Roberts stopped short of providing his specific views on issues. That chafed Democrats, who see his approval this month as almost a certainty.

On right-to-die cases, the nominee would say little more than his oft-repeated response that it would be inappropriate to comment on cases that he might decide. "I will confront them with an open mind. They won't be based on my personal views. They will be based on my understanding of the law," he said.