I’m not impressed with Gorsuch either, since he seems to be at best a modestly improved version of Kennedy, but White was one of the original dissenters in Roe vs. Wade and that established his conservative credentials.
Re: “White was one of the original dissenters in Roe vs. Wade and that established his conservative credentials.”
I agree that White made some Conservative decisions, e.g. Roe, Miranda, and on limiting judicial power.
On the other hand, he voted with the Liberals much more often than with the Conservatives.
Please remember that White was the Colorado chairman of JFK’s 1960 presidential campaign, and that Al Gore asked White to swear him in as Vice President in 1993.
Also, White was easily confirmed in 1962, when the U.S. Senate was 65% Democrat.