Kavanaugh has most important quality in Supreme Court picks: character

Maybe it came from a career of public service -- as an attorney working with independent counsel Kenneth Starr in the 1990s, as a lawyer advocating for George W. Bush in the Florida recount in 2000, later as staff secretary in the Bush White House, and most recently as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

My guess is that Kavanaugh got most of his character from his parents, who appear to have worked hard in their own lives to accomplish their dreams and seem to have taught him well. An only child, Kavanaugh obviously loves, respects, even idolizes his parents -- especially his mother, who herself went from high school teacher to prosecutor to judge. The son is clearly just as proud of his mother as she is of him.

But aside from the question of where Kavanaugh's character comes from, how do we even know he has it?

That's easy. Look at how he talked about his family -- not just his parents but also the people who know him best because they live with him, his wife and daughters. Given all his accomplishment and accolades, he obviously considers it the great privilege of his life to be husband to Ashley and father to Elizabeth and Margaret. In his remarks, he said, "I thank God every day for my family."

So what should Americans look for in a Supreme Court nominee?

That's also easy. We're conditioned to worship "the big" -- those who went to big-name schools, have done big things, have big credentials, have racked up big accomplishments.

Yet we have that upside down. We need to look for "the small" -- individuals who have the perspective to consider their family, their country and their God and see themselves as small by comparison.

With Supreme Court justices, we also want people who have the additional quality of seeing themselves as small next to the U.S. Constitution.

We'll learn more about this particular nominee in the coming days. Liberals and Democrats are on the attack and looking for flaws. It's just politics. They were going to oppose anyone nominated by President Trump.

But for now, the evidence suggests that Brett Kavanaugh has tons of character. And that is a great place to start.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com. His daily podcast, "Navarrette Nation," is available through every podcast app.