Bork got borked, Trump got chipmunked

 

Justice Anthony Kennedy is to blame for much of the polarization now evident everywhere in America

From Paul Kengor's Anthony Kennedy: Reagan’s Worst Mistake:

The Kennedy pick was supposed to calm the waters after the storm generated by the Robert Bork and Douglas Ginsburg nominations. ... His subsequent 30 years of judicial decisions literally redefined things as basic as life and marriage. His calamitous three decades on the court will be followed by an endless maze of legal-cultural wars and church-state battles dealing with the disastrous dust-up of what he unleashed. ... Kennedy led the majority with one of the most breathtakingly outrageous statements in the history of jurisprudence: “At the heart of liberty,” averred Kennedy, “is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.”

In short, Anthony Kennedy spearheaded America's turn into the Libertarian Party in convention, but where no one can agree about anything.

Ted Cruz was all in for John Roberts in 2005, but Ann Coulter, who now supports Trump, wasn't. Any questions?

Ann Coulter, July 20, 2005, here:

But why on earth would Bush waste a nomination on a person who is a complete blank slate when we have a majority in the Senate! 

We also have a majority in the House, state legislatures, state governorships, and have won five of the last seven presidential elections -- seven of the last 10! 

We're the Harlem Globetrotters now. Why do we have to play like we're the Washington Generals every week? 

Conservatism is sweeping the nation, we have a fully functioning alternative media, we're ticked off and ready to avenge Robert Bork ... and Bush nominates a Rorschach blot. ...

Maybe Roberts will contravene the sordid history of "stealth nominees" and be the Scalia or Thomas that Bush promised us when he was asking for our votes. Or maybe he won't. The Supreme Court shouldn't be a game of Russian roulette. 

Timeline of the 7-month Lewis Powell vacancy

Justice Lewis Powell retired June 26, 1987.

President Reagan nominated Robert Bork on July 1, but he was not confirmed by the Senate on October 23.

Douglas Ginsburg was nominated in turn on October 29, but subsequently withdrew.

Anthony Kennedy was nominated on November 30, and confirmed on February 3, 1988, with just under a year left in Reagan's presidency.