba so this. is a shared > b -responsibility?h and we.~? in this congress have. a?@ very. important z-constitutional obligation. to -review, tobh make. theb-recommendationb&? -so it's. a real. questb.ion. for?b~? us b&?-now when we have the nomi

0:22:13 to 0:22:28( Edit History Discussion )

nee" is&b-to find. out not f?bor ourselves but. really. as ~? instruments for?r b-the american people. what. the?&?-beliefs. o?2f. this. nominee?v2 -- whatb-are the. beliefs of. this nomin?ee,`?&v-what are the real. beliefs of b-this - of. this. nb.ominee for?a theb`?-president. - for the supreme court. of 7 the united. states

0:22:28 to 0:22:43( Edit History Discussion )

b-and we have. the assurances that-this.> indiv?zidual is reall?y. thebab-best of the. best.v:-we've.2 seen. that ib-president reagan gave. us sandra b&b-day o'conr, reall the best ofb-th?xe. best b`?@ ? -the list went on."e?&b-we?~ had extraordinary jurists~? in -the. past 2b

0:22:43 to 0:22:58( Edit History Discussion )

h so we. a pproach. this. to try to.b&?-find out on the judiciary committee.vb -we have aba pretty. good. sense that-the 2 executive branch.by knows the?~-philosophy of. this. nomineeb `b-they ?av

0:22:58 to 0:23:13( Edit History Discussion )

e had. the?~? - they'veb -ma?ide the recommendation and -obviouisly. t hey.~? have inquired. of -this nominee ? >so they. know. where he. is @b 7 ?-i was. absolutely. startled 2~ ? -mr. president, this morning b. when`b