Senate confirmation hearing 'outrageous and beyond the pale,' Booker says

This week was outrageous and beyond the pale, and very different from what I have seen in my short time in the Senate.

Jackson's temperament through the questioning is indicative of her character according to Booker. He said that she dealt with it in an extraordinary way and showed America who she is.

Booker said that she had gone through a judicial confirmation process before she was appointed to the D.C. Circuit Court.

The legitimacy of the court has been affected by the tactics used by the Senate.

Booker defended Supreme Court candidates who had been nominated by a president of the opposite party. Republicans argued last week that their questioning of Jackson was not as rough or problematic as those of Democrats.

He noted that there were extraordinary realities in the hearings that demanded that it be as contentious as it was, and not just allowing it to go through.