[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[January 14, 2006]
[Pages 75-76]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
January 14, 2006

    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.
    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 openminded 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,

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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.

Note: The address was recorded at 8 a.m. on January 13 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on January 14. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
January 13 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.