Biden: Romney, Collins, and Murkowski deserve 'enormous credit' for backing Jackson

The three Republican senators who voted alongside all 50 Democrats to confirm Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson received a shoutout from President Biden on Friday, echoing remarks made by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) a day prior.
GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, and Susan Collins of Maine were the three lawmakers to cross party lines and back Biden's pick.
"I want to thank three Republicans who voted for Judge Jackson," Biden said during a celebratory event on the South Lawn of the White House. "Sen. Collins is a woman of integrity. Sen. Murkowski is the same way, in Alaska, and up for re-election."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"And Mitt Romney, whose dad stood up like he did. His dad stood up and made these decisions on civil rights," Biden continued, alluding to how Romney's father — a Republican governor — marched in support of the civil rights movement.
"They deserve enormous credit for setting aside [partisanship] and making a carefully-considered judgment based on the judge's character, qualifications, and independence. I truly admire the respect, diligence, and hard work they demonstrated in the course of the process," the president said.
The soon-to-be-Justice Jackson also had a turn at the podium on Friday, taking the opportunity to reflect on the significance of her confirmation while flanked by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, but we've made it," Jackson said. "We've made it, all of us."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
August 31 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda