What happened to our Senate Central Coast district was a massive injustice for the region and for Fred,

I know John Kerry well, ... I spent six years working with him in the Senate, and we spent a lot of time on the campaign trail together. And I'll tell you one thing: He has what it takes inside to be president of the United States -- backbone, strength, courage, heart.

Had the Senate or House, or both, censured or somehow warned Richard Nixon, the tragedy of Watergate might have been prevented. Hopefully the Senate will not sit by while even more serious abuses unfold before it.

It’s a sorry statement about how broken Washington is that we could not take advantage of this unique and sad moment in history and enact serious lobbying reform. We owed it to the people who sent us to Washington to root out corruption, and the Senate turned its back on a golden opportunity today.

It certainly is, in 2005, time for business to get off the sidelines, so we urge today the Senate confirmation of Judge Roberts.

We must fight against oppression even if it means fighting against one of our own - inferiority only exists in the mind.