The U.S. Supreme Court just became more diverse
President Joe Biden‘s historic campaign promise came to fruition yesterday, as the U.S. Senate confirmed Biden’s nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, as the first black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The final vote was 53-47, including three Republicans. However, Jackson’s confirmation process revealed as much about the Republican Party as it did about the supremely qualified judge. It would be an understatement to say that Senate Republicans in particular made themselves look really bad.
Of course, in any Supreme Court confirmation process of the past 30 years or more, Republican Senators (as well as Democrats to some degree) can be expected to score political points and serve red meat to their respective bases, often with written statements and purported “questions” during the confirmation hearing that read like speeches. These statements frequently are turned into campaign ads and fundraising requests. This time, however, the Republicans took that tactic far into Bizarro Land, and shot themselves in the foot.
Specifically, Republican Senators came up with the absurd charge that Jackson’s sentencing record, which is perfectly in line with that of her court colleagues, somehow rendered her “soft on pedophiles.” Some Republicans extended this charge to Democratic Senators, all of whom supported Jackson’s nomination, by calling them “pro-pedophile.” Right wing radio host Mark Levin even called President Biden “sick” for nominating Jackson.
As it turns out, the over-the-top “pedophile” charge from Republicans wasn’t just random. It reflects Republican projection, as it is the GOP which has a big problem in this area, including allegations and/or convictions against Congressmen Matt Gaetz, and “Gym” Jordan, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, former Congressman Mark Foley, the husband of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, as well as the late Jeffrey Epstein‘s friend Donald Trump, who is still considered the leader of the Republican Party and a possible 2024 presidential candidate. And as if to stay right on brand, Tennessee Republican lawmakers pushed a state bill this week that would have the effect of legalizing child marriage. The bill was even termed a “get out of jail free” bill for pedophiles by a Tennessee Democratic state representative. Apparently, the pushback against this Republican bill was harsh enough that its sponsors reportedly are amending it to include a minimum age requirement for marriage. But once again, as with emails, laptops, voter fraud and other subjects, Republicans appeared to follow the playbook of Joseph Goebbels, who said, “accuse the other side of that which you are guilty.”
At any rate, this Republican projection tactic didn’t work. Polls indicated that up to two-thirds of Americans supported Jackson’s nomination. And as mentioned above, three Republicans voted with all of the Democrats (and the two Independents who caucus with the Democrats) to give Jackson a clear confirmation. Moreover, when it came time for Jackson’s final Senate confirmation vote, another of President Biden’s historic choices, Vice President Kamala Harris, was presiding in the Senate President’s chair. The optics could not have been more significant, and this victory could not have been sweeter for President Biden, the Democratic Party, our country, and the cause of equality and justice.
Photo by Phil Roeder, used under Creative Commons license. https://is.gd/RSGzTK
