On the second morning of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Judge Amy Coney Barrett surprised the nation with a simple gesture. Typically, in a congressional hearing, individuals giving testimony will bring catalogs of notes, references, and relevant information they can refer to when questioned. There’s little that is off-limits in a judicial nomination hearing, so individuals who appear before the committee often come equipped with talking points and sound bites to counter particularly difficult questioning.

However, when Sen. John Cornyn of Texas asked Judge Barrett what she had been referring to in her testimony, Judge Barrett responded with an eye-opening move. She held up a blank notepad. She came equipped only with her wit and professionalism. But no amount of notes could have added to her esteemed qualifications.