The First Amendment, I Think,

I Am Deeply Honored To Have Been Nominated For A Position On The Supreme Court. And I An Humbled To Have Been Nominated For The Seat That Is Now Held By Justice Sandra Day O'connor.

I Have Been Shaped By The Experiences Of The People Who Are Closest To Me, By The Things I've Learned From [my Wife] Martha, By My Hopes And My Concerns For My Children, Philip And Laura, By The Experiences Of Members Of My Family, Who Are Getting Older, By My Sister's Experiences As A Trial Lawyer In A Profession That Has Traditionally Been Dominated By Men.

I Have Been A Judge For 15 Years And I've Made Up My Own Mind During All That Time.

I Learned That Hard Work And Self-discipline Can Overcome Many Obstacles.

My Mother Is A First Generation American. Her Father Worked In The Roebling Steel Mill In Trenton, New Jersey.and Yet My Mother Became The First Person In Her Family To Get A College Degree.