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Skriven 2006-01-14 23:33:10 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060114) for Sat, 2006 Jan 14
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
January 14, 2006

President's Radio Address


ÿÿÿÿÿAudio
ÿÿÿÿÿ

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Last October, I was proud to nominate Judge
Sam Alito to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United
States. This week, Judge Alito testified before the Senate Judiciary
Committee, and the American people saw a man of character and intelligence.
He forthrightly answered questions with grace and composure, and showed his
personal humility and legal brilliance -- qualities that have made him one
of America's most accomplished and respected judges.

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In his opening statement to the Committee, Judge Alito offered an eloquent
description of the proper role of a judge. He put it this way: "A judge
cannot have any agenda, a judge cannot have any preferred outcome in any
particular case. The judge's only obligation is to the rule of law. In
every single case, the judge has to do what the law requires."

Judge Alito has embodied this understanding of a judge's proper role
throughout his distinguished career. He has participated in thousands of
appeals, and he has authored hundreds of opinions. His record shows that he
strictly and fairly interprets the Constitution and laws, and does not try
to legislate from the bench or impose his personal preference on the
people. As the American people saw this week, Judge Alito always approaches
the law in a thoughtful, fair, and open-minded way.

Throughout his life, Sam Alito has demonstrated a mastery of the law, great
decency, and a strong commitment to public service. As a young man, he wore
his country's uniform in the Army Reserve, and achieved the rank of
Captain. Early in his legal career, he worked as a federal prosecutor. As
Assistant to the Solicitor General, Sam Alito argued 12 cases before the
Supreme Court. He later served in the Justice Department's Office of Legal
Counsel, where he provided constitutional advice for the President and the
executive branch.

In 1987, President Reagan named Sam Alito the United States Attorney for
the District of New Jersey -- the top federal prosecutor in one of the
Nation's largest federal districts. The Senate confirmed him by unanimous
consent. In this important post, Sam Alito showed a passionate commitment
to justice and the rule of law, and earned a reputation for being both
tough and fair. He moved aggressively against white-collar and
environmental crimes, drug trafficking, organized crime, and violations of
civil rights. In 1990, President Bush nominated Sam Alito for the United
States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Senate once again
confirmed him by unanimous consent. He's served with distinction on that
court for 15 years, and he has more prior judicial experience than any
Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years.

Sam Alito's brilliance, integrity, and accomplishments have gained him
respect and praise from his colleagues and from attorneys across the
political spectrum. This week, fellow judges from the Third Circuit
publicly testified in support of his confirmation, and they praised his
integrity and fairness. The American Bar Association gave Judge Alito a
unanimous rating of "well-qualified" -- the ABA's highest possible rating.
The ABA concluded that Judge Alito meets "the highest standards" of
"integrity, professional competence, and judicial temperament." In the
past, leading Democratic senators have called the ABA's rating system the
"gold standard" for judicial nominees.

During this week's hearings and over the course of his career, Judge Alito
has demonstrated that he is eminently qualified to serve on our Nation's
highest court. I'm grateful to Senator Arlen Specter for his superb work in
chairing the hearings. I also thank Judge Alito's wife, Martha, and the
Alito children for their patience and dignity during the confirmation
process.

Now the Senate has a duty to give Judge Alito a prompt up-or-down vote. I
look forward to the Senate voting to confirm Sam Alito as 110th Justice of
the Supreme Court. America is fortunate to have a man of his intellect and
integrity willing to serve, and as a Justice on our Nation's highest court,
Sam Alito will make all Americans proud.

Thank you for listening.

END
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