During Wednesday’s hearings, Republicans had a chance to air grievances about past confirmation hearings as they pressed Jackson, 51, on her judicial and legal record as well as her personal beliefs.
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“You faced insults here that were shocking to me — well, actually not shocking,” Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, told Jackson. “But you are here because of that kind of love, and nobody is taking that away from me.”
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“I want to tell you, when I look at you, this is why I get emotional,” he added. “I’m sorry, you’re a person that is so much more than your race and gender. You’re a Christian. You’re a mom. It’s hard for me not to look at you and not see my mom… I see my ancestors and yours.”
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“You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American,” he noted as Jackson wiped her tears with a tissue.
“This country gets better and better and better,” Booker said. “When that final vote happens, and you ascend onto the highest court in the land, I’m going to rejoice. And I’m going to tell you right now, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, will be better because of you.”
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Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., called his speech “very moving” while Sen.Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said it was an “epic Senate moment and also a moral reset after some truly poisonous, cynical behavior that trolled through the absolute bottom of what the Senate has done in dark times past.”
Additionally, Jackson got even more emotional as she told a story about previously feeling like she didn’t belong at Harvard University, sharing a message of perseverance for other women like her.
“I hope to inspire people to try to follow this path, because I love this country, because I love the law, because I think it is important that we all invest in our future,” Jackson said. “And the young people are the future.”
With the slimmest majority possible in the Senate, Democrats could confirm Jackson without any Republican support as long as all 50 are present and vote in favor, with Vice PresidentKamala Harrisbreaking the tie — a scenario that is unprecedented in seating a Supreme Court justice.
source: people.com
