Arlen Specter Quotes (236 Quotes)

She's a very, very busy person.

There has been a generalization that justices like to retire at the end of a term so as not to disrupt the work of the court, ... if you were to have a 4-4 court, with its proclivity for being evenly divided, you wouldn't have decisions for the cutting edge of all the questions.

The American people are entitled to some answers, ... It is not a matter of attaching blame. It is a matter of correcting errors so that we don't have a repetition of 911.

Terrorism remains the No. 1 problem in the United States today. It is not a matter of attaching blame, it is a matter of correcting any errors so that we don't have a repetition of 911. If there is intelligence available, it ought to be shared.

I do see a great deal of popular and Congressional dissatisfaction with the judicial activism and, at a minimum, the Senate's determination to confirm new justices who will respect Congress' constitutional role,

Specter said afterward that he had urged Bush to delay naming a choice to succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The president was noncommittal, ... The body language was not very positive.

But not on this conversation. We've had it. I've had it.

I think it is inappropriate to ask him head-on if he's going to overturn Roe, but I believe that there are many issues close to the issue, like his respect for precedent, ... Meet the Press.

I'm concerned about the conferences of the justices which the chief will preside over, and about bringing the court together,

We hammered out what I think is a good bill. ... Not a perfect bill, but a good bill.

What you've had here . . . is not a rush to judgment -- it's a stampede to judgment,

was the complexity of a Supreme Court nomination hearing because of there are a lot of complicated issues.

Chief Justice Roberts has great potential for the future to bring a consensus to the court, to have a better recognition of congressional authority and, as he put it, to understand the Constitution responding to the changes in the ages and responding to societal conditions.

blatant court-stripping, taking away the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and setting a very bad precedent.

There is a possibility of a third vacancy with Justice Stevens, that has been rumored, ... He is 85, but in good health. But if that comes in the next year -- with three new justices -- a shift in the court. And that's a problem for both the right and the left.

When the attorney general says the force resolution gives the president the power to conduct these surveillances, I have grave doubts about that.

I believe Republicans as well as Democrats have an obligation to find out about Judge Roberts' jurisprudence, and there ought not to be a political tilt,

Isn't there a lack of respect for Congress demonstrated by the Supreme Court, as Justice Scalia points out that it is 'ill advised' for the court to set itself up as 'taskmaster' to determine that Congress has done its 'homework'

One of the things that I talked to her about was the complexity of a Supreme Court nomination hearing because there are a lot of complicated issues. And I said to her, 'You've got a pretty good road map in what went on with Chief Justice Roberts.

They can ask him what his views are on those subjects, and whether they represent his views today, ... They've got a lot of paper to confront him with.

Notwithstanding his answers and my efforts to glean some hint or realistic expectation from his words and body language, candidly it is not possible to predict or have a solid expectation of what Judge Roberts would do,

Voting in favor would put senators in a better position to oppose later or a vote in opposition would put the president on notice that he better put somebody up who was acceptable to a broad spectrum of senators.

He said that his personal feelings would not be a factor in his judicial decision.

American credibility in the war on terrorism depends on a strong stand against all terrorist acts, whether committed by foe or friend.

She's intelligent, she's hard-working, unquestioned integrity. She fought her way up, couldn't get a job when she graduated from law school because she was a woman.

Institutionally, the court is on the spot as to the whole overtone of appearing to be too political or ideological.

After a morning briefing with Bush and top Senate leaders, Specter (R-Pa.) said he told the president he should postpone the announcement so senators have a better idea of how Roberts would influence the Supreme Court as chief justice over the next six months. Lawmakers say they expect Roberts to be confirmed easily next week. I believe the next nomination is going to be a great deal more contentious than the Roberts nomination, ... I say that because bubbling just below the surface was a lot of frustration in the hearing that we just concluded.

A lot of people have shifted their views, ... People do shift, so there may be an evolution of his thinking.

What assurances can you give the Senate and the American people that you will be independent, if confirmed, and not give President Bush any special deference on any matter involving him which might come before the court

White-collar crime convictions are deterrents, I've seen a lot of that. Imprisoning heads of state is a deterrent, too. It doesn't happen very often.

Chief Justice Rehnquist's death marks the passing of a great American. For more than three decades he left a deep imprint on American law. It has been a profound experience to know him personally.

We really ought to put on intense pressure to see that we aren't back on the brink of war every time Saddam Hussein feels like it and push hard to try him as a war criminal, which he really is,

I believe there is substantial doubt as to how he would apply fundamental principles of constitutional law.

If you have a sharp turn in the court you undercut reliance, expectation, and, as Roberts would say, stability,

Bill Weld has gotten tremendous national exposure, and there are a number of people within the Republican Party who may disagree philosophically with Senator Helms, and (Weld) may be rallying a lot of people to his cause.

especially in light of your close relationship with the president and the key positions you have held in the White House.

a stampede to justice.

So my record is pretty plain, that, although I am pro-choice, I have supported many pro-life nominees,

There was no explanation as to why the memo did not go to other places. Nobody knows at this stage, and that is something that has to be pursued.

It's a restraint of trade for them to do that, and the thought crosses my mind, it might be a violation of antitrust laws,

The breadth and scope of the proposed amendments are such that they will not only have serious, adverse economic and practical implications for legitimate industries but could very likely place (the current reporting law) into a questionable constitutional stature which would threaten to undermine our shared goal of protecting children from exploitation,

I hope that we'll have somebody who is modest like Judge Roberts says he is, someone who will promote stability so there are no sharp turns.

It has been apparent for some time that the American people are frustrated, sick and tired of the partisan bickering. We have to support the president.

The president of the United States has the fundamental responsibility to protect the country. The president does not have a blank check.

Unfortunately, the debate over that advertisement has become a distraction from the serious discussion we hoped to have with the American public,

Before I can evaluate the adequacy of these changes, I have to know a lot more about the specifics of the problem. It doesn't do a lot of good to move names around on organization charts if there aren't substantive changes. What's going to happen to the next Phoenix memo Where's it going to end up

is clearly trying to distance himself from an unpopular president and an unpopular agenda.

Judge Roberts has projected a very unique persona as he has talked about modesty and humility,

I believe it is important and timely for you to make a full public response on the propriety of your ruling on cases involving Vanguard and Smith Barney, Inc., at times when you had money invested in Vanguard Mutual Funds and Smith Barney, Inc., was your brokerage firm.

There is a keen interest in many quarters on concluding before Thanksgiving , and that's a fine target if it can be accomplished, ... But we're going to do it right. We're not going to do it fast.