RIP Sandra Day O'Connor

[Liut]

First woman on the Supreme Court. She was 93.

 

[swingline]

Thought she was already dead.

 

[Liut]

Thought she was already dead.

Me too.
First thought was John Riggins.

 

[Spartan Squad]

I don't think enough can be said about the path the forged and her importance on the court. She will be overshadowed historically by RBG (not saying that's a bad thing) but she was truly and amazing human. And she just went into the sunset.

RIP

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The last Justice to ever hold an elected office, which explains a lot about the Court today.

 

[wicked]

O'Connor announced her retirement and Rehnquist died within a couple months of one another.

Sadly that provided a second seat that could've gone to Harriet Miers, but instead we got Sam Alito — in hindsight, a far worse swap.

Roberts basically took the Rehnquist seat (including being named chief justice), so we can thank Sandra Day O'Connor for Samuel Alito.

Thanks, Sandy.

 

[Webster]

The blatant sexism she faced trying to get a job out of law school is shocking to read.

 

[outofplace]

Me too.
First thought was John Riggins.

Mine too, which sucks. She deserves better than to be remembered for Riggins' drug idiocy.

 

[UPChip]

Loosen up, Sandy baby.

 

[franticscribe]

I don't think enough can be said about the path the forged and her importance on the court. She will be overshadowed historically by RBG (not saying that's a bad thing) but she was truly and amazing human. And she just went into the sunset.

RIP

I think she holds her own in the court's history. Not just for being the first. She made significant contributions to the court, with long-lasting effects, especially during the era where she held the swing vote.

The last Justice to ever hold an elected office, which explains a lot about the Court today.

Something that's been sorely missing for a long time. The court has no one with real experience at consensus building, which is part of why we have so many 5-4 or 6-3 decisions now. I'd love to see another former legislator - particularly one with a track record of legislative accomplishment - get appointed to the court, but we're locked into an era where the only acceptable qualifications are an appointment to a federal court of appeals and a milquetoast public life.

O'Connor was also the last justice who served on a state court of appeals, and that's also sorely missing given the percentage of Supreme Court cases that originate in state courts.

 

[Spartan Squad]

I think she holds her own in the court's history. Not just for being the first. She made significant contributions to the court, with long-lasting effects, especially during the era where she held the swing vote.

To make a bad analogy (emphasis on bad), it's sort of like being Peyton Manning in the era of Tom Brady. Manning was great by most measures. Is a legend by most measures. But who do we associate with quarterbacking in the first 20 years of the 2000s? Brady. Doesn't take away from accomplishments or how important he and she were, but when you have an icon who was also there, it's hard to disassociate.

O'Connor holds her own status on the court and rivals many who served. But there was another legend there too.

And thus ends the bad analogy. Honestly, we need more like she was even more than we need another RBG.

 

[maumann]

The subject of one of my favorite jokes.

On her first day as a Supreme Court Justice, the rest of the court offered to take her out to lunch.

After they were seated, the waiter came up to take their orders. Being the first woman, he said he was honored to take her order first.

"I'll have the steak and a baked potato," she replied.

The waiter then asked, "And for the vegetables?"

"They'll have the same."

RIP, madam.