Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said that the confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court "is an encouraging sign that this time, at least, pro-abortion groups did not have the ability to hijack the judicial nomination process in Washington.

"Chief Justice Roberts responded to his harshest critics on the Senate Judiciary Committee with skill, honesty and good humor. And while it is disappointing that 22 senators chose to vote against a man who is so clearly well qualified for this position, we are glad that opponents did not resort to a filibuster, and hope that future nominations to the Supreme Court will be handled in a similarly straightforward manner," Anderson said.

At the 2005 Knights of Columbus convention in Chicago in August, delegates adopted a resolution declaring that Roberts was "exceptionally well qualified" to serve on the Supreme Court, and calling upon senators to "conduct prompt, fair and expeditious hearings," to "consider his nomination without delay or filibuster," and to "allow him an up-or-down vote on his confirmation."

"The Senate did all of these things, and that's a very good sign," Anderson said. "We fervently hope that the same courtesy is extended to the next nominee as well."  Anderson attended Roberts' swearing-in ceremony at the White House.