Arlen Specter Quotes

"[But that is Bush's call, Specter said.] Taking advice is not too hard as long as you get to make the final decision, ... And the Constitution doesn't say the president should do more than take advice."

"The balance of power is not being maintained in America today, ... The Supreme Court is interpreting the Constitution in derogation of congressional authority."

"I have seen virtually no agreement on anything when it comes to this immigration bill. Emotions are running at an all-time high."

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

"the expectation is that [an announcement] is very imminent."

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

"It naturally raises cynicism when you have so many 5-4 decisions from our Supreme Court and 4-3 decisions out of the Florida Supreme Court and that is not healthy, ... But our republic will survive."

"I suggest it may be very helpful to U.S. efforts to secure Venezuela's cooperation in our joint attack on drug interdiction if the rhetoric would be reduced,"

"When we take a look at the budget for the National Institutes of Health at $28 billion, it is, candidly, scandalous that with our resources, our resource capability, research capability in biomedical science, that people are still dying of breast cancer or colon cancer or heart disease."

"I have raised a certain cautionary signal, that I believe the next nomination is going to be a great deal more contentious than the Roberts nomination,"

"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."

"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."

"I found it was easier to get out of bed than to stay in bed, so I got out of bed and went about my business,"

"I do hope that when we in the Congress, both in this body -- when responsibilities come to the Senate -- and the other body, in the House of Representatives, there will be an approach which is bipartisan and nonpartisan in nature,"

"a very heavy commitment to legal interpretation which might differ from his own personal views."

"But I think that it is important to elevate the public consciousness as to what is going on. The four hearings we have had and the way the matter is drifting, in my view, is insufficient to safeguard civil liberties."

"At any rate, Congress hasn't acted, and that's really what the focus of our hearing is today as to what ought to be done."

"[The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision rejected Congress' findings and its] method of reasoning, ... Is there any real justification for the court's denigrating Congress' 'method of reasoning'?"

"The president's [fiscal year] '07 budget proposal is going to require substantial modifications by the Congress."

"open and honest public conversation with the nominee...is an important part of this process."