Zzzzzzzzzz (Ginsburg: Obama SotU put her to sleep)

The National Law Journal ^ | 02/03/10 | By Jonathan Hayter

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Appearing before a sold-out audience in New York last week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg that she found it hard to stay awake during the State of the Union address. Something to do with that Campari spritzer and a glass of wine she'd had during dinner with the other justices.

Justice Stephen Breyer nudged her awake a few times during the speech; she recalled fondly how former Justice David Souter would give her a "gentle pinch" when she had the sleepies.

Ginsburg mused that, although she had trouble keeping her eyes open, everyone else in the chamber was "sober as judges."

[Soul Seeker]

I’m don’t think that response is really called for.

I do wonder why she hasn’t retired. She’s obviously ill and I believe her husband is? Democrat in the W.H. She isn’t the power breaker on the court that would be Kennedy.

Obviously I’d prefer retirements when we stood a chance of a proper replacement for the court but if you are an ill Liberal with an overwhelmingly stacked Senate, House and W.H. I must say I don’t understand her reasoning here. Unless the occupation is giving her reason to battle anther day.

Of the liberals on the court she is far from the one I dislike most. The Republican nominee for the court, Souter, is.

[Oldpuppymax]

What the heck’s the difference if she’s asleep? She could always phone in her Court decisions anyhow.

[hinckley buzzard]

Um, David Souter retired last June.

Try John Stevens if you want a real plug nickel of a judge.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

Fear of another Souter led George W. Bush to seek the answer to a single question when he interviewed five potential nominees. All five were deemed to be conservatives. The question was whether they'd be the same 25 years from now as they are today--in other words, just as conservative. The interviews lasted from one hour to nearly two. Bush found John Roberts the most impressive. He decided Roberts would not lurch to the left as Souter had or even drift in that direction as other Supreme Court appointees of Republican presidents have. A White House official said Bush doesn't expect Roberts to "grow in office."

[ntnychik]

Ruth jolted awake about a second after 0’s scolding of the SCOTUS during the SOTU speech. It was fun to watch.