Attorney General Ashcroft’s attempts to smear and silence his critics demeans his office, … We will not be silenced by Ashcroft’s politics of intimidation.

He’s spent his time talking about baseball, now he’s playing dodgeball. I think the American people have a right to know the judicial philosophy of Judge Roberts.

It would be an invitation for George W. Bush to name someone as extreme as he wants to for the O’Connor vacancy.

The events of the past week have only underscored that we need Supreme Court justices who value the role of the courts in protecting individuals’ rights and freedoms, who understand the nature of discrimination and...

I suspect a number of progressive organizations will soon be coming out against the Roberts nomination.

There is growing evidence that the confirmation would move the court dramatically to the right, and that is information that the senators did not have before the end of July,

Law-abiding Americans deserve to know that their government will not secretly tap their phones, read their medical records, access their library accounts or otherwise invade their personal lives, with no oversight or accountability. Law-abiding Americans...

At this stage you can never tell, … Conventional wisdom going into every hearing is the nominee is going to be confirmed.

I don’t think the cordiality necessarily means everything will go smoothly,

the importance of who is confirmed to succeed Chief Justice Rehnquist cannot be overstated.

Obviously, there’s the temptation to sit back and smile, … But there’s so much at stake, we have to do our due diligence.

This is going to be the most important, most controversial Supreme Court confirmation battle since Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas.

He is one of the most dangerous judicial nominees ‘¦ that we’ve seen yet.

His record, his silence, and the power of the position to which he’s been nominated, make John Roberts a dangerous bet one that senators shouldn’t take.

using religion to send a signal to the right that she is going to be OK on a number of issues when she gets on the court.

This is a debate about two completely different judicial philosophies. It’s not about a litmus test issue. It’s not about one or two issues. It’s about literally dozens of issues that are part of a...

This was a defeat,

The president must not let the extreme right dictate his next choice, but instead choose a nominee who can bring us together and maintain a fair and independent balance on the Supreme Court.

He’s very valuable to us. As much as I abhor his politics and his abusive, divisive, intolerant rhetoric, many times he reflects what many in the Republican Party are really thinking. … He’s very candid....

The chief justice has unique power and influence as the nation’s highest-ranking judge,

There’s no question there will be an acceleration of efforts.

I agree with them in terms of what historically the Senate rule has been,

It really is like spontaneous combustion. Everything has been organized virtually from the ground up, and I think everybody, including the celebrities, is just catching up with this movement.

That would be welcomed by Democrats and Republicans and independents.

He’s not in a position to stand up to the right wing, especially after the last few days, … In light of the last 48 hours, I believe he’s going to go to the latter...

The fight has just begun.

It’s an open-minded country right now. The hearings always decide what happens to the nominee, and I believe we’re in store for a very spirited and robust confirmation process.

won’t push the court dramatically to the right.

We welcome the opportunity to clarify the differences between the right wing … and the overwhelming majority of the American people.

We’ve been ready for several years,

One of the worst consequences politically would be for the majority of Democrats to vote for someone who, in the near future, would overturn well-established precedents on clean air, clean water, privacy, equal opportunity and...

tremendous mistake and a tremendous disappointment.

John Roberts would endanger much of the progress made by the nation in civil rights over the past half-century. If John Roberts replaces Sandra Day O’Connor, the balance of the court will shift to the...

We’ve just begun to fight.

With life expectancy these days, he could be a Supreme Court justice for seven or eight or nine presidential terms. That’s why we have to take these nominees so seriously – because they’re going to...

We’re going to make sure that Americans understand what is at stake.

Like Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a consensus nominee. Orrin Hatch told President Clinton that Ginsburg was acceptable before she was nominated. She had a long and detailed record from her time as...

It’s a titanic clash between two radically different interpretations of the Constitution. . . . It’s not good versus evil. It’s a tremendous battle over judicial philosophy.

He has not demonstrated a sufficient commitment to equal justice under the law to be entrusted with upholding the Constitution and our civil rights laws.

This is the first time in 11 years that we’ve had a Supreme Court vacancy, the longest time since 1823.

It is tempting to just sit back and smile at the angst among all the right-wingers. But there’s just too much at stake. Her vote could push the court dramatically to the right.

I think John Roberts always was the front-runner for the Rehnquist seat. I would guess that Roberts has been the choice for some time. The only curve was that O’Connor was the person (to retire),...

We had hoped that President Bush would unite the country around a nominee who would maintain the current balance on the court, a nominee all Americans could count on to uphold our rights and liberties....

It makes no sense to divert funds from public schools that are enrolling hurricane victims, just to make President Bush ‘s far-right political backers happy. This is bad policy.

Of course, that could be part of it,

going to go hard right.

It’s going to be a close vote, in the committee and on the floor.

a game of dodgeball.

It’s important to have a strong progressive Democratic vote against John Roberts. If there is a vigorous opposition, that will send a signal on the next vacancy that there could be a contested nomination.

could have a tremendous impact on the judiciary well into the 21st century.