Senator Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's running mate, and Pete Buttigieg on Monday responded to the opening day of the Senate confirmation hearing of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

Harris said that the nomination was an attempt by President Donald Trump to “roll back Americans' rights for decades to come,” including the rights of LGBT Americans.

“Throughout our history, Americans have brought cases to the Supreme Court in the ongoing fight for civil rights, human rights, and equal justice,” Harris said.

“Decisions like Brown v. Board of Education, which opened up educational opportunities for Black boys and girls, Roe v. Wade, which recognized a woman's right to control her body, and Loving v. Virginia and Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized that love is love, and that marriage equality is the law of the land.”

“The United States Supreme Court is often the last refuge for equal justice when our constitutional rights are being violated.”

“Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg devoted her life to this fight for equal justice. She defended the constitution. She advocated for human rights and equality.”

“She stood up for the rights of women. She protected workers. She fought for the rights of consumers against big corporations. She supported LGBTQ rights. And she did so much more.”

“But now, her legacy and the rights she fought so hard to protect are in jeopardy.”

“By replacing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with someone who will undo her legacy, President Trump is attempting to roll back Americans' rights for decades to come,” she added.

In her opening statement, Coney Barrett said: “Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people. The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try.”

Last week, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito suggested in a statement that marriage equality should have been decided by lawmakers elected by the people, not the high court. Their statement rang alarm bells not only because of its subtext – Obergefell should be overturned – but also for its timing ahead of Monday's hearing.

(Related: Pete Buttigieg to Justices Thomas, Alito: I'm tired of my marriage being up for debate.)

Appearing on MSNBC's AM Joy, Buttigieg, who made history as the nation's first openly gay married presidential candidate, described Coney Barrett's statement as “a pathway to judicial activism cloaked in judicial humility.”

“At the end of the day, rights in this country have been expanded because courts have understood what the true meaning of the letter of the law and the spirit of the constitution is. That is not about time-traveling yourself back to the 18th century and subjecting yourself to the same prejudices and limitations as the people who write these words.”

“The constitution is a living document because the English language is a living language. And you need to have some readiness to understand that in order to serve on the court in a way that will actually make life better,” Buttigieg said.