Biden’s Nomination For The U.S. Supreme Court
President Biden spoke about his nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Biden was Monday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”. Here are his words:
“Today, as we watch freedom and liberty under attack abroad, I’m here to fulfill my responsibilities under the Constitution to preserve freedom and liberty here in the United States of America.
And it’s my honor to introduce to the country a daughter of former public school teachers, a proven consensus builder, an accomplished lawyer, a distinguished jurist — one of the nation’s most — on one of the nation’s most prestigious courts. My nominee for the United States Supreme Court is Judge Ketanji Jackson.
You know, four weeks ago, when a member of the Court — a friend of mine; we used to work together in the Senate — Justice Stephen Breyer, announced his retirement, I said then choosing someone to serve on the United States Supreme Court is one of the most serious constitutional responsibilities a President has. And I mean it.
I promised the process would be rigorous, that I would select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence and decency — someone extremely qualified, with a brilliant legal mind, with the utmost character and integrity, which are equally as important.
And that I would bring this decision — to this decision my perspective as a lawyer; a former Constitutional law professor; chairman of the Judiciary Committee for many, many years; and — I’m almost reluctant to say it — someone who has presided over more Supreme Court nominations than almost anyone living today, which makes me 28 years old — (laughter) — I started doing it when I was 32 — and who has devoted much of my career to thinking about the Constitution and the role of the Supreme Court.
With that perspective, I carefully studierd [sic] the re- — studied the records of candidates. I’ve invited senators of both parties to offer their ideas and points of view, and I’ve met with a number of them.
As a result, because I truly respect not only the consent — I know they give consent, but it says — the Constitution says ”advice and consent,” and I sought the advice of Democrats and Republicans.
I’ve consulted with leading legal scholars and lawyers.
And I’ve been fortunate to have the advice of the — Vice President Harris — and I mean this sincerely — an exceptional lawyer, a former Attorney General of California, and a former member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
And during this process, I looked for someone who, like Justice Breyer, has a pragmatic understanding that the law must work for the American people. Someone who has the historical perspective to understand that the Constitution is a resilient charter of liberty. Someone with the wisdom to appreciate that the Constitution protects certain inalienable rights — rights that fall within the most fundamental personal freedoms that our society recognizes.
And then, someone with extraordinary character, who will bring to the Supreme Court an independent mind, uncompromising integrity, and with a strong moral compass and the courage to stand up for what she thinks is right.
For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America. And I believe it’s time that we have a Court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level.
I’ve admired these traits of pragmatism, historical perspective, wisdom, character in the jurists nominated by Republican presidents as well as Democratic presidents.
And today, I’m pleased to introduce to the American people a candidate who continues in this great tradition.
Judge Jackson grew up in Miami, Florida. And by the way, the mayor of Miami — a Republican — endorsed you; I thought that was interesting. Her parents grew up with segregation but never gave up hope that their children would enjoy the true promise of America.
Her parents graduated from Historic Brac- — Black Colleges and become public school teachers — her mom, a principal; her Dad, a teacher, who later went back to school and became a lawyer representing that very school district — that school board.
Judge Jackson describes finding her love for the law from an apartment complex at the University of Miami where her dad was attending law school. She’d draw in her coloring book at the dining room table, next to her dad’s law books.
She grew up to be a star student — elected mayor of her junior high school and president of her high school class, where she was a standout — she was a standout on the speech and debate team.
And it was after a debate tournament that took place at Harvard when she was in high school that she believed she could one day be a student there. There were those who told her she shouldn’t set her sights too high, but she refused to accept limits others set for her.
She did go on to Harvard undergraduate school, where she graduated magna cum laude. She went into — to attend Harvard Law School, where she was a top student and editor of the prestigious Law Review.
Then she applied for a highly competitive and coveted clerkship on the United States Supreme Court, and she was selected.
The justice who thought that she was worthy of this high honor was a young lawyer. It was none other than Justice Stephen Breyer, who’s seat I am nominating her to fill.
Not only did she learn about being a judge from Justice Breyer himself, she saw the great rigor through which Justice Breyer approached his work. She learned from his willingness to work with colleagues with different viewpoints — critical qualities for — in my view, for any Supreme Court Justice.
Now, years later, she steps up to fill Justice Breyer’s place on the Court with a uniquely accomplished and wide-ranging background.
She has served both in public service as a federal public defender — a federal public defender and in private law practice as an accomplished lawyer in pr- — with a prestigious law firm.
If confirmed, she will join Justice Sotomayor as the only other member of the United States Supreme Court who has experience as a trial court judge –- a critical qualification, in my view.
And once again following in the footsteps of her mentor, Justice Breyer, she would become the only member of the Court who previously served as a member of the United States Sentencing Commission.
And she brings an additional perspective to the Court as well. She comes from a family of law enforcement, with her brother and uncles having served as police officers.
That’s one reason, I expect, why the Fraternal Order of Police — the national organization — today said, and I quote, “There is little doubt [that] she has the temperament, the intellect, and the legal experience, and family background to have earned this appointment.” And they went on to say they are confident she will, quote, “approach her future cases with an open mind and treat issues related to law enforcement fairly and justly.”
Incredibly, Judge Jackson has already been confirmed by the United States Senate three times.
First, to serve on the U.S. Sentencing Commission — a bipartisan, independent commission we help — I helped design to reduce the unwarranted disparities in sentencing and promote transparency and fairness in the criminal justice system.
On the commission, Judge Jackson was known for working with Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on critical issues.
Second, she was concerned by — confirmed by the United States Senate with bipartisan support on the federal district court to administer justice with the special rigors and fairness that come with presiding over trials.
And third, she was confirmed with a bipartisan Senate vote to serve on U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, considered the second most powerful court behind the Supreme Court itself and the court she once argued cases before as a distinguished advocate.
And when Judge Jackson was nominated to this Circuit Court, one of its distinguished retired members, Judge Thomas Griffith, a former general counsel of Brigham Young University and a George Bush appointee to that court said he backed her “enthusiastically,” hailing her — hailing her “exemplary legal career in both public and private practice” and, he went on to say, her “careful approach” as a trial court judge.
Judge Jackson’s service on the District Circuit Court of — for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is another superb qualification for service on the Supreme Court.
Three of her — of the current Supreme Court Justices also served with the D.C. Circuit judges where Judge Jackson now serves.
Her opinions are always carefully reasoned, tethered to precedent, and demonstrate refrect — respect for how the law impacts everyday people. It doesn’t mean she puts her thumb on the scale of justice one way or the other, but she understands the broader impact of her decisions.
Whether it’s cases addressing the rights of workers or government service, she cares about making sure that our democracy works for the American people.
She listens. She looks people in the eye — lawyers, defendants, victims, and families.
And she strives to ensure that everyone understands why she made a decision, what the law is, and what it means to them. She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice.
That’s something all of us should remember, and it’s something I’ve thought about throughout this process. And as a matter of fact, I thought about it walking over here with her.
One floor below, we have several displays celebrating Black History Month. One of them includes the judicial oath of office taken and signed by Justice Thurgood Marshall himself — an oath that will be once again administered to a distinguished American who will help write the next chapter in the history of the journey of America — a journey that Judge Jackson will take with her family.
I hope I don’t embarrass him, but her husband, Patrick — a surgeon — Dr. Patrick, stand up. Let them see who you are. There you go. They met when they were undergraduate students at Harvard, and he’s a distinguished cancer surgeon at Georgetown.
And like so many women in this country, Judge Jackson is a working mom. She had her eldest child, Talia, when she was a private lawyer in practice. She had her second child, Leila, when she served as U- — on the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Stand up, Leila. I asked Leila, when I showed her through the office, whether she’d like to be president. She looked, “No, I don’t know about that.” (Laughter.) There’s other things that — anyway, Leila, you’re welcome to be here. Thank you so much.
And welcome your sister, who’s up in school in Rhode Island now.
I have children and grandchildren. Let me tell you, Judge, you’re always a mom. That’s not going to change no matter what you’re doing. You’re on — whether you’re on the Supreme Court or not.
And I’ve always had a deep respect for the Supreme Court and judiciary as a coequal branch of the government, and I mean it. The Court is equally as important as the presidency or the Congress. It’s coequal.
So, today, I’m pleased to nominate Judge Jackson, who will bring extraordinary qualifications, deep experience and intellect, and a rigorous judicial record to the Court.
Judge Jackson deserves to be confirmed as the next justice of the Supreme Court. I’ve met with the chairman and ranking members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Chuck Grassley, and my hope is that they will move promptly, and I know they’ll move fairly.
Judge Jackson, congratulations.”
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
