--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1987, I had my first opportunity to…" description: "\"In 1987, I had my first opportunity to provide 'advice and consent' on a Supreme Court nominee. At that time, I stated that the qualifications essentia..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/john-mccain-465_character_in-1987-i-had-my-first-opportunity-to-pr_2938336.png" --- # In 1987, I had my first opportunity to provide 'advice and… ![“In 1987, I had my first opportunity to provide 'advice and consent' on a Supreme Court nominee. At that time, I stated that the qualifications essential for evaluating a nominee for the bench included 'integrity, character, legal competence and ability, experience, and philosophy and judicial…” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/john-mccain-465_character_in-1987-i-had-my-first-opportunity-to-pr_2938336.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/john-mccain-465_character_in-1987-i-had-my-first-opportunity-to-pr_2938336.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/john-mccain-465_character_in-1987-i-had-my-first-opportunity-to-pr_2938336.png) > “In 1987, I had my first opportunity to provide 'advice and consent' on a Supreme Court nominee. At that time, I stated that the qualifications essential for evaluating a nominee for the bench included 'integrity, character, legal competence and ability, experience, and philosophy and judicial temperament.' On that test, Elena Kagan fails.” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker lists essential judicial qualities and asserts Elena Kagan lacks them, implying she is unfit. **In simple terms:** Judge must have integrity, competence, experience, temperament; Kagan fails. Key Takeaway Assess nominees against clear criteria. Themes judicial evaluation integrity competence Mood critical political Type analytical argumentative When to use this quote - Supreme Court nominations - political debates - public policy Key Concepts law politics Questions to Reflect On - What standards truly matter for judges? - How can we ensure impartial evaluation? A Different Perspective Political bias may color the assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [My Democratic colleagues should not forget that President Obama's Supreme Court nominees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were both given up or down votes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/my-democratic-colleagues-should-not-forget-that-president-obama-s/) [Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/) > [Whether it's before the election or after the election, the principle is the American people are choosing their next president and their next president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/whether-it-s-before-the-election-or-after-the-election-the-principle/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [When President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court, I said that he deserved a fair hearing and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/when-president-donald-trump-nominated-judge-neil-gorsuch-to-serve-on/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [I am still doing my due diligence. 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Integrity is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/don-t-worry-so-much-about-your-self-esteem-worry-more-about-your/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. 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We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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