    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [November 5, 2005]
    [Pages 1653-1654]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    November 5, 2005

        Good morning. This week I was proud to nominate Judge Sam
    Alito to be an Associate Justice on the
    Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Alito is one of America's most
    accomplished and respected judges. During his long career in public
    service, he has demonstrated all the qualities that the American people
    expect in a Supreme Court Justice, mastery of the law, a deep commitment
    to justice, and great personal character. He is scholarly, fair-minded,
    and principled, and these traits will serve our Nation well on our
    highest Court.
        Judge Alito now serves on the U.S.
    Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. When he was nominated to his
    current seat in 1990, Judge Alito received strong bipartisan support,
    and the United States Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent. He has
    served on that court with distinction for 15 years and now has more
    prior judicial

    [[Page 1654]]

    experience than any Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years.
        During his career on the bench, Judge Alito has participated in thousands of appeals and authored
    hundreds of opinions. He has demonstrated that he understands the proper
    role of a judge, to interpret the Constitution and laws, not to impose
    the judge's own preferences or priorities on the people. And in the
    performance of his duties, Judge Alito's brilliance, his modesty, and
    his even demeanor have gained him the respect of his colleagues and of
    the attorneys appearing before him.
        Prior to becoming a judge, Sam Alito served for 3 years as the United States Attorney for the
    District of New Jersey. When President Reagan nominated him to this
    position in 1987, the Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent. As the
    top prosecutor in one of the Nation's largest Federal districts, Sam
    Alito moved aggressively against white-collar and environmental crimes,
    drug trafficking, organized crime, and violations of civil rights. He
    showed a passionate commitment to the rule of law, and he gained a
    reputation for being both tough and fair.
        Before becoming U.S. Attorney, Sam Alito served in other critical positions in the Department of
    Justice. In the Office of Legal Counsel, he provided constitutional
    advice for the President and the executive branch. As Assistant to the
    Solicitor General, he argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court. As an
    Assistant U.S. Attorney, he argued dozens of cases before the Federal
    courts of appeals.
        The son of an Italian immigrant who came to America in 1914, Sam
    Alito is a product of New Jersey public
    schools. He was valedictorian and student council president at Hamilton
    East-Steinert High School in Hamilton, New Jersey. He went on to become
    a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Princeton University. He attended Yale Law
    School and was editor of the Yale Law Journal. After graduating from law
    school, he was a law clerk for a Federal court of appeals judge. He has
    served in the Army Reserves, where he achieved the rank of captain. Sam
    Alito's life has been marked by consistent excellence and achievement,
    combined with personal decency and a commitment to public service.
        The United States Senate will now exercise its constitutional
    responsibility to advise and consent on Judge Alito's nomination. The process is off to a good start. Since I
    announced his nomination, Judge Alito has met with many Senators, and
    they are learning more about his great character, accomplishments, and
    ability.
        Our Nation is fortunate to have a man of Judge Alito's intellect and integrity willing to serve. I look
    forward to the Senate voting to confirm Judge Alito as the 110th Justice
    of the Supreme Court of the United States.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 10:45 a.m. on November 2 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November
    5. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on November 4 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of this address.