“I’m here today to express the nation’s gratitude to Justice Stephen Breyer for his remarkable career of public service and his clear-eyed commitment to making our country’s laws work for its people. Justice Breyer announces today that he is retiring from active duty after serving for over four decades. He served four decades on the federal bench as well as 28 years on the United States Supreme Court. I will select a nominee worthy of Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence and decency. While I’ve been studying candidates’ backgrounds and writings, I’ve made no decision except one. I will nominate someone with exceptional qualifications, character, experience, and integrity. This person will be the first Black woman to be nominated to the United States Supreme Court. I will announce my decision by February 31st. In the end, I will nominate a historic candidate, someone who’s worthy of Justice Breyer’s legacy and someone who, like Justice Breyer, will provide incredible service on the United States Supreme Court.” “This is a complicated country. There are more than 330 million people, and my mother used to say, it’s every race, it’s every religion. And she would emphasize this, and it’s every point of view possible. And yet they’ve decided to help solve their major differences under law. But I’ll tell you what Lincoln thought, what Washington thought and what people today still think: It’s an experiment. It’s an experiment, that’s what they said. It’s an experiment that’s still going on. And I’ll tell you something. Who will be able to see if this experiment works? It’s you, my friend. It’s you, Mr. High School Student, it’s you, Mr. College Student, it’s you, Mr. Law School Students. It’s us, but it’s you. It’s that next generation. And the one after that.”
Source: NY Times