Senate hearings opened for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Biden’s nominee for the Supreme Court.
The questioning revealed contrasts: Democrats praised her record; Republicans sharpened attacks on sentencing, ideology, and critical race theory.
The breakdown:
- Symbolism: First Black woman nominated to the Court. Representation itself is history.
- Substance: Extensive judicial experience, public defender background. Critics fixated on isolated rulings.
- Politics: The outcome isn’t in doubt. Democrats have the votes. The hearings are performance, not persuasion.
The hearings underscored the state of judicial politics: every confirmation is proxy war, every question a sound bite. Jackson will be confirmed. The spectacle is the point.