High court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson exudes competence, says Judge Selya

High court nominee¹ Ketanji Brown Jackson exudes² competence³, says Judge Selya

　　Transcript⁴

　　NPR's A Martínez talks with Judge Bruce Selya, a senior judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals and a longtime friend of Supreme⁵ Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.

　　A MARTINEZ, HOST:

　　If Ketanji Brown Jackson is confirmed, she'll replace 83-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer, for whom she previously⁶ clerked. I spoke⁷ to the person who recommended her for that job, Judge Bruce Selya, the senior judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals and a longtime friend of the Supreme Court nominee.

　　Judge Selya, Ketanji Brown Jackson is no stranger to congressional scrutiny⁸, as she's appeared in front of the Judicial⁹ Committee before, earning bipartisan support. This time around, however, is very different, so how do you think she'll handle Congressional partisanship¹¹?

　　BRUCE SELYA: I think that no matter what a particular senator's political beliefs are, I think that the members of the Judiciary Committee will not be able to help themselves. They will be impressed by her directness, by her responsiveness, and by the fact that this is a woman who exudes competence. I think she will come across that way, which I believe will make a favorable impression, not only upon many of the senators, but also upon the wider television audience that will be watching.

　　MARTINEZ: And that's the difference, right? That's the difference this time around, in that other confirmation¹² hearings are typically not on national television where millions of people will be watching, and the stakes aren't as high because you don't have senators trying to make some kind of political statement or make some kind of early run for some kind of nomination¹³ down the line. That's going to be different this time around for Judge Jackson.

　　SELYA: Oh, it will. And it is unfortunate that the Supreme Court confirmation process has become highly partisan¹⁰. But I think that what we have in modern times - some of those Supreme Court confirmations¹⁴ are ugly, and others are really ugly. And I think hers is likely to be in the former class, mainly because I see absolutely nothing in her record, her background, her character that presents any basis for a fair attack on her.

　　MARTINEZ: Now, I think it can be expected that Republicans will go after Jackson in the coming days. GOP Senator Josh Hawley showed a bit of a glimpse of that when he tried to discredit¹⁵ her on Twitter, saying that she is soft on crime. Judge, what would you say to senators who want to go that route on her - attack her record on crime?

　　SELYA: I think a fair assessment¹⁶ of Judge Jackson's record on criminal justice issues would not lead a fair-minded person to conclude that she's soft on crime. But I think the members of the committee are well within their rights to inquire about her position on criminal justice issues and her record on criminal justice issues. I just don't think she's got anything to shy away from.

　　MARTINEZ: Now, Jackson is also poised¹⁷ to be the first former public defender¹⁸ to sit on the Supreme Court. How do you think that would add to what the court already does?

　　SELYA: Well, I think diversity in every way is important, and part of that diversity is understanding criminal law issues from the point of view of the defense¹⁹. You have at least one member of the Supreme Court who has extensive criminal law experience as a prosecutor²⁰. And I think that type of diversity is helpful to the court. You don't want to get a Supreme Court where everyone starts out from an identical background.

　　MARTINEZ: Is there anything from when she was working with you back then that you could see back then that would maybe give us a sense of what she is today?

　　SELYA: I remember being very impressed by her writing, but perhaps even more impressed by two other things. She's a very good listener, and she gets the big picture and understands where particular legal issues fit in the overall scheme of things. And she proved to be an excellent law clerk and a pleasure to work with.

　　MARTINEZ: That is Judge Bruce Selya, senior judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals. Judge, thank you very much.

　　SELYA: My pleasure. Have a good day.

1 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

2 exudes   

v.缓慢流出，渗出，分泌出( exude的第三人称单数 )；流露出对（某物）的神态或感情

参考例句：

• The plant exudes a sticky fluid. 这种植物分泌出一种黏液。
• She exudes sexual magnetism. 她洋溢着女性的魅力。

3 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

9 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

10 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

11 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

12 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

13 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

14 confirmations   

证实( confirmation的名词复数 )； 证据； 确认； （基督教中的）坚信礼

参考例句：

• Never use transitory dialogs as error messages or confirmations. 绝不要用临时对话框作为错误信息框或确认信息框。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Dismissing confirmations thus becomes as routine as issuing them. 因此关闭确认对话框和发起确认对话框一样成为例行公事。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

15 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

16 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

17 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

18 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

19 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

20 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。