Given Elena News Today

Drown out the voices of ordinary citizens. i think it says a great deal about the path elena has chosen. someone as gifted as elena could have settled into a comfortable life in a corporate law practice. instead, she chose a life of service. service to her students, to her country, to the law and to all those whose lives it shapes. given elenas upbringing its a choice that probably came naturally. elena is the granddaughter of immigrants whose mother was for 20 years a beloved public school teac...

Supreme court. the first woman in that position as well. she has won accolades from observers across the ideological spectrum for her well reasoned arguments and commanding presence. elena is respected not just for her intellect but her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit, to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing. her fair mindedness and skill as a consensus builder. these traits were evident during her tenure as dean. at a time...

Analyst is with us. you have known her since you were both students at harvard. tell us something we should know about elena kagan. >> i think what you see is what you get with elena. shes confident, intelligent. she is short. you saw all of that today in the ceremony in the east room. you know, starting when we were 23 years old as first-year law students, she was someone who figured out ways to get along with people of diverse viewpoints. at harvard law school in the 80s it was a politically p...

Both drilled into me the importance of service, character and integrity. elena has spoken movingly about how her mother had grown up at a time when women had few opportunities to pursue their ambitions and took great joy in watching her daughter do so. neither she nor elenas father lived to see this day, but i think her mother would relish this moment. i think she would relish, as i do, the prospect of three women taking their seat on the nations highest court for the first time in history. [ ap...

Integrity. elena has also spoken movingly about how her mother had grown up at a time when women are few opportunities to pursue their ambitions and took great joy in watching her daughter do so. neither she nor elenas father lived to see this day, but i think her mother would relish this moment. she would relish, as i do, the prospect of three women taking their seat on the nations highest court for the first time in history. [ applause ] a court that would be more inclusive, representative, re...

That exposure to a broad array of perspectives is the foundation, not just for a sound legal education but of a successful life in the law. this appreciation for diverse views may also come in handy as a die-hard mets fan serving alongside her new colleague-to-be, yankees fan justice sotomayor who i believe has ordered a pinstriped robe for the occasion. but while elena had a brilliant career in academia, her passion for the law is anything but academic. shes often referred to supreme court just...

The first woman in that position as well. and she is won accolades from observers across ideological spectrum for her well reasoned arguments and presence. elena is admired not just for her intellect and record of achievement but also her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints. her habit, to borrow a phrase from justice stevens, of understanding before disagreeing. her fair mindedness and skill as a consensus builder. these traits were particularly evident during her tenure as ...

Lives as might be changed by the law. that understanding of law, not as an intellectual exercise or words on a page but as it affects the lives of ordinary people has animated every step of elenas career. during her time in this office shes defended the rights of shareholders and ordinary citizens against unscrupulous corporations. last year in the citizens united case she defended bipartisan campaign finance reform against special interests seeking to spend unlimited money to influence our elec...

That understanding of the law, not as an intellectual exercise but words on the page but as it effects the lives of ordinary people has animated every step of elenas career including her service as solicitor general today. during her time in this office shes repeatedly defended the rights of shareholders and ordinary citizens against unscrupulous organizations. she defended bipartisan campaign finance reform against special interests seeking to spend unlimited money to influence our elections. d...

Foundation for not just a sound legal education but of a successful life in the law. this appreciation for diverse views may also come in handy as a diehard mets fan serving alongside her new colleague yankee fan justice sotomayer who has ordered a pin striped robe for the occasion. while elena had a brilliant career in academia, her passion for the law is anything but academic. shes often referred to supreme court justice thorouauthoriz mae clerked fof. i understand he reciprocated by calling h...