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Ketanji Brown Jackson told senators on Tuesday that she hopes her nomination "will bring confidence" and "help inspire people to understand that our courts are like them, that our judges are like them."
The big picture: "Americans' disapproval of the Supreme Court has been rising, with 44% now having an unfavorable opinion," Axios' Stef W. Kight wrote last month, citing a Pew Research Center survey.
- The percentage of Americans who view the court favorably fell from 69% in August 2019 to 54% in January.
- Democrats' approval rating of the court has fallen in recent years, due in part to former President Trump naming three judges to the bench and solidifying a conservative majority.
What she's saying: "Public confidence in the court is crucial. As has been said here earlier, the court doesn't have anything else. That is the key to our legitimacy in our democratic system," Jackson said, following a question from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) on the matter.
- "I am honored to accept the president's nomination in part because I know it means so much to so many people. It means a lot to me. I am here standing on the shoulders of generations of Americans who never had anything close to this kind of opportunity."
- "This nomination, against that backdrop, is significant to a lot of people. And I hope that it will bring confidence. It will help inspire people to understand that our courts are like them, that our judges are like them, doing the work, being a part of our government."
Don't forget: If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson would become the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.