After yesterday’s front-page story in the Washington Post, “Roberts Unlikely To Face Big Fight; Many Democrats See Battle as Futile,” the Committee for Justice sent out an e-mail (based on a Bench Memo post) entitled, “Cakewalk?”, listing a few cautionary headlines from an earlier Supreme Court battle that at one point seemed easy:
The New York Times
September 14, 1991
THE THOMAS HEARINGS;
Thomas to Win High Court Seat, Senators Predict
By NEIL A. LEWIS
The Washington Post
September 14, 1991
Thomas Gaining Momentum as Week Ends;
Senators’ Gentle Questioning on Fourth Day of Hearings Suggests Doubts
May Be Put Aside
By Ruth Marcus
The Associated Press
September 14, 1991
Democrats Admit Thomas Heading Toward Senate Confirmation
By James Rowley
Los Angeles Times
September 14, 1991
Democrats Talk as if Court Seat for Thomas is Assured
By David G. Savage
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
September 14, 1991
Frustrated Democrats take a softer line in questioning Thomas; Even skeptics seem to expect confirmation
By Bob Dart
Now, the Post has published another front-page story, “Democrats Feel Heat From Left On Roberts; Groups Say Fight Should Be Stronger.” Among other things, the article quotes ranking Judiciary Committee Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy saying that documents released by the Bush administration “paint a picture of John Roberts as an eager and aggressive advocate of policies that are deeply tinged with the ideology of the far right wing of his party then, and now. In influential White House and Department of Justice positions, John Roberts expressed views that were among the most radical being offered by a cadre intent on reversing decades of policies on civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, privacy, and access to justice.”